Well, I'm finally getting around to filling out the HP
Data Center Management survey that Pam Bennett
posted last Wednesday.  I'm not going to inflict my
entire reply on everyone, but I would like to add a
couple things to some public comments that have
already been made by others, and address a specific
item relating to Image/SQL:

(1)  I second the motion on what Jeff Kell said, about
HP needing to focus more on areas where the 3000
is weak:  Finish POSIX, finish web access (CGI) ,
G++, PA-8000 compiler technology, JAVA.  I am
going to add these to my "Other" section, and I would
urge other readers to take a few minutes to do same...

(2)  Here's one more "I know it's blue-sky but they still
ought to do it" item I'll add to my "Other" list:  Do
a reasonably complete Windows95 / NT Workstation
front end to MPE/iX sub-systems.  I.e.:  End result is
a Windows icon with pull-down menus and etc. for at
least the standard sub-systems that have any level of
complexity, such as DBUTIL, NETTOOL, FTP/iX, etc.

(3)  *** PUTTING ON MY SIGIMAGE CHAIR HAT ***:

Under "HIGH AVAILABILITY", there is an item that
says "Online Database Maintenance (Dynamic master
dataset expansion)".   Hmmm....  Let the record show
that this enhancement request (MDX) was moved
from the "pending" list to the "Now/Soon Available in
Image/SQL" list two SIGIMAGE Newsletters ago;  i.e.:
the R&D Database Lab made a commitment to deliver
this quite awhile ago. That commitment was confirmed
both at IPROF-96 and HP World - Anaheim.  And
although the Lab is focusing on B-trees first, AFAIK
MDX has been and still is firmly on the "committed"
list (if it's not, then this is an *unhappy* surprise)......

..... Actually, what I think this item *should* have said
is:  "Online Database Maintenance (ability to add/drop
Image datasets, indexes, and items)". That would match
up with the current SIGIMAGE enhancement request list.

Anyway, I wonder why we are being asked to vote on
MDX again, when it should be a done deal.  Hello, HP ??

(4)  What is "ASAPA" ??... Everyone knows "ASAP" is
"as soon as possible"....  But "ASAPA" ??..    :-)

(5)  <plug alert (sort of) >
As I have done many times before in various forums, I
solicit the support of other voters for "Software Mirroring
of System Volume Set".....  Another "Hmmm":  In the
follow-on description for this item, it says "(LDEV 1)"....
Surely it means Mirroring ALL of SYS if there is > 1
LDEV in SYS, not just LDEV 1....   Hello again, HP ??
</plug>

Ken Sletten