Re: Future of Informix.

Mark Thurman wrote: > > We have been an Informix shop sense 1988. My question is what do you > all think about the future of Informix. If you are thinking of changing > what migration paths are you considering. > > I was looking at the TCP benchmark web page and informix is not even in > the hunt with new products. Our database applications are fine at > present it just concerns me that Informix seems to have so many internal > problems that they are not able to stay up with the technology curve. > > Thanks > Mark Thurman Mark, I know it's probably important for you not to bet on the nag. Since you asked what I think about the future of Informix, here goes. I was very close to considering changing my career, even as late as the past few weeks, until recently, where there appears to be a more timely approach from Informix to dealing with the market. Informix is a stubborn company, and they are slowly changing. The market is forcing them to get with the program, or get out of the market. So far, things are looking up. Yes, Informix, you're doing a good job, but don't stop now. The future looks bright, provided we see some advertising in the right places besides just marketing to managers, and non technical people. It's important for Informix to compete where there is a possibility of a purchase decision, and that means including at every level of a customer profile, people involved with data bases. Not just the guy/gal who pays for the software, but also for the people that use the software. The folks that don't necessarily PAY for the software are now starting to be viewed as valuable in many large companies who sell lots of products, even though they don't directly provide revenue to the vendor. There's some marketing terms for this, something like "incoming marketing" I believe is the term. The value is now considered a part of the equation in determining future sales, etc. Non-revenue-generating people are rapidly being viewed by many large companies as a new source of valuable marketing data. Imagine that! :-) Don't get me wrong, it's important to pay attention to the payor, but it's also important to KEEP customers after you've sold them the software. This is where the follow up marketing and continuous messaging to the community of people who support and maintain the systems are being catered to as well. They help you keep the software in the place you sold it, and can even contribute to future sales. It's really very simple. The future looks bright, provided we also see a marketing and product campaign that continues to build width with Informix as well as depth. It's ok to be a niche player, focusing on data warehousing, web commerce, and engines, building a little depth in these areas, but there simply must be a focus on keeping the width of the company out there. Sure, you don't want to spread yourself too thin, but (and here it comes) mainstream products and environments like Linux should be taken every bit as serious as the proverbial "high end". ( Everybody but Informix seems to have a problem with that phrase, "high end". :-). Mainstream and ubiquitous, Linux represents the future of where things are going, and if Informix will get behind it in a big way, we will all benefit. One of the best ways to sell products in one environment is to show how they benefit in another. We're reaping the rewards of the big-gun platforms on Linux, but it can work both ways. Linux can and will be instrumental in the future of big systems as well as its own environment. Informix is certainly capable of delivering the width with the depth. All we need now is a little more advertising. This will reap more mind-share, thusly more sales, thusly more work for Informix people, and thusly more money for everyone involved. Gee, it seems so simple sometimes. And hey, if sales go up, then maybe the stock value will go up too! :-) Tim -- - -- Tim Schaefer --- tschaefe@mindspring.com -- http://www.inxutil.com -