Alfredo,

As one of the companies with an HP3000 ERP solution, my problem is one I
have been fighting with HP for years, MARKETING THE HP3000 OUTSIDE THE TRADE
MAGAZINES AND SHOWS.  Until HP came out with the recent e-commerce ads in
other publications, their silence on the HP3000 for years had been
deafening.  It is difficult to discuss your software with someone,
(particularly someone in upper management who doesn't have technical
knowledge on the 3000) how your software works when the first words are does
it work on NT?  Well no but..., Sorry, thanks but no thanks.

These people don't know that they might be turning down great software on a
great machine with no downtime, but how would they know that unless they
have a few years of experience with the 3000 vs an NT or Oracle solution.
The only thing they had to go on was the Microsoft, Oracle, etc. marketing
juggernaughts who flood publications with articles and ads showing a perfect
state of the art computer system that does everything they wish.  If I had
those ads vs an unheard of 'old' machine, I doubt that even the best sales
pitch could get me to go with the HP3000.  That is why niche marketers have
been the only ones to still have wide success on the 3000, because their
customers have fewer choices, and even then they have to be careful to sell
the software not the 3000 so they won't be labeled with an outdated
solution.

I haven't the resources to change this, only HP can do it, and time will
tell if they will.

Chris Miller
Genesis Total Solutions, Inc.
http://www.gttsinc.com

"F. Alfredo Rego" wrote:

> John Zoltak <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> >Yeah, the unthinkable happened. After 23 years of HP3000's here, we are
> >committed to Oracle ERP on Solaris.
>
> Are you listening, HP Corporate?  As has been known for many years,
> HP3000 users don't just automatically and necessarily "upgrade" to
> HP-UX.  They go to Solaris or to the IBM AS/400, or to any number of
> other choices.  A lost HP3000 IS a lost HP3000, from any perspective.
>
> What lessons can we learn from John's case?  What strategies and
> tactics were used to convince John's management that Solaris and
> Oracle were "the best" choice?
>
> There are a number of excellent ERP solutions that use the HP3000 as
> their platform.  What do these folks have to say?  What can each one
> of us do to help turn the "marketing" and "perception" situation
> around?
>
> >Bummer. I really like the HP3000's and all the people associated with
> >it. So unless I change jobs, and that's something I'm looking at, I'll
> >only be in 3000 land for another year maybe.
>
> I hope you find a good job in a good HP3000 shop.  There is no reason
> to sell your soul to the devil.  Homework for everyone: Read "Faust".
> Fast.
>
>   _______________
> |               |
> |               |
> |            r  |  Alfredo                     mailto:[log in to unmask]
> |          e    |                                  http://www.adager.com
> |        g      |  F. Alfredo Rego                       +1 208 726-9100
> |      a        |  Manager, R & D Labs               Fax +1 208 726-2822
> |    d          |  Adager Corporation
> |  A            |  Sun Valley, Idaho 83353-3000                   U.S.A.
> |               |
> |_______________|