RE: IDS to DB2 conversion
> > How come the tools for Oracle and SQL Server are already in place > then, according to Neil's earlier post? This speaks for itself that > IBM didn't think of Informix as a credible player when it first went > about writing migration tools, and while the acquisition should have > changed this point of view, the acquisition wasn't exactly yesterday. > Agreed. I think you will find that IBM used a targeted approach when going after the customers. I don't have the numbers but think that you would have found that about 20% of the customers represented 80% of the income from Informix. You can bet that IBM kissed their royal ass when it came to getting them to convert - especially if they are well known to the Informix community. Advertise the successful conversion of these high profile users and some of the smaller fry will automatically fall into line. Everything after that is a bonus.... > As for the lost business, it's bad enough being told "if you want to > stick with us you'll have to switch to a product we like better", but > I think most of the real damage was done in the first year when there > was no evidence that Informix was not going to be summarily dumped. > Although there is now some kind of game plan in place the lack of a > long-term commitment to Informix and the intention to wind it down > couldn't be more obvious, and the comments elsewhere in the Newsgroup > about the quality of the Passport Advantage programme don't exactly > inspire confidence. The lack of any marketing and the punitive, > archaic maintenace costs seem to drive the final nail in the coffin; I > know of at least one company that is currently in the process of > dumping Informix for SQL Server for this last reason alone. > If you have a thorn in your side, do you leave it there or pull it out? > > Although you say that DB2 will more closely resemble IDS in the future > I don't think anyone will accept this as a sufficient second-best to > hang on if they can possibly avoid doing so. > > > A successful migration needs a lot more than just a tool. > > It just takes so long to pull all the pieces together. > > These pieces include: MTK, language interfaces (like 4GL, ESQL/C, ...) > > Transfer of Informix features into DB2 and lastly synchronization of IDS > > development with DB2 (aka. ensure one can use new features in Informix > > and not regret it should one decide to move to DB2 later). > > When Informix was bought it was too late to rework the DB2 V8.1 plan. > > Rest assured that DB2 Development is taking great care in introducing > > Informix features into DB2 (drawing on Informix developers to make sure > > it's done right and not lost in translation). > > > > Those customers who leave now are lost, too bad. Those who stay will > > find that their options increase over time as DB2 moves closer to IDS. > > > All good points and true I am sure. I don't doubt this is happening but the real failure is marketing this effort. Be rather a waste of time producing something wonderful if there is nobody there to see it. Mark sending to informix-list
"Mark Denham" <mkdenham@comcast.net> wrote in message news:bvb4fq$ep$1@terabinaries.xmission.com... > > Agreed. I think you will find that IBM used a targeted approach when > going after the customers. I don't have the numbers but think that you > would have found that about 20% of the customers represented 80% of the > income from Informix. You can bet that IBM kissed their royal ass when > it came to getting them to convert - especially if they are well known > to the Informix community. Advertise the successful conversion of these > high profile users and some of the smaller fry will automatically fall > into line. That's right, and now you can't open a trade newspaper without reading yet another success story as yet another big corporation migrates from Informix to DB2 ...
"Mark Denham" <mkdenham@comcast.net> wrote in message news:<bvb4fq$ep$1@terabinaries.xmission.com>... > You can bet that IBM kissed their royal ass when > it came to getting them to convert - especially if they are well known > to the Informix community. But just how many of these high-profile sites have you heard actually convert to DB2? Andy
Interestingly I heard only yesterday of what sounds like a concerted effort by IBM to retain a major Informix site. Sounds like there's already quite a bit of Oracle in there. I have to say I don't have the inside track but the words horse:bolt; stable door:close come to mind. On the other hand perhaps it's a perfectly reasonable commercial gesture in which case more power to them. But I still don't see a whole lot of marketing or product strategy out there. Andy
Neil Truby wrote: > "Mark Denham" <mkdenham@comcast.net> wrote in message > news:bvb4fq$ep$1@terabinaries.xmission.com... >> >> Agreed. I think you will find that IBM used a targeted approach when >> going after the customers. I don't have the numbers but think that you >> would have found that about 20% of the customers represented 80% of the >> income from Informix. You can bet that IBM kissed their royal ass when >> it came to getting them to convert - especially if they are well known >> to the Informix community. Advertise the successful conversion of these >> high profile users and some of the smaller fry will automatically fall >> into line. > > That's right, and now you can't open a trade newspaper without reading yet > another success story as yet another big corporation migrates from > Informix to DB2 ... True enough... :o) -- "C'est pas parce qu'on n'a rien ' dire qu'il faut fermer sa gueule" - Coluche