RE: Does Anyone Use Universal Server ???

---------- From: Tim Schaefer[SMTP:tschaefe@mindspring.com] Sent: Donnerstag, 13. Februar 1997 09:58 To: informix-list@rmy.emory.edu Subject: Re: Does Anyone Use Universal Server ??? Olivier Causse wrote: >=20 > I am very surprised not to see in any post on this news group > any reference, questions, comments on Informix Universal Server. > This system should be quite different from both Illustra and > the previous release of Informix/Online Server, isn't it ? >=20 > So are there any customers (or future customers) > around there interested in the so called Universal Server ? >=20 > Olivier >=20 > -- > Olivier Causse mailto:causse@astro.u-strasbg.fr > Research Engineer http://astro.u-strasbg.fr > Observatoire d'Astronomie > 11 rue de l'Universite 67 000 Strasbourg, FRANCE Everyone here is tremendously interested in Universal Server, however, consider the plan Informix is taking: - Roll-out to the big shops first because they can pay for the high=20 price for US. - $2500/user pricing and a minimum of 5-user license required - Confusing purchasing path once again - you have to hunt down somebody qualified at Informix who can actually sell it. Lots of beaurocracy. Old world marketing model, salesman required. - Last I heard there were only 10 eval sites. Of course I could be=20 wrong but this is what the rep told me.=20 =20 I don't know why they bothered marketing it if the majority of people who would really like to use it can't get their hands on it. If history serves me, wasn't the same pent-up-demand-and-price-it-through-the-roof approach tried with New Era? I wonder if Microsoft is going to adopt this marketing approach to increase their market share...it really=20 makes a lot of sense... =20 I did hear the NT version is coming in June or July... :-) --=20 Tim Schaefer \\\\|// = =20 tschaefe@mindspring.com (6 6) Florida, = USA, Earth -------------------------------oOOo---( = )---o00o-------------------------------- 27/FEB Hi TIM=20 Thanks for your details on Universal Server=20 Few points on your email=20 >>I don't know why they bothered marketing it if the majority of people >>who would really like to use it can't get their hands on it. =20 Fully agree with you. This has been the one of the usual marketing = mistake done by Informix. Create best products technically but generate = a slackening marketing awareness. I think they should put evaluation = copies of Universal server on the WWW. At present they have only = Online Workgroup server evaluation CD's on the Internet.=20 >>If history serves me, wasn't the same = pent-up-demand-and-price-it-through-the-roof >>approach tried with New Era? I wonder if Microsoft is going to adopt = this marketing approach to >>increase their market share...it really = makes a lot of sense... =20 Microsoft will not do this way. They would start making the beta version = of the product & the necessary literature available on the NET. By this = they get their entire development community well informed , educated & = focused about their plans. The same continues each time a incremental=20 build (Next beta version) is made available on the net. Also this helps = the entire Microsoft community to clearly plan their needs. = Accordingly when the final release is done ; people are fully ready & = equipped to use a MS product.=20 Bye GANESH