Hi all:
This is not new news, we have all known about the downturn in HP3000
prospects for some time now. I would say anyone still making $ on this
platform is darned lucky. I consider myself one of those as I STILL consult
and maintain an HP3000 system in Houston and I work in New Hampshire. I do
this 100% of the time and have been for the past 5 years. They are
migrating too and will do so within a year and half. I will help them not
because I want the platform to go away but because anyone who doesn’t want
to work from home making serious $ is a fool; one day working from home
equals five in the shop easy.
However going forward will be harder. I will never make the same kind of $,
I don't think. Added to that the age factor and I would say I will be lucky
to WORK at all until ready to retire. Of course there are a lot of things
we can do, other than HP3000 and even other than the computer field. I did
a lot of PHP and MySQL and have my webmaster cert but I don't think the same
kind of earnings are there. Could become a manager, maybe. Could change
fields completely but I am told that takes about 5 years.
It all comes down to this: Until you find yourself on the other side of the
grass, so to speak, do SOMETHING. And if that something ends up being a
great as life with the HP3000, you are lucky. It's been a great ride.
Thanks.
Mike Serafin, Serasoft
_____________________________________
SeraSoft, Inc.
PO Box 5763
Manchester, NH 03108-5763
(603) 485-3700 phone
(603) 361-3053 cell
www.serasoftinc.com
-----Original Message-----
From: HP-3000 Systems Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Jim Chance
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 12:04 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [HP3000-L] Life after the HP3000 (Research Requested)
Hi Ron,
Thanks for asking. Since I'm unemployed I have some time to give you
feedback.
Consider the following input and experiences.
1. I have 17 job search sites that have had a noticeable decline in HP3000
listings over the past 5 years. I've always been very close to this
barometer.
2. I have received terrific lists from friends in the HP3000 world over the
past 10 years who wanted to share with me companies who have or had HP3k's
in there shops. I've called these companies, emailed them and have observed
declines and movements.
3. I've known about 42 actual HP3000 professionals on a true personal level
over only the past 15 years that have had to change directions, have told me
of there companies plans and/or were laid off, or did actually go to IBM
UNIX Oracle, MS SQL, etc..... Real world input.
4. I have worked for or have known of at least 16 companies who have
migrated away from the HP3000 in the past 12 years.
There is a company in Canton OH who is migrating.
Crane Aerospace is in progress of moving to SAP from the HP3k
I have worked for 3M who has moved from Manman to a combination of various
systems
ITT in CA moved from the HP3k to MS SQL
The university of Tampa moved from the HP3k to UNIX hosting a higher ed
system
Weltman, Weinburg & Reis is moving to MS SQL
PTC Alliance in OH moved to SAP
Invacare Corp. in OH moved to Oracle on IBM UNIX
Smythe Cramer Realty moved away from it
I can literally go on and on and on. Many many more documented movements.
Are you denying the contrary?
5. My conclusion is that observing the rapid and significant decline of
openings listed, input from recruiters (I keep in touch with about 10 of
them), combined with a serious tapering of migration projects, list members
feedback, having a keen ear to the market, my own personal list of from
about 4 or 5 high end professionals who had a great list to start with that
I've worked and worked for a decade and my own experiences is sufficient
evidence to draw a conclusion from and formulate a comment. This is cold
hard real facts, unfortunately. Moreover, I personally believe that we are
now on the back side of this movement. In other words, the majority of the
transitions have been completed.
I'd "bet" that out of 10 HP3000 shops that existed in 1995 that 2 have had
business closures. 2 moved before Y2k to other platforms. 2 moved
at/near/with Y2K. This leaves 4 out of 10 shops remaining by around 2002. I
suspect that 1 has absolutely no plans to change until absolutely necessary.
2 are in process of planning to change or are changing w/ a plan of going
live on another system within the next 1-2 years and the last one is unsure.
This is just my opinion from someone who has facts, experiences, lists, a
wealth of contacts, feedback, input, comments, evidence of change,
commentaries and first hand observations - plus dialog from decision
makers/directors/managers in HP3000 shops over the last 22 years; but mainly
since the mid/late 90's.
Kindly, Jim.
Jim Chance, DBA/Founder: Practical Technology Solutions
Ashland, Ohio, 44805
Cell: 419-651-6704
Fax: 732-601-6704
[log in to unmask]
www.practical-technology-solutions.com
PMP Certified, IT since 1985. SQL Server 2k/2k5/2k8 admin, Advanced Crystal
Reports 8.5/9/11 development and teaching, Project Management (small and
medium scale), HP3000 expert, IBM/SCO/HP UNIX exp., Migrations/Conversions,
ERP expert.
See my resume' at:
http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/resumes/jim_chance/jimchanceyahoo
Rent our condo in sunny warm Estero, Florida:
http://www.vacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/23683.html
We are also on homeaway at:
http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p239454
--- On Tue, 5/19/09, Ron Seybold <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
From: Ron Seybold <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: [HP3000-L] Life after the HP3000 (Research Requested)
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2009, 11:20 AM
Hello Friends,
Jim Chance offers a good deal of personal experience on what came next for
him after his 3000 work dried up. Then he pokes out into the realm of
guesswork:
> If you insist on continuing on the HP3k you'll most likely have to
relocate. I'd bet that there are only about 500 HP3k shops with a staff of 3
or more in the entire US. And 1/2 of those are considering pulling the plug
sometime in the next 2-5 years, perhaps when there companies become more
profitable and full blow IT projects can ramp up again
Maybe if we could hear how many calls supported his bet...
I really wonder what good this sort of estimate does anybody. His looks like
just a bet, as random as anything thrown down on a green felt gaming table.
It certainly reinforces anybody's choice of moving onto another line of
work. Every week I run across somebody who used to do 3000 work and can't
find it anymore. Their story often sounds like this one. But few seem to
want to quantify the 3000's decline, based on their view.
Wishing for evidence, while writing advice on migration every week,
Ron Seybold
3000 Newswire
PS. It's unfortunate that Mike Hurdle isn't working at BellSouth, but the
3000s are still working there. Most companies I talk with are in need of
experts like Mike who understand their 3000s. Nevertheless, these companies
make a practice of cutting these experts out of shrinking IT budgets.
There's a lot of bareback computing going on in this community. Meanwhile,
the 3000s continue to run. But how long before a software failure? And who
will be on staff to understand the apps in those full blown migrations?
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