I like the idea of a site handling credit cards.  It will make it so
much easier for non-US of A users to contribute.  We also have a
vested interest in the HP3000.



Date sent:              Mon, 14 Aug 2000 16:26:00 -0700
Send reply to:          Sletten Kenneth W KPWA <[log in to unmask]>
From:                   Sletten Kenneth W KPWA <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:                Re: [HP3000-L] Publicizing the e3000; Plan B: I'll kick in $100
                to start.
To:                     [log in to unmask]

> Art forwarded Winston's reply:
>
> > Reply from [log in to unmask]:
> >
> > Hi Art,
> >
> > Our current approach is to use two different types of
> > advertising to reach customers.  First, for existing customers,
> > we use installed base publications.  We have found this very
> > effective at getting our messages directly to customers that
> > have already chosen the HP e3000.
> >
> > For attracting new customers, we use a very focused solution
> > based approach.  .......
> >
> > We have found that using generic industry advertising is not
> > effective for us.  To make a real impact it takes a very large
> > scale effort and I believe that our investments are better spent
> > on continuing to make the HP e3000 the best product it can be.
>
> Winston's above is consistent with previous statements by CSY;
> there is no surprise here....  and I don't really have a problem
> with what the above is focused on;  as far as it goes.   No doubt
> Winston is correct when he says it would take a very large scale,
> sustained effort to *significantly* raise the awareness of the
> HPe3000 and Image/SQL to the readers of ComputerWorld,
> InfoWorld, etc.;  let alone GOLF, Barron's, Newsweek, etc., etc.
> Nobody should expect two-full-page multi-color ads on the 3000
> and IMAGE every other week in all the major IT trade rags *and*
> many of the leading main-stream pubs that get read on airplanes.
>
> ...  and I don't think anyone on this list is asking or expecting
> that.  It's not necessary;  and is not the fundamental problem we
> are dealing with here.  I think Cortlandt put it well:
>
> > OK, but let us be direct.   My problem with HP's marketing
> > tactics is that it undercuts my assurances to my clients that
> > the HP e3000 belongs in their organizational IT strategy.
> > Like the practice of medicine, marketing, should follow the
> > motto of "first do no harm".  HP marketing is harmful to the
> > HP e3000 market position as well as the credibility of anyone
> > who recommends a MPE/iX solution.   It undercuts years of
> > brand loyalty to the HP 3000 and to Hewlett-Packard itself.
>
> I.e.:  HP *as a corporation*;  at the highest several levels of
> corporate management;  is stating in clear and unambiguous
> terms that the company now has three and only three OS that
> they consider "strategic" (with all that implies):  HP-UX, NT, and
> now LINUX.  That is a *whole 'nother story* from occasionally
> or even mostly omitting MPE from PR blurbs on other products:
> The obvious deliberate omission of MPE/iX while now including
> even an open-source clone of UNIX as strategic ahead of MPE
> crystallizes the whole issue.  It doesn't mean MPE is going to
> fade away in the next couple years;  it's core mission-critical to
> too many businesses yet....  but as Cortlandt said:  Anybody at
> a lower level (outside *or* inside HP) trying to sell MPE as a
> long-term solution just has NO WAY to get by this fundamental,
> official HP corporate message:  HP-UX, NT, and LINUX are
> strategic;  MPE/iX is not.
>
> Try and be objective:   Place yourself in the position of a CIO
> trying to make the right decisions for long-term success of his /
> her business:   Even if you are running MPE now, would you
> feel comfortable for the long run when the vendor of your OS /
> Database just directly and specifically told you (yes:  that is
> EXACTLY what HP did) that the OS and database your business
> is critically dependent on is NOT strategic ??...  And if you are
> NOT running MPE yet, how do you get a long-term plan that has
> MPE / IMAGE as the core past the review committee;  after
> someone on that committee asks:  "And what is our overall take
> on the long-term commitment to MPE and IMAGE of senior
> management at the proposed vendor ??...  Answer:  Except in
> a few cases where the 3000 currently provides specific best-in-
> class solutions, you don't....  In fact, if the CIO is smart, s/he
> doesn't even *present* MPE / IMAGE to the corporate review
> committee, because they don't want to look stupid / get turned
> down...
>
> My take:  The unambiguous message by Corporate HP that
> "MPE is NOT strategic" is a serious, big-time problem....  Unless
> reversed, the long-term future is NOT bright.  And while it's
> probably good to avoid "going to the barricades" if possible, I
> find myself in full agreement with Gavin's last:
>
> > In this case, the higher authority is the shareholders, analysts,
> > and journalists at large.  The best way to complain to *them* is
> > not to send a QueryCalc poster to Carly, but to run a full-page
> > "open letter to Carly" in some national publication.
>
> Yup....  INFOWORLD would be my vote....
>
> SIDEBAR:  Like Birket mentioned, that does not preclude doing
> the other things to....  My off-the-top for a "Card to Carly" is
> something like:
>
> "We like the HP 3000 that you invented 25 years ago so much
> that we took out a full-page ad in INFOWORLD to tell you."
>
> .....  signed by everybody who contributes to the ad (stand and
> be counted time (except for current CSY employees; who should
> obviously be allowed to contribute anonymously if they wish..
> ;-)   ) ).
>
> > If we did come up with the money to do a full page "open
> > letter" in a national publication, then in addition to annoying
> > Carly it would almost certainly generate some calls from
> > publications like Infoworld who will be interested in knowing
> > what the whole story is.
>
> That is the key:  Even if 100 of us badger INFOWORLD to cover
> the 3000 like they did the AS/400, it may just go in the "one of
> these days" folder along with the other hundreds of requests
> they must get every day....   But if the end-users of a system
> that senior HP management is ignoring go to what would be
> fairly unprecedented lengths to *pay out of their own pockets*
> for a big ad...  well,....  that should get the INFOWORLD and
> maybe etc. "news departments" spun up at least a little bit;  and
> then as Gavin said THEY will ask Carly, and she will be hard put
> not to respond (let's hope it's the right response (no guarantee) ).
>
> > So, in my opinion, only a full page "open letter" in a national,
> > well known publication is going to have any significant effect.
> > Anything less can be ignored the same way that all other
> > complaints seem to be.  You certainly won't win any friends at
> > HP by running such an ad, but you certainly will have an
> > impact.
>
> Yup....  and I think it can still be done in a fairly "nice" way;  i.e.:
> while not avoiding the issue, we don't have to call any HP exec a
> "scurvy, low down so-and-so" or etc....
>
> > Just the fact that the 3000 community has done such a thing
> > when none of their other customers ever felt the need to do
> > such a thing means that there is clearly something that needs
> > to be fixed.'
>
> Yup again.....    Then Wayne stepped up to the plate:
>
> > At last count there were a little over 1000 subscribers to
> > HP3000-L.  If each of us contributed $37, that would provide
> > the $37,000 Denys said would be needed for a full page black
> > and white ad.  If someone will coordinate this campaign, I'll be
> > glad to send in my $37.
>
> I will see your $37 and raise you $63 for starters;  i.e: Go for the
> round number:  $100...   since I expect not everyone on 3000-L
> will be able to contribute, $100 sounds about right to me....  and
> it takes time and effort to "collect and collate" contributions...
> even if it is done on the web.  If at least a few third-party vendors
> on the list who can deduct this as a business expense were to
> kick in a little more, maybe we could even go for a full-page one-
> color ad in INFOWORLD.....     ;-)
>
> Anyway, I commit to contributing at least $100 to the cause....
> hmmm....  any chance an established corporate member of this
> list who is already a "credit card expert" could and would set up
> a secure web site;  where we could all punch in our credit card
> numbers ??...   If 500 members contribute an average of $100,
> that's $50K right there;  that would buy a good ad in
> INFOWORLD (given the urgency, I'm willing to gamble that none
> of the "usual suspects" will pull a "SUPERGROUP" with the $$$..
>    ;-))   ).
>
> How about it, Sports Fans:  Can we get $50K or so together in
> time to hit INFOWORLD with a full-page ad before HPW ??...
>
> Ken Sletten


Regards,

Ewart North,
Finance Office
University of Birmingham,
Edgbaston, Birmingham B15  2TT
Tel:    0121 414 7099
Fax:    0121 414 7979
email:  [log in to unmask]