> -----Original Message-----
> From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List On Behalf Of Warner Mach
>
> I believe that I have identified an interesting phenomenon
> in the ongoing mainframe vs distributed servers debate. I
> call this the 'small server mob advantage.'
> .
> We all know that the ratio of technical people to end users
> is much higher with the smaller servers. I consider the
> small servers to be a primary driver of IT employment. At
> first glance it might seem that the lower ratio for mainframe
> support would put the mainframe at an advantage in the eyes
> of management ... But, as it turns out, what happens is that,
> over the course of time, the number of people in small server
> support greatly exceeds the number of people in mainframe
> support and they form a group that actively lobbies to move
> everything off of the mainframe. This is the 'small server
> mob advantage.'
> .
> Once a conversion effort is finished and it becomes apparent
> that people costs now far exceed the mainframe hardware and
> software costs, the deed is done. To go back would require
> that management admit an error ... So I would advise that
> the mainframe folks console themselves with the fact that
> their small server brothers and sisters are able to find
> gainful employment.
A similar observation might be made regarding Java vs. COBOL. Two
"reasons" I hear frequently for abandoning COBOL in favor of Java are
(1) "COBOL is arcane" and (2) "Java programmers are far less expensive
than COBOL programmers".
-jc-
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