I've watched this thread since it started earlier in the week and decided
to add my two cents.
I've been a long time customer of both companies.
We have used Sequel and Bytware before they were purchased by Help.
Since Help purchased Sequel the product had continued to be enhanced with
more features. There is no way to know if ASC would have enhanced the
product to the degree Help has.
We have no issues with Help Systems.
Another thing to keep in mind, is business consolidation is just a fact
today.
I have been in the food service equipment business for three generations
and in the last ten years we have seen our vendors and competitors
consolidate two and three times. Cutting costs and overhead is a
requirement to survive today's business climate. If a business can do the
same volume with less overhead, they become more profitable, or may be go
from a loss or break even to profitable.
Our ecosystem, IBM i, is small, so when vendors consolidate, it is very
noticeable.
Don't we have more important things to do than rant about something we
can't change?
Just my two cents.
Thanks,
Carl Novit
Vice President
Extension: 7708
From: Scott Klement <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 07/03/2014 12:11 AM
Subject: Re: Help Systems Acquires RJS
Sent by: "MIDRANGE-L" <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
The other thing to consider about companies consolidating like this is
the impact it has on the ecosystem of the platform.
Trade magazines thrive on ads. Each time two vendors combine, they
purchase one ad, where they previously purchased two. I know that was a
big reason that iPro Developer had troubles.
Same with trade shows like COMMON, et al. One booth instead of two...
it means less income.
Of course, just one vendor like RJS merging with another isn't a problem
in itself... the problem is that this sort has been happening all over
for a long time.
What we really need is for more new, independent, vendors to start
popping up....
On 7/2/2014 10:05 PM, Darryl Freinkel wrote:
My opinion is that this is a loss for the i platform.
When software companies start buying up other companies, they land up
killing the opposition and competition. Take Infor as an example, they
own
most of the ERP solutions today and there is now absolutely no
competition
to keep Infor in check. Infor has lost a few potential sales caused by
poor
sales performance, a loss for all of us in the i-space.
Whilst the merging of software companies may be good in the sense that
after
the merge, a gap is left open for new competitors, the nature of the
industry is such that new entrants cannot make it in this market.
Where has the entrepreneurship of the midrange systems gone?
midrange.com
