Re: Announcing: The IBM Customer Advisory Council for Informix

mark.scranton@gmail.com wrote: > Wow ... > > Why can't the announcement of the CAC for Informix be what it was > intended? ....good news for the Informix community. It has now been > twisted and changed into a completely different meaning than was > intended. It **IS** good news for the Informix community. But based on past performance, it will have to be seen to be believed. > > 1. I simply posted that we are forming a Customer Advisory Council for > Informix - for more input from customers on the future development of > Informix products. I expected some "woo hoo's" from the Informix crowd. > woo hoo > 2. I also made note that IBM has had a CAC for DB2 for many years, and > it's very active. There is also the IDUG (for DB2) which is very active > too - they don't compete with each other. They "compliment each other." > Why can't the Informix folks see this as an indicator that IBM would > spend the money to fund and build a CAC for Informix as a good thing? > Not speaking for anyone else, nor implying that I was previously, but this is not viewed in a vacuum. It has to be viewed in context, and if the current threads over the past few weeks are any indication of how people feel, then it is safe to say most people will have a wait-and-see attitude. There will always be cheerleaders, and nay-sayers. Both have valid points. But until IBM can show some really positive results, not a bunch of 'we're doing that' or 'we're going to be doing that' it's all bullshit. > 3. I never mentioned that IIUG at all in my post - and didn't need to, > since this CAC is not related to, does not compete with, nor does it > alter the goals and job of the IIUG. > No, **you** made the comparison, that the CAC wouldn't replace the IIUG or in your own words, a "competitor". I simply commented on what you said, and made some valid points. > 4. No - it is not "inbound marketing" - whatever that means. Actually it is. There is outbound marketing, and inbound marketing. Inbound feeds in to IBM, the other, outbound, pushes out to the customer and end-users. > It is a > chance for IBM to get more detailed input of technology requirements, > feedback on current releases, and start a positive dialogue about the > future of Informix. > OK, but don't imply that it's an ombudsman, it's not. It is simply a vendor looking for feedback from users, with absolutely no obligation on the part of the vendor to respond in any way shape or form back to the users. This is not a bad thing, but it is not an ombudsman, and won't ever be. This is a **good** thing because it means that IBM is open ears to a much wider audience than just going through the IIUG or some other puppet regime. Definitely a step in the right direction. > I really am starting to wonder if my continued mission of furthering > the Informix cause and "recapturing the Informix family" will ever > stick on CDI. I have posted "good news" many times here, and man, does > it get morphed into all kinds of things! Those of you that know me well > know that I always speak directly and you can take my message at face > value - with no hidden agenda or veiled message. > No problem with that. But you are interfacing with IBM/Informix at a different level than a customer or user. It is not the same, when we do not have the access you do. Many of us have access only as customers and end-users, not employees or ISV partners. This means we have to go through different channels than you do. It's great to get excited about new shit, but as customers and end-users we can't believe any of it till we see it. > As I've always said - there are many things we continue to work on to > put Informix where it belongs with respect to clients and positioning > within IBM. I continue to report positive information - of which I have > ALOT. I'm not denying that there is still work to do. But I am very > frustrated that we don't acknowledge "great news" when it is made known > on CDI. > You can thank legacy Informix people for that who did everything they could to run Informix into the ground. Don't forget, end users, and customers are not in your communication channels, they need to see advertising, press releases, marketing, developer programs, corrected web pages, uncrippled downloads, and peer downloads too, like XPS should be a download if DB2 EEE is a download. Don't expect us to get excited and jump for joy when we can only go on what we SEE not a bunch of bullshit. > Simply put - why do we have to twist "great news" into negative > sentiment? I continue to travel nearly 100% of the time to > Informix-only customers. My peers are currently overseas doing internal > IBM training on, yes, Informix, to the SE and technical folks. the > Informix team at IBM are very, very busy. > It is great news Mark, but it should be seen in context. > Maybe some of you don't know me well, but I joined Informix in 1995, > and have been focused on IDS and XPS...period. Exclusively. I intended > to retire at Informix. Instead, now I intend to retire working on > Informix products. So again - I'm like a little kid that gets all all > excited about stuff like the forming of the CAC for Informix. I know > there are others that share that enthusiasm. Would love to hear from > them. > Get excited about IBM marketing Informix. Until then you are in a world all to your own, big in your mind, unknown and untold to the rest of the world. Informix has less than 3% of the market last I heard. Change that and then get back to us on your progress. > Anyone wanna join me on this effort to positively influence the future > of Informix? And I don't mean "think positive thoughts and all will be > fine" - I mean recognize and move on the areas that need improvement, > as we have been doing, but also acknowledge the positive steps that are > being taken. This is the only way we will know if what we are doing is > working. > > Thanks - > Mark Scranton > OK, so we should all just shut up? SHOW ME THE MONEY. SHOW ME THE ADVERTISING. SHOW ME THE MARKETING. SHOW ME THE NEW CUSTOMER WINS. SHOW ME INFORMIX IN THE MARKET AND I WILL BE THERE. Until then, good luck, and thanks for the positive news, it will be another step in the right direction. It will benefit IBM and Informix greatly but it is indeed a bonus to the end users, not a vehicle for grievance, redress, or user advocacy. Even if it becomes advocacy it will never have the independence necessary to be credible as real advocate.

> OK, so we should all just shut up? SHOW ME THE MONEY. SHOW ME THE > ADVERTISING. > SHOW ME THE MARKETING. SHOW ME THE NEW CUSTOMER WINS. I received an order for IDS from a brand new customer to Informix (and IBM I believe) this very morning ...

Neil Truby wrote: >> OK, so we should all just shut up? SHOW ME THE MONEY. SHOW ME THE >> ADVERTISING. >> SHOW ME THE MARKETING. SHOW ME THE NEW CUSTOMER WINS. > > I received an order for IDS from a brand new customer to Informix (and IBM I > believe) this very morning ... > > yay! But don't you think maybe a press release and a blog might have more momentum?

"Double Echo" <doubleecho@your.com> wrote in message news:anxGf.2966$CL5.2939@fe09.usenetserver.com... > Neil Truby wrote: >>> OK, so we should all just shut up? SHOW ME THE MONEY. SHOW ME THE >>> ADVERTISING. >>> SHOW ME THE MARKETING. SHOW ME THE NEW CUSTOMER WINS. >> >> I received an order for IDS from a brand new customer to Informix (and >> IBM I believe) this very morning ... > > yay! > > But don't you think maybe a press release and a blog might have more > momentum? Good point. Our IBM BP Manager is already working to get publicity about this, and about another company that made a '1m recommitment to Informix recently, but as with all big companies there are quite a few hoops to jump through first.