On Sat, Dec 13, 2008 at 12:12 PM, Warner Mach <[email protected]> wrote: > I happened to read IBM-Main when there was mention that, > at the next SHARE, Sam Knutson would be doing his "Fully > Wired Topics" presentation; and also that there would be > sessions on the PDS and Review commands. So I will probably > try to get to SHARE after all.
> Then I received an official mailing from SHARE that outlined > the special presentations at SHARE, including "SOA" and > how to virtualize everything; and I had to mentally contrast > the reasons that I go to SHARE and the reasons put forth by > the official SHARE publications. > Over the years IBM puts forth various conceptual "themes" > that they think are important trends and which, coincidentally, > involve the purchase of additional hardware/software. I suspect > for the average Systems Programmer, like myself, these are > regarded as "fads" which come and go. On the other hand, > if I go to SHARE then maybe I will learn a better way to > do what I am currently doing. Maybe I will find a vendor who > has a small affordable product that will fit into something > my installation wants to do. Maybe I will find a useful > free product. Maybe I will even find a way to REDUCE the > money sent to IBM! Don't take this the wrong way, but: what's your point? You know why you go to SHARE; SHARE doesn't need to attract you. So it looks like their marketing is on-track, at least in that regard. It's the folks who otherwise wouldn't have any interest that they need to attract, and that's what the themes and tracks and brochures are trying to achieve. Think of anything else that you like and buy -- Coke, for example (maybe). Do you buy it because of the ads? Of course not. But Coca Cola's marketing folks at least think that the ads attract new Coke drinkers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
