Re: Informix Positive Post #2

> IBM has been investing in IDS and has made some verbal statements which does not support your hypothesis. Or rather it shows a dichotomy between different areas within the pillar. Not a good thing. The problem is that within the pillar, not all the members of the choir are singing the same song or even in the same key. That says a lot too. Any positive work being done is being hampered by this and again, for all the "positive" things being said by IBM, the street isn't buying it. That hits the nail on the head. If some members of the choir are singing are different song, it is time for the higher IBM management to take corrective actions because it destroys the hard and honest work of many others. Those ancestors haven't realized that something has changed inside IBM IM. They already had their chance for many years with poor success as reflected by the current situation in the database market. Now it is time to for them to leave or to immediately support the new dual database strategy of IBM. I would prefer the former.

I have recently been looking at the IBM market in the UK. What I see is that IBM has done very little to even try to restore the reputation of Informix to the low level it had reached before takeover. The evidence is clear to see. On the recruitment web-sites it is now difficult to find any jobs that mention Informix let alone are for an Informix job. A few jobs say that Informix expertise would be useful but their main requirement is for some other database expertise. When trying to recruit it is difficult to find people who have any Informix skills. Most people regard Informix as a dying technology and not one that they would bet their career on. The major Informix distributor in the UK sent us a marketing blurb this week. It mentioned all the things they supported - or almost all. What was missing - you guessed it - Informix. When I asked them why the answer was they only market Informix to Informix users. The actual users who I support are all openly stating that the current application is the last one they will use Informix for as they can get a plentiful supply of knowledge on other platforms. Some parts of IBM keep telling us that the Informix market is growing but what evidence do they present? Maybe Informix is selling better than DB2 on AIX. But I haven't heard Sun and HP telling people what a success Informix is. I haven't heard people talking about their new Informix systems. I would have liked to attend the Informix conference in Kansas City, especially as this is likely to be the last year that I will be fit enough to travel, but the cost is too high and my employers look at the dwindling Informix market and say it's not worth the investment. I'm sorry to be a killjoy but I honestly think that the Informix product days are numbered. Like me it's in a terminal decline. Now who will go first? Malcolm -----Original Message----- From: informix-list-bounces@iiug.org [mailto:informix-list-bounces@iiug.org] On Behalf Of eric@herber-consulting.de Sent: 28 March 2008 13:12 To: informix-list@iiug.org Subject: Re: Informix Positive Post #2 > IBM has been investing in IDS and has made some verbal statements which does not support your hypothesis. Or rather it shows a dichotomy between different areas within the pillar. Not a good thing. The problem is that within the pillar, not all the members of the choir are singing the same song or even in the same key. That says a lot too. Any positive work being done is being hampered by this and again, for all the "positive" things being said by IBM, the street isn't buying it. That hits the nail on the head. If some members of the choir are singing are different song, it is time for the higher IBM management to take corrective actions because it destroys the hard and honest work of many others. Those ancestors haven't realized that something has changed inside IBM IM. They already had their chance for many years with poor success as reflected by the current situation in the database market. Now it is time to for them to leave or to immediately support the new dual database strategy of IBM. I would prefer the former. _______________________________________________ Informix-list mailing list Informix-list@iiug.org http://www.iiug.org/mailman/listinfo/informix-list

"malcolm.iiug" <maliiug@btopenworld.com> wrote in message news:mailman.825.1206716504.20610.informix-list@iiug.org... > I would have liked to attend the Informix conference in Kansas City, > especially as this is likely to be the last year that I will be fit enough > to travel, but the cost is too high and my employers look at the dwindling > Informix market and say it's not worth the investment. I was in a meeting with 3 or 4 Informix techies from IBM UK within the past month. All had had their application to attend the IIUG Conference turned down. As has someone in sales I know. I believe that it is the case NO-ONE from IBM UK has been given permission to attend. But I would love to be corrected ...

Captain Pedantic wrote: > "malcolm.iiug" <maliiug@btopenworld.com> wrote in message > news:mailman.825.1206716504.20610.informix-list@iiug.org... > > >> I would have liked to attend the Informix conference in Kansas City, >> especially as this is likely to be the last year that I will be fit enough >> to travel, but the cost is too high and my employers look at the dwindling >> Informix market and say it's not worth the investment. >> > > I was in a meeting with 3 or 4 Informix techies from IBM UK within the past > month. All had had their application to attend the IIUG Conference turned > down. As has someone in sales I know. I believe that it is the case NO-ONE > from IBM UK has been given permission to attend. But I would love to be > corrected ... > I'm no official source, mind you, but IB the rule at IBM for conferences like this is if you have a major client (don't know what the definition of that is either) that's going, and you are in sales or tech support for that client, you can go. If you are presenting, you can go. If you are manning a booth for IBM, or in partnership with a partner you support, you can go. Otherwise, you're on your own - go or don't at your own expense. Art S. Kagel Oninit

That's probably correct. Travel within IBM is a mysterious thing. Sometimes its ok. Sometimes its not. On 9/11 I was supposed to have a meeting that morning with the BUE for Wall St. It was turned down by my manager. (At the last minute.) With respect to this event, there was some wisdom in choosing Lenexa. It allowed the conference to get the most IBM lab technical folks to attend with the minimal amount of travel. ;-) Remember that this isn't an IBM event. Its an IIUG event. So getting travel approved is going to be a bit more difficult. > From: theharlequin36@hotmail.com > Subject: Re: Informix Positive Post #2 > Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:33:17 +0000 > To: informix-list@iiug.org > > "malcolm.iiug" <maliiug@btopenworld.com> wrote in message > news:mailman.825.1206716504.20610.informix-list@iiug.org... > > > I would have liked to attend the Informix conference in Kansas City, > > especially as this is likely to be the last year that I will be fit enough > > to travel, but the cost is too high and my employers look at the dwindling > > Informix market and say it's not worth the investment. > > I was in a meeting with 3 or 4 Informix techies from IBM UK within the past > month. All had had their application to attend the IIUG Conference turned > down. As has someone in sales I know. I believe that it is the case NO-ONE > from IBM UK has been given permission to attend. But I would love to be > corrected ... > > > _______________________________________________ > Informix-list mailing list > Informix-list@iiug.org > http://www.iiug.org/mailman/listinfo/informix-list _________________________________________________________________ Watch “Cause Effect,” a show about real people making a real difference. Learn more. http://im.live.com/Messenger/IM/MTV/?source=text_watchcause

Captain Pedantic wrote: > "malcolm.iiug" <maliiug@btopenworld.com> wrote in message > news:mailman.825.1206716504.20610.informix-list@iiug.org... > >> I would have liked to attend the Informix conference in Kansas City, >> especially as this is likely to be the last year that I will be fit enough >> to travel, but the cost is too high and my employers look at the dwindling >> Informix market and say it's not worth the investment. > > I was in a meeting with 3 or 4 Informix techies from IBM UK within the past > month. All had had their application to attend the IIUG Conference turned > down. As has someone in sales I know. I believe that it is the case NO-ONE > from IBM UK has been given permission to attend. But I would love to be > corrected ... I think you are wrong, AFAIK some UK IBM people are on the grid Cheers Paul Paul Watson Tel: +1 913-400-2620 Mob: +1 913-387-7529 Web: www.oninit.com Failure is not as frightening as regret. If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.

Captain Pedantic wrote: > "malcolm.iiug" <maliiug@btopenworld.com> wrote in message > news:mailman.825.1206716504.20610.informix-list@iiug.org... > >> I would have liked to attend the Informix conference in Kansas City, >> especially as this is likely to be the last year that I will be fit enough >> to travel, but the cost is too high and my employers look at the dwindling >> Informix market and say it's not worth the investment. > > I was in a meeting with 3 or 4 Informix techies from IBM UK within the past > month. All had had their application to attend the IIUG Conference turned > down. As has someone in sales I know. I believe that it is the case NO-ONE > from IBM UK has been given permission to attend. But I would love to be > corrected ... > > The general rule within IBM is that if you don't present, you don't go. At least that's the general rule for the technical folks. For the sales team the rule is more on the order of "If you don't have a sales opportunity by attending, then you don't go." But then - that was also the rule that existed with Informix.

Madison Pruet wrote: > Captain Pedantic wrote: >> "malcolm.iiug" <maliiug@btopenworld.com> wrote in message >> news:mailman.825.1206716504.20610.informix-list@iiug.org... >> >>> I would have liked to attend the Informix conference in Kansas City, >>> especially as this is likely to be the last year that I will be fit >>> enough >>> to travel, but the cost is too high and my employers look at the >>> dwindling >>> Informix market and say it's not worth the investment. >> >> I was in a meeting with 3 or 4 Informix techies from IBM UK within the >> past month. All had had their application to attend the IIUG >> Conference turned down. As has someone in sales I know. I believe >> that it is the case NO-ONE from IBM UK has been given permission to >> attend. But I would love to be corrected ... >> > The general rule within IBM is that if you don't present, you don't go. > At least that's the general rule for the technical folks. For the > sales team the rule is more on the order of "If you don't have a sales > opportunity by attending, then you don't go." > > But then - that was also the rule that existed with Informix. Hmmm ... from my understanding any techy "applying" to go HAS to put forward at least 2 presentations. It is the presentations that are "turned down". I know of some techies who have put forward what they believe are interesting and topical topics which have been turned down. Tried setting up PAM? Would it be nice to have a 1 hour talk with complete details on various O/S platforms? What about btree scanner configuration monitoring and tuning? I think that techies WANT to go, but the decision on what is "a valid presentation" has to be guessed and the jury is unknown.

TBP wrote: > Madison Pruet wrote: >> Captain Pedantic wrote: >>> "malcolm.iiug" <maliiug@btopenworld.com> wrote in message >>> news:mailman.825.1206716504.20610.informix-list@iiug.org... >>> >>>> I would have liked to attend the Informix conference in Kansas City, >>>> especially as this is likely to be the last year that I will be fit >>>> enough >>>> to travel, but the cost is too high and my employers look at the >>>> dwindling >>>> Informix market and say it's not worth the investment. >>> >>> I was in a meeting with 3 or 4 Informix techies from IBM UK within >>> the past month. All had had their application to attend the IIUG >>> Conference turned down. As has someone in sales I know. I believe >>> that it is the case NO-ONE from IBM UK has been given permission to >>> attend. But I would love to be corrected ... >>> >> The general rule within IBM is that if you don't present, you don't >> go. At least that's the general rule for the technical folks. For >> the sales team the rule is more on the order of "If you don't have a >> sales opportunity by attending, then you don't go." >> >> But then - that was also the rule that existed with Informix. > > Hmmm ... from my understanding any techy "applying" to go HAS to put > forward at least 2 presentations. It is the presentations that are > "turned down". > > I know of some techies who have put forward what they believe are > interesting and topical topics which have been turned down. > > Tried setting up PAM? Would it be nice to have a 1 hour talk with > complete details on various O/S platforms? > > What about btree scanner configuration monitoring and tuning? > > I think that techies WANT to go, but the decision on what is "a valid > presentation" has to be guessed and the jury is unknown. > FWIW this is not anything IIUG or IBM specific. I have been banging my head against a wall with IDUG. Managed to get in ONCE at IDUG Europe, got top 10 speaker award and still was rejected for the same presentation at the following IDUG NA and other presentations at IDUG Europe the following year. At this years's IOD Europe they accepted my cannon-fodder repeat SQL on Fire but rejected the important new presentations that are aligned with the messaging. If I'd take it personal I'd long since have jumped behind a train ;-) Cheers Serge -- Serge Rielau DB2 Solutions Development IBM Toronto Lab

"Serge Rielau" <srielau@ca.ibm.com> wrote in message news:659b5mF2e2v94U1@mid.individual.net... > TBP wrote: >> Madison Pruet wrote: >>> Captain Pedantic wrote: >>>> "malcolm.iiug" <maliiug@btopenworld.com> wrote in message >>>> news:mailman.825.1206716504.20610.informix-list@iiug.org... >>>> > FWIW this is not anything IIUG or IBM specific. > I have been banging my head against a wall with IDUG. Managed to get in > ONCE at IDUG Europe, got top 10 speaker award and still was rejected for > the same presentation at the following IDUG NA and other presentations at > IDUG Europe the following year. The fact remains that you see plenty of IBM UK people at IDUG, and particularly at marketing-idea-rather-than-product-specific wank-fests like "Information on Demand", but none of the Informix-specialist staff is being allowed to attend the only Informix-specific event of the year ... Although Paul Watson seems to know otherwise, and may be better-informed.

On 30 Mar, 11:28, TBP <TheBigPot...@NotHere.Co.Uk> wrote: > Madison Pruet wrote: > > Captain Pedantic wrote: > >> "malcolm.iiug" <mali...@btopenworld.com> wrote in message > >>news:mailman.825.1206716504.20610.informix-list@iiug.org... > > >>> I would have liked to attend the Informix conference in Kansas City, > >>> especially as this is likely to be the last year that I will be fit > >>> enough > >>> to travel, but the cost is too high and my employers look at the > >>> dwindling > >>> Informix market and say it's not worth the investment. > > >> I was in a meeting with 3 or 4 Informix techies from IBM UK within the > >> past month.  All had had their application to attend the IIUG > >> Conference turned down.  As has someone in sales I know.  I believe > >> that it is the case NO-ONE from IBM UK has been given permission to > >> attend.  But I would love to be corrected ... > > > The general rule within IBM is that if you don't present, you don't go. > >  At least that's the general rule for the technical folks.  For the > > sales team the rule is more on the order of "If you don't have a sales > > opportunity by attending, then you don't go." > > > But then - that was also the rule that existed with Informix. > > Hmmm ... from my understanding any techy "applying" to go HAS to put > forward at least 2 presentations. It is the presentations that are > "turned down". > > I know of some techies who have put forward what they believe are > interesting and topical topics which have been turned down. > > Tried setting up PAM? Would it be nice to have a 1 hour talk with > complete details on various O/S platforms? > > What about btree scanner configuration monitoring and tuning? > > I think that techies WANT to go, but the decision on what is "a valid > presentation" has to be guessed and the jury is unknown.- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - Yes I have tried setting up PAM. Yes I would like a 1 hour talk with complete details on various O/S platforms. PAM in my biggest headache at the moment. Btree scanner monitoring and configuration would also be useful So how can I get this then?

david@smooth1.co.uk wrote: > Yes I have tried setting up PAM. Yes I would like a 1 hour talk with > complete details on various O/S platforms. > > PAM in my biggest headache at the moment. > > Btree scanner monitoring and configuration would also be useful > > So how can I get this then? My best effort at http://informix-technology.blogspot.com/2007/11/informix-user-authentication-pam-for.html and http://informix-technology.blogspot.com/2008/02/informix-user-authentication-pam-for.html PAM has some mysterious ways... Be my guest to present your doubts. It's not easy to talk about all the details in various platforms, because some things change and this is not IDS... I've seen some material regarding Btree Scanner but if I recall correctly It was internal stuff... But the author shows up here sometimes and I think he will be present at the IIUG conference... It would be nice to have a Chat With the Labs about it... Regards. -- Fernando Nunes Portugal http://informix-technology.blogspot.com My email works... but I don't check it frequently...

Fernando Nunes wrote: > david@smooth1.co.uk wrote: > >> Yes I have tried setting up PAM. Yes I would like a 1 hour talk with >> complete details on various O/S platforms. >> >> PAM in my biggest headache at the moment. >> >> Btree scanner monitoring and configuration would also be useful >> >> So how can I get this then? > > My best effort at > http://informix-technology.blogspot.com/2007/11/informix-user-authentication-pam-for.html > > and > http://informix-technology.blogspot.com/2008/02/informix-user-authentication-pam-for.html > > > PAM has some mysterious ways... Be my guest to present your doubts. > It's not easy to talk about all the details in various platforms, > because some things change and this is not IDS... > > I've seen some material regarding Btree Scanner but if I recall > correctly It was internal stuff... But the author shows up here > sometimes and I think he will be present at the IIUG conference... It > would be nice to have a Chat With the Labs about it... > > Regards. > This might help http://www.oninit.com/reference/index.php?page=btscanner.html Paul Watson Tel: +1 913-400-2620 Mob: +1 913-387-7529 Web: www.oninit.com Failure is not as frightening as regret. If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.

> From: TheBigPotato@NotHere.Co.Uk > Tried setting up PAM? Would it be nice to have a 1 hour talk with > complete details on various O/S platforms? > Yes, on 10.0 but I ran out of time and gave up on it. There's more to it than just the set up. (That's the same as LDAP) but having to then write your own PAM module. Talk to me off line, I've had my second cup of coffee and I have an Idea that you might be interested in.... > What about btree scanner configuration monitoring and tuning? > > I think that techies WANT to go, but the decision on what is "a valid > presentation" has to be guessed and the jury is unknown. > Yes. But there is more to just the presentation. Like I've said earlier, this conference is in Lenexa for a reason. Sorry, but don't get down and take the time to polish the presentation. There's more to it... I'll have to bounce it off Jerry K to see what he thinks. -G _________________________________________________________________ How well do you know your celebrity gossip? http://originals.msn.com/thebigdebate?ocid=T002MSN03N0707A