RE: AS/400 vs. NT

[Alan Campin <Alan.Campin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>> But we should remember that most GUI requires a fairly expensive work
station and that there are lots and lots of places that a >> terminal will
do all that needs doing.  Easier maintenance, easier installations, easier
training, better 
 
Yea, trying telling that to the user who want e-mail (outlook), Excel and
Access on his system. We have a few dumb terminals but we get a lot of
bitching about not being able to get to their e-mail.
 
As to fairly expensive, you buy a PC workstation for $700.00 and $800.00
with a 64MB of memory, fast hard drive, good video and a 400 or 450
processor and we buy refurbish to get even a better price. PC are getting
incredibly cheap.
 
I agree with earlier messages about the overhead and quality of the NT
products but everything comes down to user demand. Guaranteed way to get
lynched. Try to take away a user's GUI and want to listen to bitching, tell
them they can't have it. 

-----Original Message-----
From: boothm@earth.goddard.edu [mailto:boothm@earth.goddard.edu]
Sent: Friday, October 29, 1999 12:53 PM
To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
Subject: Re: AS/400 vs. NT



Absolutely.  Agreed.  GUI has its place, and the place is substantial. 

But so there's plenty of room for green screen.  My original comments are
that green screen doeasn't have to be as bad as it has been.  There are
tools to make green screen behave better.  Mouseable scroll bars on
subfiles.  Radio buttons for selections.  Push buttons. 

But we should remember that most GUI requires a fairly expensive work
station and that there are lots and lots of places that a terminal will do
all that needs doing.  Easier maintenance, easier installations, easier
training, better discipline  (no solitare!) and other reasons.  For the
shops that want terminals and aren't looking to having one technician per 18
work stations, then green screen makes sense.   We need to offer these users
new techniques and best-of-class offerings.   





Please respond to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com 


Sent by:        owner-midrange-l@midrange.com 


To:        <MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com> 
cc:         

Subject:        Re: AS/400 vs. NT 

Obviously, there are some applications which can only be performed with a
GUI -- applications which show photos, do modeling, etc.

But the bottom line is that most people prefer to use a nicer looking
application. Some GUIs might be poorly designed, but don't throw out the
baby with the bathwater. For me, there is no comparison. And GUI sells.

Luther




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