Supposing for the moment that HP does the unthinkable and announces the end
of the HP3000 tomorrow, and supposing that the 3-5 year sunset is also
announced, I've been doing some thinking (always a dangerous thing, I
realize).  Assuming that a lot of other people here are in the same
situation as us (another dangerous thing), I'd like to pose my thoughts and
ideas here for your reflection and comment and flames.  Some of this is
likely to be covered tomorrow, but not in 3-4 minutes.

First, our situation:

One HP3000 918 running our home-grown manufacturing system written in COBOL
and using Image/View.  A VB shop floor application which uses ODBC to update
the data bases on the 918.  Another 918 posed to be used as our
mail-internet-? server.  Staff of two people (including me).  All
development done in house using COBOL on the HP3000 and VB on PC's.  Planned
development of several new systems, all on the HP3000.

Now, supposing HP makes the dreaded announcement, I see four solutions:

1)  Move from the HP3000 platform in 3-5 years.

    *    To what?  Unix, AS/400, NT/2000?
    *    Unix = No internal skills, AS/400 = No internal skills, NT/2000:
Well, at least we know VB and some rudimentary NT administration skills
    *    Looks like a complete rewrite, as others have proposed, which we
don't have the (wo)man-power to accomplish in so short a time frame
    *    This is going to be expensive, I don't look forward to having to
present this plan to my boss, the CFO; however, at least we are in the
driver's seat.


2)  Stay with the HP3000 platform.

    *    Will need third-party hardware support (which we already use)
    *    Can we live with the limitations of the MPE O/S as it currently
stands?
    *    I would assume that HP3000's will become inexpensively and readily
available as others pursue option 1 above.
    *    We can leverage current skills, but we limit our career growth
    *    A major drawback is that sooner or later you will hit the end of
the road, but we could get a ways down that road.
    *    This is the default decision, as doing nothing will automatically
be pursuing this course of action.
    *    Relies on others too much to suit me


3)  Wait a while and see if MPE is open-sourced.

    *    Presupposes that HP will eventually release MPE for open source
development
    *    Also supposes that someone (an MPE champion, if you will) will step
forward to lead the open source project
    *    Would still require investment in server hardware other than HP3000
at some time in the near future, and probably as expensive as option 1
    *    Would still require new skills that, hopefully, will be marketable
    *    Still relies on what others are doing to make this a success


4)  Get another job.

    *    Let's see "Do you want fries with that?" or "Paper or plastic?"


Jim Phillips                           Information Systems Manager
Email: [log in to unmask]     Therm-O-Link, Inc.
Phone: 330-527-2124                         P. O. Box 285
Fax:   330-527-2123                           10513 Freedom Street
Web:   http://www.tolwire.com          Garrettsville, OH  44231

LONG LIVE MPE!

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