Re: [Fwd: Insider #67: Highlights: IDS 10 - IBM's flagship database for pure OLTP and Industrial-strength, embedded computing]

Eric, Many years ago, in the days of King Roger, a small database company decided to expand into new territories a long way over the horizon, even over the pond beyond the horizon. They appointed a few individuals in these territories and set them to work. But then the marketeers got hold of the idea and decided it would be a good idea to invite all users of their database to a conference in Central London. They booked a room for 8am and arranged for coffee and donuts for about 30 people in the centre of the City of London. (even in those days the marketeers didn't understand the non-californian customer base.) And then, like all good marketeers, they left leaving the few individuals to entertain the few people who were likely to turn up. Now there were in the same country two shepherds who were going to tend the flock. These shepherds had just been over to the headquarters of the database company and had returned with good intentions to help the users when problems occurred. Lo and behold the time came to advertise the conference. And suddenly all the bells in the office were ringing. The two shepherds were inundated with people wanting to know about the conference. And the moral of this story - nothing changes. The marketeers advertise something and then leave the shepherds to pick up the pieces. And IIUG are really just a bunch of enthusiastic shepherds trying to tend the ever dwindling flock and protect them from the wolves. And they are still being dropped in it by the marketeers. Malcolm