Re: OT:Is IBM going to be marketing Informix

Hi Neil , My take on the Informix is not promising. This is based purely looking at the Job market, talking to IT managers where I have had contracts who have never heard of Informix and if they have it is classified as a dying technology because no one hears of any significant sales.In 1999 it was the third lasted DB on UNIX and 5 years on it is only the loyalty of the customer base that it is still around. It is all the uncertainty around what the plans are for Informix that organisations do not want to use it. I find that it is VAR's who are using the DB as a backend that end up selling Informix Licenses as apposed to any Org coming straight out and saying I want a copy if IDS. Last couple of places I have worked Informix has been used by a VAR who has developed their product on an Informix back end due to the ease of use of it. The current place I am working for are an Oracle shop and only use Informix due to the VAR application. The VAR uses only Informix but the noise around the Org is to try and get the VAR to port to Oracle. It is a big enough Org. Oh I forgot a VAR is a "Value added reseller" for those of who do not know As for DB2. I do not have a problem learning it but the current market in the UK there is not that much work for it. And even if/when DB2 and Informix become one which is quite a few years away means more busniess buying other products during that time. Well I guess I will find out more when the IIUG have a date for User Group meeting. Although seems customers only come because they are uneasy about the future plans of IDS. Traveller