Re: Software Vendors (And US too) - A small rant

[Jim Oberholtzer <midrangel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sorry Robert but that's a poor excuse for not using the correct 
terminology with your customers regardless of what they call it.  If 
they are confused, politely inform them.   And for the record, the name 
has not really changed all that much when compared to other computer 
products on the market.  If you would like more information, use google 
to find several of Trevor's rants about the topic.

Jim Oberholtzer
Chief Technical Architect
Agile Technology Architects


On 12/11/2012 8:31 PM, Robert Munday wrote:
> But with IBM changing the name as often as they have and do, how is an independent rent-a-programmer like me supposed to keep up?  I still have clients who call it "the 400".  They pay the bills so they are free to call it anything they desire.  I personally use "iSeries".  My most recent client uses the term "iSeries".  If I were selling software in the example you site, then I would need to know and use the "IBM Name Of The Week"... whatever that is this week.  I personally don't know.
>
>
>
> Robert Munday
> Munday Software Consultants
> Montgomery, AL
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> > >From: DrFranken<midrange@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > >Sent: Dec 11, 2012 6:29 PM
> > >To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion<midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > >Subject: Re: Software Vendors (And US too) - A small rant
> > >
> > >I know of a company including several persons there personally including
> > >the person who made the mistake. They were asked by a huge potential
> > >customer what their systems ran on. The response: "AS/400". The customer
> > >immediately and finally closed discussions with: "Yeah well IBM quit
> > >making those over a decade ago so you clearly don't have the ability to
> > >support our needs with that." Game over. No explanations, backpedaling,
> > >clarification, could help. The potential customer believed it was a
> > >mindset.  What does the company really use? IBM i 7.1 on POWER7.  Oops.
> > >
> > >Names matter.
> > >
> > >       - Larry "DrFranken" Bolhuis
> > >
> > >On 12/11/2012 5:06 PM, Jim Oberholtzer wrote:
> > > >>  Note to software vendors:  If you want me to consider your software for
> > > >>  the IBM i operating environment running on Power Systems, please do not
> > > >>  call it, iSeries, AS/400, System i, or my personal favorite System/38.
> > > >>  Clearly if you don't know the name of the system your working on I
> > > >>  cannot trust your software.  Most of the vendors monitor this list and
> > > >>  don't hand me the line:  "That's what our customers call it....."  Don't
> > > >>  correct the customer but always use the correct terminology when you are
> > > >>  speaking and guess what, they will start using it too....
> > > >>
> > > >>  What brought this rant on?  Three calls today from vendors asking if I
> > > >>  would like to talk about their iSeries or AS/400 products.....  Geesh..
> > > >>  Now I'm starting to sound a bit like Trevor without the accent.....
> > > >>
> > > >>  I'll be quiet now.
> > > >>
> > >
> > >--