The eye of the y2k hurricane:

As the focus of this week was a hurricane, it occurred to me that from a y2k
perspective we are now in the eye of the storm. Most sites have their
systems tested, battened down, and ready. They now await  the waves of data
and the bands of applications to pass over the heads, through the channels,
in an infinite number of processing cycles.

While we wait, we have the opportunity to implement minor changes (only if
absolutely positively necessary, after all many of us have signed such
certifications) and contemplate activities and actions after the storm.
Yesterday I received and read a outstanding article in "The 3000 News Wire"
(www.3000newswire.com) titled "HP sets plan for IA-64-ready 3000s".  This
article lays out the plans HP has for the 3000 for the next two years.

Timeline from article:
6/1999 5.5 pp7 / y2k certified release
9/1999 6.0 pp1 / larger max memory
?/2000 6.5 base / 128gb file sizes /NO CIO OR HPIB
12/2000 ?.0 base / N class MPE systems
12/2000 5.5 end of support
12/2001 6.0 end of support

One issue in this time line is the end of support for 5.5. Presently, the
vast majority of the installed base is on this release. AFAIK it is the only
current y2k certified release. Very few sites are on 6.0, or are willing to
update to 6.0, due to fear of undoing y2k certifications. Also,AFAIK 6.0 at
this point does not offer many major functionality features over 5.5 pp7. My
point is that due to expectations and certifications regarding y2k  doesn't
5.5 need to be supported at least through May of 2001. Many HP3000 run
W2,1099 and other tax programs that would see y2k data in 2001 for the first
time.

Given the tremendous investment that HP and all of their customers have made
in updating and certifying software versions IMHO it would be extremely and
unnecessarily wasteful to arbitrarily  cut off support for 5.5 prior to
critical year end and tax processing application cycles.

Again, thanks to Ron and the newswire for the article. It emphasizes that
the HP3000 has a long and exciting life ahead. I highly recommend that
everyone take the time to read and appreciate the future once the storm
clouds clear. (Lets just hope for HP's sake that the SUN doesn't shine :))

Mike Hornsby
Beechglen Development Inc. (www.beechglen.com)
Co-founder/Chief Technical Officer
513-922-0509
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