RE: 64 bit Windows... -- MIDRANGE-L

Walden is right about the marketing aspects and our discussions so far.
The idea should be to embrace the MS announcement but with an iSeries
twist.  I envision an ad that goes something like this:

"IBM would like to welcome Microsoft's Windows XP 64-bit desktop
operating system.  As 64-bit applications are released for the desktop
in the future, there will be a great potential to improve the way people
use their desktops.

"What about servers?  If you want to run 64-bit server applications
today, look no further than the IBM iSeries.  It's 64-bit technology is
available now.  All applications run in 64-bit mode, including Lotus
Domino, WebSphere Application Server, the DB2 database, and thousands of
third party applications.  The iSeries can even handle 64-bit Linux and
AIX applications.

"64-bits, every application, all the time."

John A. Jones, CISSP
Americas Information Security Officer
Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc.
V: +1-630-455-2787  F: +1-312-601-1782
john.jones@xxxxxxxxxx

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Walden H. Leverich
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2005 7:42 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: RE: 64 bit Windows...

>Piloted this? Patently false. 

Why is that false? I don't know the entire article, but are you saying
that they (MS) haven't been "piloting" terminal server on 64-bit, I
doubt it. I don't see any problem with that statement.

Obviously my MS-bent is, um, well documented <G>, but the bottom line is
this, you're[1] fighting the wrong battle. MS is making marketing noise,
has always made marketing noise, and probably will always make marketing
noise. Heck, MS is making more marketing noise in iSeries marketing with
the Midrange Alliance than IBM is making noise in iSeries marketing, and
that's sad. 

Constantly telling the world why MS is bad isn't the way to win
converts. No one is going to use an iSeries because you tell them that
Windows sucks. You've got to tell them why to use iSeries, not why not
to use Windows. IBM made the same mistake with OS/2. I recall the
"better windows than Windows" approach to marketing OS/2. Well look, if
all I'm doing is running Windows apps I'm going to run Windows, it just
makes sense. 

Also keep in mind that telling the world that we've had "64 bit" for 10
years does one of a couple of things. One, people simply don't believe
you because 64 bit is "new" and it's "just getting started" now (at
least that's what marketing tells them), or they do believe you, but
hell if it's had it for 10 years it's ancient by todays standards, and
that reinforces the "old technology" idea, or they believe you, but
dismiss it because they can't get their brain around it. I was involved
in the early cable modem rollout on Long Island (had one in '96) and
Cablevision had a couple of meeting with us early adopters to talk about
advertising "100 times faster than dialup". We all agreed, they couldn't
do that then (28.8 was fast), there was no point of reference. If we all
drive 55 miles an hour, we can imagine what 100 would be like, or maybe
150, but we simply can't imagine 5000 miles an hour, no point of
reference.

I know what I think everytime I read a statement that's along the lines
of "so what, we've had that for xxx years, and you're just getting it
now." I think, "so what, I've got it now too. What do you have that I
don't have w/my windows solution." Look, Ford was pumping out Model Ts
long before Toyota heard of a car, but that doesn't mean that I sould be
driving a Model T today. What you provided me yesterday is useless, I
can get it anywhere, what are you going to provide me tomorrow?

-Walden

[1] Editorial use of "you", not aimed at you, Vern, specifically.

------------
Walden H Leverich III
President & CEO
Tech Software
(516) 627-3800 x11
WaldenL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.TechSoftInc.com

Quiquid latine dictum sit altum viditur.
(Whatever is said in Latin seems profound.)

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