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In this Issue |
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From the Editor:
Can IBM's ads work magic on iSeries sales? |
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Featured Topic:
Perfecting iSeries performance |
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Expert Technical Advice:
* Featured expert: Shahar Mor, PC/Windows connectivity
* Opinions on WebFacing
* BIFs simplify numeric to alpha conversions
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Site Highlights:
* Attention iSeries managers: Your thoughts on iSeries market
* COMMON: IBM pushes on-demand
* What's new from COMMON? |
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From the Editor: |
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by Michelle Davidson, site editor
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Can IBM's ads work magic on iSeries sales?
You've probably seen IBM's new television commercials. The CEO and his VP's are presented with a gadget that promises to solve their business problems -- magic pixie dust, binoculars that see into the future, a magic genie lamp. The point Big Blue makes is those things can't magically fix your business -- only IBM products can.
This ad campaign is clever and certainly entertaining, but iSeries users have to wonder if it's the kind of thing that will attract new iSeries customers. You can't deny the fact that the ads increase IBM's exposure, but unless you do a little research, you don't know that the alternative to the genie lamp is the iSeries.
IBM marketing guru Malcolm Haines and Vice President of iSeries Marketing Cecelia Marrese say this campaign was designed to be "mindless propaganda." The idea is to target the top-level business audience and reinforce e-business on demand, Maresse said. It's high coverage, and then behind it are specifics about the iSeries. But can that high coverage trickle down and result in gains for the iSeries?
Having covered the iSeries (or AS/400) market for a few years now, I've become like other iSeries devotees. I want to see more companies using the iSeries; I don't want the platform to fade away into IBM history. And so when I see IBM's ads aired on CNN or TechTV, I'm rooting for the company all the way and hope that when someone calls up IBM to get more information they mention the genie lamp. But a part of me remains skeptical and thinks despite the $10 billion IBM is putting into this campaign, it will have little effect on the iSeries. I hope I'm wrong.
What do you think? Send your comments to me at [EMAIL PROTECTED].
And take our new poll: Will IBM's ads work magic on iSeries sales?
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Featured Topic: |
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Perfecting iSeries performance
by Deb Tart, assistant site editor
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Looking to rev up your disk performance or tune your system? It isn't always an easy task. We've rounded up the latest news, tips, white papers and webcasts to help you achieve maximum performance on your iSeries.
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Read more about this topic
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Expert Technical Advice: |
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Featured Expert: Shahar Mor, president, Barmor Information Systems
Category: PC/Windows connectivity
If you're trying to connect an iSeries and a Windows platform and need a little help, ask Shahar. He's happy to answer your toughest connectivity questions.
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Read past q&a's or submit your own question
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This Week: In the forums
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How to stop sending IP packets to devices
"Manly1" has IBM NetStations that replaced a lot of his "dumb" terminals. The problem is that he has some remote sites that are used only a few days each week. When those sites aren't in use and are powered off, the iSeries is still trying to contact the devices via TCP/IP and sends packets to the router at the remote site. He wondered how to stop these packets from being sent while the NetStations are powered off. Thankfully, "Salviato" offered some advice.
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Opinions on WebFacing
"Bocabuilder" writes, "I understand that there have been some significant improvements in WebFacing. We are considering implementing WebFacing for our legacy applications and would like to hear from anyone who is currently using this product." Read what some users had to say.
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Deleting SAVF files
"Operator" wonders what criteria should be followed when deciding which SAVF to delete. He has a lot of PTF and LP save files and wants to know if it's safe to get rid of them. Do you know of any guidelines he should follow? |
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| Tip of the Week: |
BIFs simplify numeric to alpha conversions
There are times when you want to insert a numeric result
into the middle of some text. If you are adjusting a
customer's account, you may want to display some text like
the following: "A credit of $5.25 was applied to your
account." In RPG IV, the process can be accomplished via a
Built-in Function (BIF). Search400.com expert John Kohan
shows you how to use BIFs such as the %CHAR BIF in RPG IV
and RPG/400. |
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Read full tip |
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Site Highlights |
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Attention iSeries managers
We want to know your plans for the iSeries in your shop. Are you using it more or are other platforms making their way in? Do you like the direction IBM is taking the iSeries? Do you think you'll still be working on this platform three years from now? Let us know.
Take the survey today
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COMMON: IBM pushes on-demand
At the spring COMMON conference in Indianapolis last week, users got a glimpse of the role the iSeries plays -- and will play -- in IBM's e-business on-demand strategy.
Read the article
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What's new from COMMON?
The latest product news
Click over and find out what companies such as Lakeview Technology, BOSaNOVA, SoftLanding, BCD and MPG all announced at the spring 2003 COMMON conference.
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| February tip winner |
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