RE: Happy i5/OS 2008? -- MIDRANGE-L

It is NOT about the name, but about PERCEPTION. If the world thinks AS/400

is old, and you call it an AS/400, you are propagating OLD.

Perception is changed as soon as a new experience happens. As soon as
someone experiences something positive on the AS/400 (i.e. RPG CGI, RPG Web
Services, Java, Linux, virtualization, EGL, etc) they have a new perception
that the box can do more than they originally thought. I, for one, think
the name AS/400 still applies - AS=Application System right? (I am not sure
where the 400 came from). What's wrong with using that name for the boxes
that are currently leaving the production line? In the end, the whole
reason for all the new cool features coming out for System i is still so we
can use it to run applications.

I agree we need to keep up with IBM's naming no matter how bad it is, but we
also need to deal with reality. As others have more or less expressed, it
is not black and white but instead an education process to iterate it's
historic names and include mention of the new name. Just stating the new
name, when dealing with customers, is a dangerous game to play.

To wrap up my response, I still have no idea how to make a general reference
to the machine so I just say "i5" or "System i5". I have tried to follow
your posts of definition, but it seems that the context of the conversation
(hardware vs. software) dictates the name one should provide where as before
we could simply say AS/400 and everyone knew we meant the big black (or
white) box sitting in the corner running OS/400. Now we have to say System
i when talking hardware and i5/OS when talking about the software? What a
mess.

Trevor, I commend you for your efforts. You definitely are fighting an
uphill battle :-) I will try to do my best and teach those I am in touch
with.

Aaron Bartell
http://mowyourlawn.com

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Trevor Perry
Sent: Monday, December 31, 2007 11:21 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Happy i5/OS 2008?

Don,

Midrange-L is NOT the industry. It is not a true representation of the
industry. It does not have IBM participation. It does not have participation
of the majority of the community.

Regardless of what you think, a few vocal midrange-L-ers being pissed at me
for advocating using the correct name, does not mean the industry has
rejected the name.

It is NOT about the name, but about PERCEPTION. If the world thinks AS/400
is old, and you call it an AS/400, you are propagating OLD.

It is simple, really. If everyone on this list were to call it i5/OS, and
were to change their websites to match - with the appropriate references to
the legacy, there would be no reason to blame IBM or Google or <insert your
seach engine here>.

And if we know IBM is not marketing, and we want the platform to continue,
why are we complaining about IBM and NOT marketing it ourselves?

"Tough noogies" is narrow sighted and keeps us in the past. You are welcome
to raise your glass as the rest of us disappear into the future.

Trevor

On 12/31/07 11:29 AM, "dr2@xxxxxxxx" <dr2@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

Well......at the risk of repeating what everyone keeps doing...

Perhaps, just perhaps, the industry has rejected IBM changing the name.
After all, once was enough, but we're up to what, 4? Hell, we've had more
name changes than Eliz Taylor(Thanks Al) and more general managers than
the Steinbrenner Yankees!

Perhaps, just perhaps, the industry and user base has said in effect:
"IBM, tough noogies - we're going to call it what we WANT to call
it...after all, we're the ones using it and buying it and paying for
it...(and soon to be paying alot more for it...)"

Wasn't it IBM that once said "the customer knows best!" ?????

Perhaps, just perhaps, that since IBM has done such a (expletive
deleted)'ing PISS POOR JOB of marketing this box, people just don't
respect it by any other name? So, don't complain to us, complain to that
pSeries guy that's now Mark's boss....

Anyone want to speculate on what it's going to be called when (V7) rolls
around? :)

I understand and appreciate where Trevor's coming from. But there comes a
time when the market momentum dictates otherwise and pushing a name as a
major marketing identifier promotion driver for a productline promotion
without any other depth and support in marketing and applications, is like
trying to drag an elephant around by it's tail...it doesn't work and tends
to annoy the elephant.

Let's look at the primary competiton: Basically Unix(pick your mutation)
and Windows. They've BOTH evolved substancially to meet market demand and
directions WITHOUT a major name change. (yes, linux distro's tend to pop
up all over the place as fast as rabbits multiply!) GEE! Ya think there
just MAY BE SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR PRODUCT NAME IDENTITY STABILITY!?????
I think the marketplace is in effect saying that to IBM. The question
remains as to how much IBM is listening to the marketplace.

But, we are missing a major point here - IBM is not a hardware/software
company - THEY ARE A SERVICES COMPANY. And becoming more so. Hardware is
becoming a commodity and applications are what has been driving the buying
decision since before Y2K...NOT the O/S! ...most definately not RPG or
COBOL...or java... :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Lift one for the (insert name here of system created in
Rochester that doesn't start with a 'p'...) ..and lift one for
David...and Trevor. :)

Don in DC