RE: Getting a bite of the Apple?
---------------------------------------- > From: indeep@indeep.com > Subject: Re: Getting a bite of the Apple? > Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:54:42 -0800 > To: informix-list@iiug.org > > Ian Michael Gumby wrote: >> >> Right. So you're already in a multi platform environment. Putting in a >> Linux DB server box isn't going to kill you. >> > > Agreed. But there are actually shops where they may want to keep it all > one stack. I too agree that Linux is probably a more appropriate choice > outside the Apple box, but there may be applications on Mac Xserve that > could take advantage of Informix, running natively on an Xserve. There > are actually people out there using Macs to do real work, with new media, > and may find it more compelling to stay 'native' with Informix running > right on the same OS--even though it's a weak argument in the grand > scheme of things. It may not seem 'necessary' but until you actually > work with Mac people, you may not understand the culture. I'm still > trying to get a better handle on it, and it really boils down to support. > Ok. But from a business perspective, I don't believe that this niche is large enough to justify the expense of a port. Its not just the port but the cost of maintaining the port. Thats where the real cost is and if you can't show an ROI then you shouldn't do the port. Unless there are intangibles... >> Don't get me wrong, I think an IDS port to the Mac is a beautiful thing. >> Its the reasoning behind the move that I find interesting. >> >> Its the silence on Apple's end that is interesting. >> > How do they socialize the message that a database like Informix is now > available on the Mac, to people that in 90% of their market don't really > give a hoot. It may however be appealing to folks who are actually going > to do application development on Xserve, staying totally native with OSX. > There may be some kind of application that will fit nicely in this area, > but I too have no clue why it would be 'necessary' other than saying, > "We're on Mac OSX". That may be _the_ reason, end of story. > I think you misunderstand. Forget Apple / IBM. When you have a marketing message where company A is porting products to company B's platform, you usually see quotes or contacts from both companies as a joint effort. This allows both companies to maximize the PR. So that followers of company A are exposed to company B and vice a versa. It also shows the level of interest on the part of both companies. The lack of Apple's involvement in the PR is interesting. If Apple were trying to push in to the business marketplace, then you'd think that they wanted to be involved and to get a positive quote in the PR piece. So why didn't Apple say anything? >> What I mean is that Apple would welcome IBM as a registered application >> developer for their I Phone, however, if this were an Apple initiated >> move, they would have put out a joint PR or some form of a friendly >> comment. No? >> >> > > Yeah, but IBM didn't do a very good job of even telling the IBM community > about the port, so it was done pretty piss poor. There are some interesting > things that could happen since the Mac momentum is a lot greater than the > last time Windows "improved" and came out with a new version. Vista could > push a lot of people right in to OSX, simply because there's little else > to choose from. Linux desktop isn't quite there yet, and the Mac's parental > approach to the desktop may in the end be the right way to go--pricey as it > is, but in the long run, less support needed. > > Well we heard about the port early because well, we're a small tight community. Any good news about the product, we'd know about it. Vista is a non issue. No one is running IDS on Vista. If they were, any self respecting DBA would shun them. Even SQLServer DBAs run on NT and have shied away from Vista. And we're not talking about desktops. We're talking about servers. The point I was trying to make was that this appears to be a one sided move on IBM's part to get in to a different market place. Not just IM but other pillars too. Rational Tools? Hmmm right now I want to strangle anyone who's had a hand in developing clear case, but that's because its been mangling merges. But IM, Notes, even Websphere could be ported to OS/X. What we dont' know is IBM's motivation for this move. The fact that Apple is being mum, seems to indicate that Apple isn't requesting or pushing this. My guess is that there is some involvement by the SWG brass. _________________________________________________________________ Need to know the score, the latest news, or you need your Hotmail®-get your "fix". http://www.msnmobilefix.com/Default.aspx