Cortlandt,

        Your thoughts pretty well sum up my reasons for starting Tech Group
University.  I am passionate about the HP3000 and MPE;  I am a third party
focused on the topic of training; and I want to bring down costs and explore
all avenues of teaching.  Besides, I also want to take these classes from
some of the greatest MPE minds going :)

        I think the trick at this point is to convince long standing weary MPE
users that quality education (and certification) are here and they are here
to stay.  So, they should start making it a part of their mindset.  It
should start working it's way into budgets, and schedules, and priorities.
Like you indicated, there are fixed costs to creating and putting on
training classes.  The more students that come out the less it will have to
cost per student to cover these expenses --- and the price goes done for
everybody.  It really is a snowball effect and I'm here to through the first
one :)

Thanx,
  Jonathan (Jon) M. Backus ~ President
  Tech Group University ~ 15 Catawba Place ~ Hagerstown, MD ~ 21742-6515
  Email: [log in to unmask] ~ AIM: JMBackus
  Vmail: 301.714.1854 ~ Fmail: 301.714.1854
  Web: www.TechGroupMD.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Cortlandt Wilson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2000 10:24 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: The future of the 3000


Jon,

I agree with your question about blaming HP too much
especially as regards training.

I caught an interesting under current in the recent article in
the 3000 Newswire about training.    I seemed that along with
the complaints about not enough training were the ones about
it costing too much.    This got me thinking.   How much
market is there in the HP 3000 community to support the
development of new training materials?

New technologies such as video, on-line course delivery, and
desk top publishing means we can make training more available
and convenient for the user but it still is expensive to
develop.  The new technologies make it cheaper for the
students to get to the course but they significantly raise the
development cost.   As a writer I prefer to speak from notes
than to write a polished article.    In other words, no matter
how the training is delivered it requires a significant
investment on the part of the provider.

Is a sufficiently strong market really out there among HP 3000
users?
How many are willing to write a PO to promise to buy such
material if developed?
Bottom line:  If the market isn't there for third party
providers - traditionally the most forward looking folks in
this business - then what reasonable expectation should we
have from HP?

Please feel free to respond back on the hp3000-l if you feel
free to make your thoughts public.

Cortlandt Wilson
(650) 966-8555
[log in to unmask]

"Jon Backus" <[log in to unmask]> wrote in message
news:<[log in to unmask]>...
>         I almost wonder if we are blaming HP a little to
much?  There
> probably are a fair amount of MPE shops that are not even
scratching the
> surface of the new "open" features that HP (and others) has
made available
> on the platform.  I think the reason may be more subtle,
hear me out:
>
>         My "other job" involves being Director of Technology
for a major
> company.  This responsibility has me overseeing and working
with the
> Engineers responsible for Microsoft, Novell, and Cisco
equipment (to name a
> few).  It is a defacto way of life for these Engineers to
have an ongoing
> formal development of their education.  They are constantly
studying books
> and magazines, attending classes or seminars, and taking
certification or
> re-certification tests.  Because of the evolution of the
software and
> hardware in these products, it is the standard belief that
if you are not
> moving forward with your formal knowledge of them, then you
are falling
> behind.  I don't believe this is the norm in most MPE shops
today despite
> the fact that the HP e3000 hardware, MPE/iX operating
system, and 3rd party
> utilities have (and do) continue to evolve.  I know that
formal training in
> our arena has been sourly lacking over the years.  I've been
using the "box"
> for over 18 years myself.
>
> ***  Plug alert (sorta) ***
>
>         That is one of the main reasons I started forming
the Tech Group
> University several years ago in my mind and starting
bringing it to life a
> few months ago.  I wanted to create a single strong focal
point for MPE
> related training, certification, and educational material.
We have to bring
> our young talent up to speed with all the new features and
abilities already
> on the table in front of us.  Once we as a group fully
utilize the platform,
> HP will recognize our vitality, and they will be forced to
run ahead of us
> with new enhancements.
>
> Just my two cents worth...
>
> Thanx,
>   Jonathan (Jon) M. Backus ~ President
>   Tech Group University ~ 15 Catawba Place ~ Hagerstown, MD
~ 21742-6515
>   Email: [log in to unmask] ~ AIM: JMBackus
>   Vmail: 301.714.1854 ~ Fmail: 301.714.1854
>   Web: www.TechGroupMD.com
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Mon, 2 Oct 2000 13:38:11 -0500
> From:    Cortlandt Wilson <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: The future of the 3000
>
> Glenn Koster wrote:
> > So, maybe we still need to call HP on the carpet about
their
> marketing efforts (and the
> visibility) of the 3000... but we better be very careful. <
>
> Glenn,
>
> I want to be clear.   I am not dinging HP for not making a
big HP
> e3000 marketing push.   I'm calling them on the carpet for
their
> silence when a mere acknowledgement would have been
appropriate and
> free.
>
> P.S.  HP's silence from the top about the HP e3000 reminds
me of the
> old days when the bastard children were never mentioned in
polite
> company.
>