Re: InfoWorld's reponse - 64bits -- MIDRANGE-L

Vernon,

Well put.  Here is the letter I posted to David and Carolyn.  BTW, if you
want some of my opinion of InfoWorld you can check out letters to the
editor in the latest version of News/400.......

>Thank you for your article regarding Compaq and Alpha, it was very
informative.  You quoted John Rando from Compaq as >saying "With Merced
it's been one delay after another.  So we feel we can lead (64-bit
computing) with Alpha".  That's a really >nice sentiment.  However, Compaq
and Alpha cannot lead 64-bit computing.  The leader, and highly underated
at that, in the >area of 64-bit computing for the last 2 and 1/2 years is
the IBM AS/400.  The AS/400 is a complete 64-bit technology.  And one >that
is very sensitive to a company's business needs.
>
>By complete I mean that everything is 64-bit.  No 32-bit emulation
(actually the AS/400 was 48-bit historically), no extensions for >32-bit
computing on the 64-bit processor.  All communications, operating system
programs, end-user programs, microcode >programs, Lotus Domino, and
database functions are exploiting 64-bit technology.  And have been for
over 2 and 1/2 years.  My >company has been running it's mission critical
business systems on a 64-bit AS/400 processor for just over 2 years.
>
>This technology is sensitive to a company's business needs.  This 64-bit
technology required no re-writes of our business >applications.  None.
Programs I wrote over 10 years ago are now running 64-bits and with
absolutely no rewrites.  How long did >it take us to "migrate" to this
technology?  A weekend.  And after this conversion we suffered minimal
after affects so the >disruption to business was minimal.
>
>Alpha may have been the first 64-bit processor to market but the AS/400
has clearly been the first total 64-bit solution available.





I also sent a response to David Pendery and Carolyn April. I present it
here so that you all know what I said. I'm certainly open to any comments,
espec. vis-a-vis suitability.

>In a recent article I understand that you quote a John Rando of Compaq,
who  says;
>
>"With Merced it's been one delay after another," Rando said. "So we feel
we can lead [64-bit computing] with Alpha."
>
>This is an odd statement, since IBM's AS/400 has been running on 64-bit
RISC chips for at least 2 years. And _all_ software, both OS and
applications, are fully 64-bit software.
>
>I would like your publication to take a look at the AS/400. It has
consistently utiliaed the latest technology ever since it first appeared
(as the S/38), with painless transitions to the newer hardware all along.
In fact, programs compiled on the first S/38 will compile and run
essentially unchanged on the latest RISC 400.
>
>Do take a look at this so-called 'legacy' platform. I think you will be
amazed by what we who work with the 400 have become quietly accustomed to:
>
>Robustness
>Security
>Availability without peer
>Ease of operation
>
>Regards
>






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