Richard Gambrell wrote:

> > I truly do believe the real market opportunity for the HP3000 lies with the
> > personal mainframe, a box small enough and inexpensive enough that it can be
> > used in Main Street businesses, without a data processing staff per se in
> > attendance.
> [snip]
> I'd have to say that this point seems to apply equally well to the
> Long's or the SouthWest's or to any of the many other companies that
> have large numbers of 3000s out in retail stores or behind reservation
> counters.  It is a great advantage if all those machines spread out all
> over the place just run, with little to no attention.  Big companies
> with these kinds of needs have much to gain from the 3000's reliability,
> not just small businesses.

you absolutely right, richard.  unfortunately for longs, the whole thingis too
late.  the decision has been made to replace all the store 3000s
with a unix/nt combination.  but for someone like southwest...i think
it would be a great thing.

> The 3000's great advantage is simply it's systemic reliability and it's
> DBMS's incredible combination of great power and great dependability.
> Credit great design (i.e. great staff), Pascal, and the requirement to
> test, test, test (i.e. bring things to market only when they are ready
> and do real regression testing).  Anything that interferes "too much"
> with these things are a threat to the health of MPE. Of course, MPE must
> talk to the world out there, otherwise it is useless, so web servers and
> network printing and all such stuff is also important, but these can't
> be allowed to compromise the basic integrity of the system and the DMBS.

again, all true *but*...
from a user's point of view -- not a software developers -- *economically*
it makes much more sense these days to *buy* software than to write and
support it yourself (with a healthy measure of caveats thrown in....).  let's
say you need a new application.  to hire a programmer at 50K/yr (just to
keep the math simple) and keep that person for (say) 10 years -- you've
got 500K tied up (easily).  but to buy a suitable third-party solution at
100K with 10% maintenance for 10 years (i know, i know...) -- you're
looking at 200K.  those numbers (while highly inaccurate...) are very
hard to ignore!  i can very much tell you that's why folks are leaving the
3000!  it's not the platforms reliability, rock-solid database or any of
the other wonderful things we all know -- it's the lack of applications!
fix that!       - d

--
Donna Garverick     Sr. System Programmer
925-210-6631        [log in to unmask]

>>>MY opinions, not Longs Drug Stores'<<<