Philip,

     I'd just like to add a couple things to what Stan said about your
     situation.  The last word I received is that MPE/iX 5.5 is year 2000
     compliant with the Express 4 release that is due out by the end of
     this year.  Also, the package you're running, MANMAN, in my opinion is
     still one of the best manufacturing packages available.  I currently
     run over 200 concurrent MANMAN users on my HP3000 computer with each
     user having sub-second response time over 90% of the time.  So, I can
     assure you that you'll be able to run much more than the 30 users ing
     without any problems.  You may just have to invest a little money in
     memory and possibly a larger CPU if your response time is poor from
     your present box.

     Happy Computing,

     John Hornberger
     Sr. Systems Programmer
     General Signal Services
     [log in to unmask]

     P.S.  I said it, not my company!

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: mpe upgrade
Author:  Stan Sieler <[log in to unmask]> at Internet2
Date:    9/18/97 3:51 PM


Hi,

> Sales Enquiry -  manufacturing/accounting system - 30 users, company
> turnover #13m, currently HP3000, MPE.
>
> We are a small manufacturing company. Our turnover is about #13m a year,
> the result of about 10,000 individual orders from retail customers. We
> employ about 130 people.
>
> We currently run conventional accounting ledger systems, order input,
> "manman" production and materials control on an HP3000 927LX., with an
> MPE operating system.
>
> We wish to replace the system by one which is not obsolescent, is 2000
> compliant, supports a few more users, and will do everything we already
> do, but faster. What we already do is run a perfectly average and normal
> manufacturing business.

You're already there!  MPE is 2000 compliant (as of MPE/iX 5.5, Express
Release 3, I believe).

MPE supports far, far more users than you have now ... well over
1,000 simulataneous users ... and better than most Unix machines.
Your particular machine might have a lower user license ...
but that's not a software capability issue.

There are a greater range of MPE machines, performance-wise, than
probably any other computer in the solar system.  The 927 is
several generations old (and *still* a good computer!).  You can
easily obtain a used machine that's faster than the current one,
or a new machine that's faster still.

> We have little technical expertise in computing, and we don't wish to
> acquire it. What we want to do is to buy a solution to our problem.

That's the BIGGEST reason to stay with MPE.  *EVERY* other solution
on the planet takes more support staff to handle properly.
Consider backup, for instance.  Most Unix machines don't even come
with adequate backup software ... much less software that could
recreate the system if you have a disk failure.

MPE is possibly unique in having a good backup system, STORE/RESTORE,
bundled into the operating system ... and it can create on a single
tape (or set of tapes) *EVERYTHING* you need to restore a system
from scratch.

> Can you help us, or point us towards someone who can?
>
> Please reply by phone or fax to either Philip Woodville, Managing
> Director or Mark Nickalls, Finance Director, at Compton Buildings Ltd,
> Fenny Compton, Leamington Spa, Warwicks CV33 0XB. Telephone 01295
> 770111, fax 01295 770748.
>
> Philip Woodville  - Managing Director

--
Stan Sieler                                          [log in to unmask]
                                     http://www.allegro.com/sieler.html