Eric Bielefeld wrote: >I just received another z/Journal email sponsored by Microsoft urging us to >get off the mainframe and going to .NET. They refer you to the following web >site:
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver/mainframe/whoknew/default.aspx >I would think that would be counter productive. I'm sure that Microsoft pays >z/Journal big bucks to advertise, but if every mainframe user followed MS >advertising, there wouldn't be a need for the z/Journal. Here's an excerpt from Bob Thomas's publisher's letter in the May/June issue of Mainframe Executive, which is directly relevant: "This May/June 2009 issue of Mainframe Executive marks our eighth issue published. Although the target audience for both Mainframe Executive and z/Journal is users of IBM mainframe computer systems, I think it's important to remind readers that both magazines are totally independent publications. [He means not owned by IBM, not "independent of each other"] "As our readers have no doubt already noticed, the vast majority of articles, white papers, and ads in both magazines are clearly pro-mainframe. And while we are upfront about our mainframe bias, we do recognize that the mainframe isn't the optimum solution in all situations. So, we also will feature articles, white papers, and ads dealing with mainframe alternatives as a service to our readers. Because the readers we serve mostly reside within large public and private organizations of all types, we feel it's our duty to objectively deliver information for all types of mainframe-centric computing considerations that occur within an enterprise and aid in achieving business objectives." -30- And of course he's right -- mainframe fan that I am, I'm not going to argue that it's *always* the right answer. Pretty well every shop has Microsoft/Intel stuff, so it's a reasonable assumption that companies are already aware that there are alternatives. It's also a reasonable assumption that they're smart enough to evaluate what's actually best for their business, despite our (and I include myself!) bleating about "management by magazine". On the other hand, blind, fan-boy mainframe idolatry is just childish: ignoring the competition and hoping it will go away doesn't work. We tried that in the 90s, remember? -- ...phsiii Phil Smith III ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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
