Most of my customers still "demand" a 'single source solution'
to a particular project although that does not necessarily equate
across projects.  They want to know that when something breaks,
or some other form of help is needed, that they can go to one
spot regardless of the interworkings of "it" (whatever "it" is
actually composed of).  In that same light, existing supplies
also have an edge over "outsiders" since the business/legal
arrangements have already been worked over in the past.  Although
the same arrangements may not necessarily apply for the new project,
it is usually much easier and quicker then trying to work through
the same issues with a new supplier.  Of course, other trivial
issues also come up such as product fitness, cost, etc :)

Regards,
Michael L Gueterman
Easy Does It Technologies
Allaire Alliance Partner
email: [log in to unmask]
http://www.editcorp.com
voice: (888) 858-EDIT -or- (509) 943-5108
fax:   (509) 946-1170
--

> -----Original Message-----
> From: HP-3000 Systems Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of Gavin Scott
> Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 1998 9:39 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [HP3000-L] DBCPLUS
>

<snip>

> The cry for the "single vendor solution" used to be extremely
> loud, and
> HP did a lot of product development to satisfy it.
>
> In this day of Servers + Clients + Middleware + ERP + MS
> Office + LANs +
> Internet + etc., it doesn't seem to occur to people quite as
> often that
> it might be possible to do everything with components from a single
> supplier.  Does anyone hear the single vendor solution demand anymore?
>
> G.
>