Eric,
Sorry for the delayed response, but our offices were closed over the holidays.
Interex serves the users of all HP platforms - MPE, HP-UX, NT and Linux, and
users of other HP products and services within an IT environment. As such, we
are rather staunch supporters of MPE and the 3000 community. It was, in fact,
actions of the association that prompted the letter from Ann Livermore and
Duane Zitzner, which was the focus of the article from which the quoted text
was taken.
My comment about "primary message" may not have been clear. It was intended
to relate to "some circumstances," i.e. specific HP press releases or news
conferences relating to a specific topic. Within that context, it appears
that we agree on the fact that not all such HP press releases or news
conferences need to mention MPE or the HP e3000 line. It would be silly, for
example, to mention MPE in a press release about the Jornada.
In contrast, if we were discussing whether HP should take a more aggressive
stance in marketing the e3000, I suspect we would agree on that, too - HP
should. I am of the opinion that HP is missing the boat by not putting the
same level of emphasis on the e3000 that IBM puts on its AS400 line. Should
MPE have been included as a "strategic" OS (the topic of the press conference
that sparked the controversy in the first place) of the company? Probably -
if HP were to place AS400-level emphasis on the line. Additionally, I'm not
hesitant to express that opinion in the appropriate editorial context.
Within the same context of editorial responsibility, if I see comments
coming out of *any* community that I believe are unreasonable, I'm likely to
make corresponding editorial remarks. Editors have a habit of holding
everyone to the same measure, and I'm not immune to that compulsion. I would
hardly consider doing so as an attack on the collective character or
reputation of the 3000 community, however. On the other hand, should the 3000
community make its feelings known to HP? Certainly, and Interex helps in that
regard, where appropriate.
Best regards,
Ralph Barker
editorial director, Interex
In article <[log in to unmask]>,
"Eric H. Sand" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Dear Listers,
> Below is the last paragraph of the Interex letter by Ralph Barker that
> is posted at http://www.interex.org/hpworldnews/hpw012/03mpe.html
>
> "HP executives, however, need to balance the concerns of the HP e3000
> community with the other market segments the company serves. And, in some
> circumstances, the mention of MPE may serve only to confuse the primary
> message the company is trying to convey. Thus, it may also be beneficial for
> the 3000 community to be a little less sensitive about wanting MPE to be
> mentioned every time the other operating systems HP supports get some
> press."
>
> Mr. Barker,
> Every time I hear someone denigate the HPe3000 and its user base, I
> wonder where it comes from. Does it come from someone who is ignorant? Does
> it come from someone who derives pleasure from trying to build themselves up
> at the expense of others? Does it come from someone who has a "political"
> affiliation and must present its "spin" and not their own? Or are they just
> truly afraid? What bothers me the most about your "message" is that it comes
> from, supposedly, one of our own(Interex).
>
> Your words leave much to be desired. Apparently you understand HP's
> "primary message" better than I do, but fail to elaborate on it. Vague
> generalities such as "little less sensitive", "wanting MPE to be mentioned
> everytime", and "get some press" are the result of disjointed thinking and
> convey nothing that would reflect precise thoughts, much less the ability to
> reach people.
>
> I don't want MPE/iX to be mentioned everytime there is "some" press, but
> I fully expect it to be mentioned in press releases put out by the offices
> of Ms. Carly Fiorina and Ms. Anne Livermore as well as HP's marketing VP
> when mentioning the OSs that HP supports.
>
> As for being a "little less sensitive" Mr. Barker, when a person or a
> person under the guise of an organization, castigate the HPe3000 community
> for standing up for themselves and an excellent HP product, I will always be
> "less sensitive". And you can count on that!
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Eric Sand
> [log in to unmask]
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Jeff Kell [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> > Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2000 9:59 PM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: [HP3000-L] An interesting link.
> >
> > Denys Beauchemin wrote:
> > >
> > > http://www.interex.org/hpworldnews/hpw012/03mpe.html
> >
> > As noted earlier by Gavin (IIRC), interex.org is quite off the map at
> > present. I get host unreachables from Qwest, Alter.Net, and BBN since
> > Denys first posted the URL. And the unreachables come quickly - they
> > are pretty obviously absent from the BGP tables (or else their upstream
> > provider is, I wouldn't think Interex would have a full BGP session).
> > Their DNS is working but the routes certainly aren't.
> >
> > Jeff Kell <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
Sent via Deja.com
http://www.deja.com/
|
