In <[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask] writes:
An interesting (and related) aside...
While talking to an HPRC (HPUX network) engineer this morning - who got
handed my MPE networking call by mistake...
He was trying to connect me with someone on the MPE team, and while we were
waiting for someone to pick up, he nonchalantly mentioned "yeah, those 3000s..
they're kinda outdated and legacy systems... (then voice picking up notably
as I think he realized I was about to reply) but there sure are a bunch of
them out there... kinda like those old AS/400 systems that keep running
forever." Then another statement to the effect of it being a shame they were
so proprietary and not very open...
He was a knowledgable networking/hpux person (I could tell from the brief
networking chat we had prior to this) and was matter-of-fact (and not
being condescending or insulting) -- it was obvious that he firmly
believed this (and apparently isn't shy about sharing it). I believe it was
also apparent that he hadn't actually seen/used an HP3000 in many years (he
HAD used them before and was familiar with them however).
I certainly don't want to get him in trouble (on the contrary, his statements
got me thinking).
I know that HP is big on training... I would humbly (but urgently) suggest
that HP (at LEAST the HPRCs) set aside a 2-hour "where the HP3000 is today"
briefing for the *NON* HP3000 team members. Even a half hour slide show,
(George Stachnik? Are you available? Draft Lars to assist!) on some of the
new "tricks" HP3000s have "learned" in the past 5 years.
Posix. Samba/iX. GNU/C++. DNS(Bind). Apache/iX. etc etc etc.!
I informed the HPRC person of some of these goodies, and invited him next
time he had an opportunity to log into an HP3000, to type "SH" (the Posix
shell) and he'd feel much more at home. (He sounded genuinely surprised at
that, and I got the impression that he was actually gonna try it.)
The CSY folks are, by and large, well-informed on the basics; they know this
stuff, but as is so often the case at large organizations (HP being no
exception here) the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. HPRC
engineers are a relatively small group, already knowledgable enough to
understand what some of those posix goodies really mean, and are an IMPORTANT
front-line with MANY customers. Also, as experienced experts, their opinions
weigh heavily on users they talk to. Had I not known better, the HPRC's
engineer's remarks might have caused me to wonder about my choice in
platforms (of course I do know better, and *know* the HP3000 is the best
platform around! :-) ). Still, I'm glad he mentioned that... It never occurred
to me that "experts" at HP in the RC really hadn't been exposed (even a
little) to what the HP3000 folks have been doing these past several years.
Start with the experts... the ones whose opinions are listened to most
intently... then I believe the word will spread to a large degree on it's
own momentum.
Here's hoping it does!
For any HP'ers listening; it just occurred to me -- we're all talking about
spreading the word about the 3000, and to a large extent "shattering" some
of the myths about 3000s. It seems to me that if you want to gauge where to
start and what topics are the "hot" ones, compose a short survey and e-mail
it to all the NON-HP3000 engineers at HP. Something like:
As far as you know;
1) What are the biggest differences between the HP9000 servers and the
HP3000 servers?
2) What are some of the functions/capabilities of the HP9000 servers
which HP3000s lack?
Tally up those answers. See what your own personnel think. Then perhaps
hold that 1/2 hour slideshow. Then send the same survey out again.
First, I think you'll see significantly different answers. Second, I
think you'll see a renewed enthusiasm for HP3000 systems start to spread
throughout the organization.
-Chris (don't forget to remove nospam!) Bartram
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