Re: IBM investment in i -- MIDRANGE-L

I take offense at the accusation that "nobody is selling the box".

I work for a small software company. We sell our software to run on IBM i.
That means, when we sell our applications, we sell a server. This week, I
have configured a couple of Power Systems, and the new blade center is a
huge advantage for us. We work hard to sell our applications, promote IBM i,
and as a consequence, we sell hardware for IBM. And we are not alone. The
number of 515 servers sold recently has grown significantly. Where did those
sales come from?

The hardest fight we have had has not been lack of support from IBM, but an
inherent lack of support from the community who remain mired in a past. When
we competed against Windows in the past, we had to fight the "AS/400 is old"
slam, propagated not only by the competition, but by everyone inside our
community who stubbornly refuses to move into a future because IBM has not
done it their particular way. Now, we can install (what appears to be) ONE
server that runs IBM i and Windows!! Customers are loving that they can have
their Windows AND run a great application on a 'single' server. IBM has just
made it easier for us to be in business, and now it is easier for us to
"sell the box".

Whatever complaints you have, whatever myopic vision of a glorious green
past you have, the world is a better place with IBM bringing IBM i to the
mainstream.

On 5/7/08 11:10 AM, "Pat Barber" <mboceanside@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Booth Martin wrote:

When the IBM salesman calls on his AS/400 accounts in the
foreseeable future, what is he going to be selling them?
IBM has only "managed decline" to offer.

This is exactly what the problem is in my opinion.

IBM or very few other folks are actuallly out there
trying to sell the product.

I am not aware of a single IBM rep in the two state area I work in.

I believe when IBM killed the small business partner program back in
1998, there was a marked decline in the sales of any boxes. There is
nobody in my geographic area that actually goes out and makes sales
calls on customers(cold calling).

IBM hasn't had a sales force in several years and counts on the large
Business Partners that are left to sell to the existing accounts.

These BPs are "not" selling to small accounts. They have no financial
interest
in a small 520/525 account. When these small starter systems started
dying off, there was nobody there to pick up the slack.

I define a small account as a box that sells for less that $25K.
These used to be the heart and soul of the box and their decline is why we
are whining today. NOBODY is selling these machines.

I have several friends that are CE's or retired CE's and I hear the talk
about the
lack of new installs, which directly affects their careers.

Forget the "IBM ain't selling the box".... Nobody is selling the box.