Re: Major crackdown on Informix products/ports ?

On Fri, 06 Mar 1998 12:55:57 +0000, Michael Segel <mikey@segel.NO.SPAM.KINGOFMYDOMAIN.SPAM.NO.com> wrote: >Nils Myklebust wrote: >> >> We should probably all stop putting words in Bob F.'s or anyone elses >> mouth. >> >> And Mike, you might want to consede that it just might be that >> Informix have some customers who have said they want a Windows 95 >> version of their engines for some purpose. Among other reasons there >> may be, Informix do have some large customers wanting large volumes of >> database engines on very low end hardware. It just may happen that >> Windows 95 with an Informix engine may be a good alternative for them. >> If you want to judge these customers please say so, but I imagine it >> would be hard without knowing them and their applications. >> >Gee, >I guess Linux doesn't fit that bill? No it doesn't. You aren't that stupid. Sorry Mike, but I had to say that. There are several points here: If you work for a big company (or even a small) and whatever powers that be wants Windows 95 that's what you have to work with. If Informix can't supply that too bad. They will go elsewhere. May be Informix have found they would loose or perhaps only risk loose bussiness in this way. That's a valid argument for a port whatever opinions one may have about any operating system. There is also the possibility that Windows 95 actually is the best platform for some purposes. To some that may seem remote, but they are simply wrong. There are more things in the world than performance, hardware requirements, stability or whatever may be the advantages of Linux. And remember I say this even though I realy badly want a Linux port and knows why and how that would be a real advantage to our bussiness! The whole argument for any port or any thing we may want Informix (or any other vendor) to do falls appart if one keeps critisizing them for totally unrelated things. >I mean Linux will run on a x386 even. Will windows 95 do that? >:-) Who cares if that isn't the major desition point? > > >[SNIP] > >Well, >Nils, in a word No. >Informix has not been clear in their statements. >Or rather Bob has been clear and has stated his position. >Now the apologists for Informix have stepped up to the plate >and said, "He meant to say this." This is a problem. The effects of what Informix have said have not been good to all current customers. Particularly the small ones and realy anyone doing traditional database type applications have been left hanging. That is not good. You are very right in that. I have myself presented my beliefs of what Bob F. realy mean or his intentions. May be I shouldn't have. I do hope that Informix will clear up the confusion they have created. >Informix is claiming to be visionary, yet they are >being re-actionary. > >The problem that I have with Informix is that >while they have this vision UDO, they cut projects which >would promote UDO. > >Draw a line lable one point A, the second point B. >Informix doesn't show any way of getting from point A to >point B. If you refer to UDO here you are right if you refer to current customers or smaller new ones. Informix's attitude with UDO seems to be that it can or should only be sold to large customers with lots of money and resources to find out how to use it and then mainly in new projects. I have had discussions with Stonebreaker on this. He understands very well that this didn't need to be so. Such and understanding seems to be very lacking in the rest of Informix however. This is very bad. Had they made UDO their standard product at the standard price available on all important platforms they would have been in a unique position where they could outmarket and over some time outsell the competition. The small as well as the large customers would use it for all kinds of purposes and over time wouldn't want to go back to the "commodity" competition. I am amazed that hardly anyone at Informix seem to see this little point. There seem to be a grave lack of understanding within Informix of their own products. >If I was the only one confused by Informix's actions, then I'd say >it was time to stop taking drugs, sober up and just say no to >killing my brain cells. But, I'm not. Read the articles in the press. >Not the PR wire crap. But the stuff journalists who aren't paid >for by Informix write. Look at the stock market. See what the >analysts are saying. 1 strong buy, 1 buy , 14 Hold, 1 sell. >What does that mean. > >Its not the products anyone questions, but the marketing and the >commitment of the upper management. I still don't quite see that lack of commitment. They have staked out a course, and seems to follow it. The fact they they stumbled on their commitment to current customers (the small and/or traditional users) is bad an must be rectified. If it isn't we will talk more about the commitment. Nils Myklebust NM Data AS Norway E-mail: Nils.Myklebust@nmdata.com FAQ at: Primary with ODBC info: http://www.smooth1.demon.co.uk Official site http://www.iiug.org/techinfo/faq/faq_top.html