How I read her response is she's relying on Winston to be responsible
for communicating HP's strategy/etc. on the HP3K.  And basically, I
think Winston is doing a great job of exactly that.  Gosh, when was the
last time even Carly mentioned the HP3K....

Given that this division of HP's is not on her radar screen, it would
appear that Ann does not feel that it is important at her level of
Corporate visibility to have to acknowledge this architecture, which
had a major role in HP's move to business computing and continues to
generate a return to the shareholders. I read her response that she
is so tied-up with the other technologies that she'll leave this one
to the division itself, as she can't be bothered.

If 1/2 the folks at her opening keynote address at the upcoming
conference are HP3K folks, I wonder if many will get confused in
Philly and think they're back in Boston.... :-)


At 06:12 PM 7/26/00 -0400, Russ Smith wrote:
>Listers,
>
>I received the following email from Ann (or someone capable of emailing from
>her address at HP) this morning.  If she hadn't been before now, I'm sure
>she is now aware of how prolific a group we can be when touching on this
>subject.  I also wonder how much work she is going to be able to accomplish
>with the barage of emails she is probably receiving for what was probably
>nothing more than a verbal misstep.
>
>Rs~
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "LIVERMORE, ANN" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Cc: "PRATHER, WINSTON (HP-Cupertino,ex1)" <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2000 10:40 AM
>Subject: RE: HP3000s
>
>Russell,
>
>Thanks for your note.  Our MPE business and customers are very important to
>HP.  I am working with Winston Prather and he is taking the lead to ensure
>we communicate and execute our strategy well for MPE.
>
>Regards,
>
>Ann
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: Monday, July 24, 2000 9:30 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: HP3000s
>
>
>Ms. Livermore,
>
>An ongoing concern of mine, in an increasingly diverse computing industry,
>is that for the past six years consecutively and for approaching a decade
>cumulatively, I have focused on a wonderful series of machines called the
>HP3000, now the HP e3000.  My concern is not that I work with them, though,
>but rather that they have tended to be the red-headed stepchild of their
>creating firm.
>
>As you brought out again in your recent comments, HP seems not to value the
>e3000 and the position it can play in her future.  At least to the extent
>that whenever an authority figure from HP speaks and lists the operating
>environments they are expanding, focusing on and improving, the "MPE" is
>usually missing.  While from conversations with various personnel from CSY
>and the Response Center I know this not to be the case, I think it would go
>a long way in the "rest of the world", if you and your contemporaries would
>include "MPE" in the list of "HPUX, Linux, NT and MPE".
>
>Thank you,
>
>Rs~
>Russell Smith, MPE Systems Consultant
>Problem Solved, An Alden Business Services Company
>1241 Alamo Drive #2, Vacaville, CA  95687
>(707) 451-2611, voice
>r s m i t h @ c u - h e l p . c o m
>r s m i t h @ e - 3 0 0 0 . n e t
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Sletten Kenneth W KPWA" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2000 2:51 PM
>Subject: [HP3000-L] One reply from Ann Livermore...
>
>
> > Earlier today Eric noted he got some feedback from Ann L.:
> >
> > >     I sent an email addressed to her regarding my concern
> > > that the HPe3000 was not receiving enough press and I
> > > received a very cordial, but short reply, indicating that HP's
> > > MPE customers were "very important". It was CCed to
> > > Winston Prather and was not an automated reply. I think
> > > HPWorld will be a good place to press our case.
> >
> > After:
> >
> > > > Is anyone hearing anything from the emails sent to Ann?
> > > > I noticed that she will be at HP World.  ....
> >
> > I received a private reply to my initial message from Ann
> > Livermore this morning....  Maybe I'm pressing the bounds of
> > etiquette a little, but given that her reply was in no way "personal
> > private";  and was sent in the context of public questions about
> > senior HP Management's commitment to the HP 3000 from a
> > number of readers of this list;  I attach verbatim her short reply
> > to me and my response in return....  I am actually quite
> > encouraged by her reply;  i.e.:  She was responding to a
> > narrow question;  and that was not clear from the context of
> > the published quote (at least to me).....   sounds reasonable to
> > me;  I'll buy that...  but as I noted in my reply, somebody should
> > try and "run in to" Ann at HPW and offer her an "I Love MPE"
> > or "MPE Forever" and "IMAGE Forever" button(s)...    Note I
> > think I can come up with at least one or two more of the limited
> > edition "MPE Forever" and "IMAGE Forever" variants;  I would
> > be willing to part with them in we could get Ann to wear them...
> >     :-)
> >
> > Ken Sletten
> > ==========================================
> >
> > Ann,
> >
> > You graciously replied to my harangue:
> >
> > > Thanks for the note.  I do know what MPE is!  And I love it!!
> > > The quotation I am now famous for was in response to a line
> > > of questions about SUN's anti Microsoft, and anti NT position.
> > > My response was in the same context:  Showing that HP does
> > > support NT.  It was not a message about MPE lack of support
> > > for MPE.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > Ann
> >
> > Ah....   thank you for explaining the context;  that did not come
> > through the way it was presented by the media (or at least the
> > way I read it)....   I am considerably encouraged.      :-)
> >
> > CONFESSION:    I may share a bit of the responsibility for
> > making this particular quote "famous":  After I sent you my
> > initial message, I suggested on hp3000-L that it might not hurt
> > if a few other fellow MPE fanatics also mentioned it to you....
> >
> > Since you have confirmed your continuing affinity for our
> > favorite OS, maybe we can see about getting you an "I Love MPE" button...
> > or even one of the special order, limited edition
> > brass "MPE Forever" variants....      ;-)
> >
> > SIDEBAR:    Our site is glad to see HP supporting NT / Win2K:
> > Except for our HP 3000 at the core, we are a 100 percent
> > Microsoft shop:  Zero SUNs....
> >
> > Cordially,
> > and thanks again for your positive reply,
> >
> > Ken Sletten
> >