I would like to clarify a few points about my thoughts on a MPE/IMAGE Users
Group.

1) I recognize the existence of the OpenMPE Group and am fully behind them
and anyone else committed to saving and extending the life of MPE, the best
OS ever produced.  However, OpenMPE is currently focused (as they should
be) on obtaining the rights to MPE and getting HP to cooperate.  So far,
they have not gotten traction with HP, but we all hope that they will.

2) Meanwhile, we users have certain needs.  Such as organized regional
meetings.  I for one, miss the local RUG here in Southern California
(SCRUG) that we used to have.  I miss the focus on the HP3000 that we used
to have.  As support from HP declines we will need each other more than
ever.  It is bad enough for a market as large as Los Angeles to not have a
football team, but to not have a RUG?  That is too much.

3) Both third party vendors and HP will go wherever the customers are, but
the customers need to have some kind of organization that works for their
interests.  OpenMPE is busy with a very large task.  Interex is off on a
mission of its own that nobody understands (run by Wintel/HP-UX/Linux user
interests).  HP is a large organization in a mess which will only get a lot
worse if the merger is approved.

4) This 3000-L list is great, but I don't have all day, everyday, to work
through it.  The price is right, but it is not quite the same as a real
organized user group.

5)  There is precious little time left (until October 2003) to advocate
enhancements to MPE.  It appears that Interex is not up to the task.  When
they limit point allocation for item 1 on the 2002 SIB ballot to no more
than 10 out of the 20 points available, I think they are biasing the result
to conform to a hidden (obvious) agenda which is not in the best interests
of the HP3000 users.

Both HP and Interex seem to have been hi-jacked by non-MPE advocates
leaving MPE users with few choices.  The above points are my thoughts and
observations on a difficult business situation that has been forced upon
all of us.

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