Duane wrote:
 
>I'm sure this doesn't shock anyone here, but reliable sources indicate NT has
>been on PA-RISC (internally) for quite some time.
>
>I keep getting the following reinforced from various sources (some public
>and some HP internal):
>
>-- HP is a 40 billion $$ company
>-- MPE represents about 1.2 billion
 
To quote Nelson Rockefeller: "A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon
we'll be talking real money!"
 
>-- Unix and NT are growth markets
>-- MPE is a stable market (or modest growth at best)
>-- The cost of supporting multiple platforms is enormous
>-- HP would like to see MPE go away IFF they had a way for their
>   customers to be protected (notice the 'if and only if')
>
>I think we should be honest with ourselves. From a strategic viewpoint HP
>shareholders are probably better served by HP applying resources to those
>markets that have double digit growth. HP has positioned itself to get a
>big piece of the NT pie through their current NetServer line, their future
>Multi-processor Pentium PRO line, and of course their Intel chip venture.
 
Strategy is all well and good, but if a company chases market forces and
neglects tactics (see IBM in the 80's) they will ultimately get screwed (a
fancy term, eh?).  NT is fine, but right now the 3000 works, running  vital
applications in critical environments.
 
>
>So, unlike 10-20 years ago when the HP3000 was *the* major HP computing
>platform, now its a minor player in the HP computing landscape. We might
>not like that, but thems the facts. The quality of the platform
notwithstanding,
>the HP3000 is not going to become any kind of industry blockbuster. They
>couldn't get that accomplished when the HP3000 was the *only* game in HP town,
>how can you expect them to do that now when its only 1/40'th of their revenue?
>
In my opinion, the HP 3000 is *already* an industry blockbuster, it's just
in stealth mode.  As far as the 3000
being "only" 1/40th of HP's revenue, as I said, "A billion here, a billion
there".
 
I still believe that the market pendulum will swing back into our court.
While Unix fans push their less-than-adequate o.s., we will continue to
rapidly close the gap between what Unix promises and what
the market requires.  We are nearly to the point of being as open, *with*
reliability, heavy OLTP capability,
a great database and vast scalability. This is not "cold, dead fish" gang!
 
---
Bill Lancaster         Lancaster Consulting
(541)926-1542 (phone)  (541)917-0807 (fax)
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