RE: Opinion makes little difference - WAS: IBM investment in i

Trevor,

I apologize if I mis-read your message. I saw your comment about naming complaints and assumed that was the dichotomy you were trying to demonstrate (complainers versus contributors). My response was overly sensitive to that comment. Still we have to tolerate complaints because they contain good information.

I tell anyone who cares to listen what a great system we have. Thanks for asking.

Josh

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Trevor Perry
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 9:42 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Opinion makes little difference - WAS: IBM investment in i


Josh,

You said:

Thanks, but no thanks, I will not be evangelizing the system's name.

I never asked that.

You said:

..arguing about how many branding initiatives can dance on the head of a pin.

This is not about branding.. I asked:

- What are you doing about the FUTURE of the platform?
- What are you (D)oing to PROMOTE the platform?

Why are you stuck on branding and naming? The only question I asked related
to that was:

- Are you pissed because it is not called what ~you~ want?

What effort have you made to start a group/site/event where we can "spend
our energy collaborating"? You say "let's talk", but that is all we seem to
do. In what WAYS are you "encouraging growth of modern and open source
applications available" for IBM i? What have you DONE? What are you planning
to DO? All you have done is say what you are NOT DOing, and what you want to
TALK about.

That's the problem.
Trevor


On 5/8/08 11:19 AM, "Josh Diggs" <JDiggs@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Trevor,

A good product sells itself. If there weren't real issues nobody would take
the time to complain (well maybe a couple would). The 2008 IBM should be
grateful that the 1980-1995 (not exact dates obviously) IBM built such an
incredible product that has engendered all of the loyalty constantly evident
on this forum. In my opinion, the 2008 IBM and its' surrogates should worry
more about the product and less about the name if they want to sell boxes.

The bottom line is that the initial investment keeps people from adopting
AS400 ..er iSeries ..er System I, not the name. Additionally, application
availability slowly erodes the install base. A rose by any other name will
still wilt if not properly attended.

Thanks, but no thanks, I will not be evangelizing the system's name. Instead,
let's talk about the very encouraging growth of modern and open source
applications available for I5 OS, the ability to put Linux on an LPAR, some of
the other real innovations that make the technology better and easier to use.
Let's spend our energy collaborating on how to better use the system instead
of arguing about how many branding initiatives can dance on the head of a pin.

Respectfully

Josh

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Trevor Perry
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 4:32 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Opinion makes little difference - WAS: IBM investment in i


Neil,

I have discovered an interesting division based on the shenanigans on
midrange-L. There are the people who want to live in the glorious past, and
there are those who care about the future of the "platform". For those who
live in the past, it is ALWAYS hilarious to make the joke about "what it is
called today".

As humans, it is easy to sit on our arses and complain when our world is
significantly changed. And, from an AS/400's purist perspective, the world
is no longer warm and green and fuzzy. They have to deal with IBM's approach
to business. And most of the crap that is zinging around this month is about
IBM having an approach to business that is not the one that fits the
complainer personally. Well, bad luck. IBM has changed the paradigm. And no
amount of complaining will bring back the glorious green past. And no amount
of pointing out IBM's 'mistakes' will change anything - it will just mean
more arses will get fatter sitting in a chair and typing complaints to
midrange-L, or any other forum that can be annoyed. Easy, but not
productive.

Anyone can have an opinion. And with midrange-L, we all know about all of
them.

I ask you these questions - and everyone else who has words on this topic.
- Are you simply complaining?
- Are you just pointing out IBM's apparent missteps?
- Are you pissed because it is not called what ~you~ want?
- What are you doing about the FUTURE of the platform?
- What are you going to PROMOTE the platform?

Just checking,
Trevor