Thank you Bill.  I have only been with Systems Support Group for a little
over two years.  We help customers who are not happy with their HP 3000
contract maintenance.
The very first HP contract we took over was because a company's HP 3000
console went down and HP said, "That monitor is not covered on your
contract."  We found out they had entered the serial number for an HP 9000
console on the contract, which wouldn't work on their HP 3000/922.  They
didn't even bother to figure out why the system console wasn't on their
contract.
When we took over the contract, we cleaned out about 4 years worth of dust
and debris from the cards inside the cabinet.  I know there have got to be
some good HP CEs out there, but every contract we have picked up, we have
had to clean up the machine, and redistribute the load.  The customer
couldn't believe how much faster they were running, with no additional
hardware.  When you are not on salary, every customer counts.
We have kept our customers alive for seven years and with Beechglen
Development Inc., who needs HP support for software issues.
My only question is who will give you a legal user upgrade?  Since HP is
dropping the support, the least they could do is pull out the stops.

Guy Avenell
Systems Support Group
www.hptraderonline.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Towe" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 4:13 PM
Subject: [HP3000-L] A Letter to the HP3000 Community:


> Dear HP3000 Community:
>
> I would ask that each of you take only a few minutes of your time to read
> this letter carefully, consider its content and consider its intent.  I am
> writing this letter from my heart and soul regarding HP's atrocities
> perpetrated against the HP3000 environment.  Please forgive any
> inconsistencies in dates and times of events invoked herein.  Anyone
wishing
> to discuss this
> topic with me can reach me at the number and e-mail listed at the bottom
of
> this letter.  I encourage responses and forwards of this e-mail to
everyone.
>
> During roughly the past decade, dating back to the early 1990's, we as the
> HP3000 community have been bastardized in the computer industry.  Not by
> IBM, not by DEC, not by SUN...but sadly, by the creator, Hewlett-Packard.
> HP has waffled back and forth for years on discontinuances and
continuances
> regarding the HP3000 environment.  They tried to unbundle IMAGE from the
OS
> to
> break our backs, they tried to discontinue the HP3000 as a whole back in
> 1994.  HP has stated the proprietary environment no longer has a place in
> the computer industry (someone inform IBM).  They manufacture and then
> immediately discontinue systems within the HP3000 (i.e. the 9x8 family).
> The software vendors responded in kind by quickly halting software
> development
> for our community platform.  Then three years ago, the HP World show in
> California, Hewlett-Packard stood before each of us and pledge allegiance
to
> our HP3000.  New systems would be developed using the latest and fastest
> technology, new software alliances would be created, better performance
> tools, better operating systems would be introduced.  Hewlett-Packard
> created the N-class and the A-class for the e3000.  Although a bit too
much
> like the UNIX class for me, it was still development in the HP3000.
>
> Last winter, HP waffled again.  Dan Prather said we no longer had a place
in
> HP's family; this only two short years after the 1998 HP World show.  Once
> again, we are back on the street.  This time seems to be for good.  If one
> had asked me if I thought Hewlett-Packard would honestly follow through
with
> its support of the HP3000 since 1998, I would have cautiously said
"maybe".
> I had suspicions it would not last.  In hind sight, the development of the
A
> and N-class systems for the HPe3000 was an omen of what was to be.
> Certainly one had to notice the similarity of this hardware to that of
> the HP UNIX systems.  HP had a future plan for the HP3000 all right, but
that
> future entailed migration.  Migration from the HP3000 to the HP9000 and a
> silver bullet against the HP3000 environment.  HP Sales still actively
> recruits each and every one of us to buy NEW HP3000 systems, paying
> exorbitant amounts of money only have the equipment available for
migration
> within six years.
>
> Well, I won't stand for it!  I am tired of relying on HP as a parent
> continuing to make hollow promises!  HP created the HP3000, but we
fostered
> it into what it is today.  HP never expected this environment to breath on
> its own.  We did it and we do not need HP to continue.  We don't need HP
with
> its troubles; Carly Fiorinia's
> hidden agenda; the politics that come with living in the HP corporate
shadow
> (HP-UX..beware of your future).  IT'S TIME FOR US TO MOVE OUT OF THE
HOUSE!
>
>
> Here is my proposal.  Read carefully and with an open mind.  Remember a
> monsoon is made up of single drops of water.
>
> I propose we, as the HP3000 community continue business as usual in the
> HP3000 environment.  Do not migrate, do not discontinue using the HP3000.
> Do not do anything.  Get third party support (it is superlative to HP).
The
> last "HP3000" technician that performed for us, had to read up on the
HP3000
> being only HP9000 certified.  HP does not teach HP3000 to its techs
anymore.
> Finding someone who knows HP3000, one must look to the independent market.
>
> Our community as a whole has the technical expertise to manage with a
number
> of technicians HP3000 certified for 30 years!  We have the availability of
> surplus equipment (BlueLine can still source equipment for HP3000 Spectrum
&
> Classic
> series).  The 9X7 family is the largest HP3000 family in operation today.
It
> is no longer available for HP support as of April 2002.  When it was
> created, it was produced in such mass production that the surplus of 9X7
> equipment is
> enormous and will be available easily for the next decade.  HP is paying
> companies with stockpiled warehouses of 9X7 hardware to destroy them (I
can
> stop that with you help).  They want to keep them out of the HP3000
> community so we have no choice but to migrate.  They cannot afford to have
> the HP3000 survive because we (AS A COMMUNITY) become direct competition
> with HP.
>
> We have the software developers and vendors to continue to create better
and
> newer applications for our environment (LUND, Quest & Robelle to name a
few).
>  They will continue to develop and
> create, if we continue to purchase.  We will petition HP to open
> MPE for the community to maintain.  If not, we will find another way;
> although I have some customers that still run MPE/iX 5.5 without problem.
> Can one name another computer environment that is more stable, has less
down
> time, better performance, longer durability and requires less coddling
than
> the HP3000?  Remind your bosses, directors and board members of this when
> asked.
>
> We have the support availability (anyone running a 9X7 or 9X8 not seeking
> 3rd Party Support, should do so NOW)!!  I recommend that each of you
> currently running an HP3000 9X7 look for alternative resources to continue
> to operate this system.  There are MANY, MANY qualified Independent
> Resellers (IRs) and Service Provider companies in the US today that
provide
> excellent HP3000 hardware and support options and will continue to do so
far
> past HP's "death" date.  HP cleaned the market up three years ago.  Our
> community choices are many and highly qualified.  Every industry has
> undesirable participants just as we do, you simply must be careful when
> interviewing a company in which to conduct business.  It is just like
> purchasing anything these days.  CAVEAT EMPTOR: Buyer Beware.
>
> Finally, I truly believe we as a community can pull together, pool our
> resources and continue without HP.  Not only can we maintain at our
current
> status, but I truly believe we can grow.  It is time we moved out of the
> shadow of HP, from under the hammer continually held over our heads.
DON'T
> CHANGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE HP SAID TO.  This is our environment now.
> HP created it, and we honed it, developed it and raised it as a child of
our
> own. HP no longer wants it.  WE DO.  And when HP sees we can survive on
our
> own, one can bet the house, HP will want back in.
>
> I have personally been in this industry for 11 years.  I feel I can speak
> with authority on this subject.  My company, BlueLine Services, is an
HP3000
> Services Provider Company; one of many qualified companies out there
today.
> We provide HP3000 systems & peripheral hardware sales and support.  We
> continue to
> support ALL THE HP3000 servers that HP has slated for discontinuance and
> that are already off support.  This list includes discontinued support by
HP
> on storage, peripherals, printers, terminals, memory, power
> supplies...anything else in the HP3000 environment: 9x7, 9x8, 9x9, 99x,
> N4000, A-Class.  Again, BlueLine is one of a large number of qualified
> HP3000 companies that will help perpetuate our community beyond the
> suffocating grip of Hewlett-Packard.  Companies like BlueLine Services can
> be the "HP" of the future.  All we need is for our community as a whole to
> join in.
>
> Since the announcement of the HP3000 dissolution, the HP3000 community is
> migrating to third party support and sales companies INDEPENDENT OF HP in
> record numbers.  Let's continue.  We will not go quietly into the night.
We
> will stand and
> fight for our HP3000.  Hewlett-Packard cannot take this from us.  We have
the
> right and the place to reap the reward of our labors now and well into our
> future.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> -Bill P. Towe
> President
> BlueLine Services, LLC.
> HP Services & Sales Provider Company
> 2435 Southwell Road, Suite 2A
> Dallas, TX.  75229
> (877) 464-2583
> (214) 808-9110 cell
> (972) 241-3074 fax
> [log in to unmask]
> www.bluelineservices.com
>
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