Re: An insider's view

In article <memo.818132@cix.compulink.co.uk> shemminga@cix.compulink.co.uk writes: > >I recieved this message today from someone inside Informix. I've been >asked not to identify the individual but am posting the message with >permission. > [deleted stuff] >And if there is >nothing which is much better - why should we spend money for >implementing all these features if we can sell it as it is ? Because you do have competitors out there building new products. And while today you may be alone, you can't depend on that being the case tomorrow. This industry has seen many a product where "there is nothing which is much better" and their marketers asked "why should we spend money for implementing all these features if we can sell it as it is." What were the results? Just look at products like VisiCalc, Osborne Portables, Ashton-Tate Dbase and MultiMate, WordStar (Micropro?). Look at how Lotus is getting hammered by Excel in the Windows market. I think the history is pretty clear on this matter. It is a STUPID marketing department that sits on a winning product and doesn't continue to enhance it according to market demands. Because if a company won't do that, someone else will invent the better mousetrap and we will all beat a path to their door. It remains to be seen whether or not Informix will fall into this category.