Hi folks,

Just thought I would add my 2 pence worth....

There has been a great deal of talk about HP (and the list) about raising
the awareness of the e3000 and I agree with pretty much most of it.

However, there is another area that has not really been mentioned yet -
that is applications!

A key factor to the success of any OS is the software that is available for
it.
WE know what is available, WE know how good it is, WE know it's
reliability......

Perhaps what is required is a combined effort on the part of this list, end
users, HP AND the application vendors! Do we therefore need to get them
in on the act?

I also see another problem from the HP side of the fence and that is it's
sales
force, especially some of the 'newer/younger members' who do not know
enough about software availability for the 3000 and cannot therefore put
together
a TRUE solution! I am certainly not trying to put them down but I am sure
that
some of them don't even know what a 3000 is! I certainly have been asked
"What is MPE?" from HP staff!

Hardware is a (relatively) simple product to sell but without a good suite
of
applications the hardware is just an expensive paperweight. Lets face it,
one of
the reasons that Unix and NT have both done well it due to the fact that
there
are a LOT of  very well publicised people producing software for these
platforms.
You certainly don't see the same amount for 3000 software - well, not over
here
in England anyway!

I see one solution to this problem as being a 'simple' internal education
program
for HP's sales force. If they knew what was available and how good it was
then
they would be probably be in a much better position to sell a whole lot more
hardware/software solutions!

As I said, just my 2 pence worth.

Regards
Ian
______________________________________
Ian Sargent
Education & Training Consulting Services Ltd
email:  [log in to unmask]
www:  http://www.etcs.co.uk
Tel/Fax: 44 (0)1344 644579
______________________________________