System iNetwork

This whole iManifest is oh so interesting to me. I still can't figure out tangible things they hope to accomplish, even after reading their web site for a 3rd time (http://www.imanifest-us.com/index3.htm).

I know of the goal to get an ad in the WSJ, but it says nothing of the ad content, which is really in the end what I am curious about.

Anybody want to slice through the hype and tell me about some longer term goals, or at least more tangible goals?

Aaron Bartell
http://mowyourlawn.com

Aaron,

What is it exactly that you are confused by? The objectives of iManifest are spelled out pretty clearly.

• To revitalize the IBM i market worldwide and increase the customer base.
• To assure IBM i customers, resellers and ISVs selling IBM i solutions that IBM i will not only survive but continue to prosper.
• To inform the wider IT community of the unique value proposition of the IBM i server.

(That's direct from the iManifest website)

The exact content of the WSJ ad will be something that is left to the members and board of directors to decide. However, it will most likely be something similar in nature to the ad placed in the Nikkei newspaper in Japan by the iManifest Japan group. Perhaps the best way understand the iManifest initiative is to actually read the original IBM i Manifesto drafted by the Japanese team.

If you are still confused. Please contact us at info@imanifest-us.com.

Thanks,

Jeff Olen

I like the idea of iManifest, however until it gets some business application software vendors to step up to the plate (ie Infor, Lawson, etc) its not going to carry much weight with the typical business executive/s that make the decisions on application software and the platform to run it on.

It is great that Steve mentioned "business executives". I think it is truly and critically important to expose and educate business executives and managers on Power Systems and IBM i. As Steve correctly stated, they are the ones making the decisions and signing the checks.

Just to clarify, Infor were the first large business application software vendor to sign-up. See this announcement from October: http://midmed.blogspot.com/2009/10/avnet-and-infor-join-lansa-in-imanifest.html


For those interested in better understanding 'how' an iManifest organisation can affect change in the local market, I urge you to review this short document: http://www.imanifest.eu/iManifest-EMEA-Your-Community-Needs-You.pdf


The slide that shows the structure of Special Interest Groups is the most relevant to this thread.

Martin,

Ok, so lets say I read all about this "IBM i" system in that declaration made by the Japan businesses in the WSJ (http://www.iforum.ne.jp/images/library/File/IBM%20i%20Manifest_20090113). Where would I go now to learn more about the machine? Would I go to IBM's site and hope to find it there and hope to find the reasons why the machine is so good? If I go to IBM the first hit in google for "IBM i" (http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/i/) I get inundated with Rational software and the like - hardly what made so many people proud of the machine and why it stands so tall in our minds (i.e. RPG+DB2+OS400+JobControl+Logging+security). From what I can see there are next to nil examples or video tutorials or directions on how to modernize your existing and solid RPG applications that aren't in the same breath asking you to jump ship to another language (i.e. EGL and PHP).

I guess my question still stands that I would really like to know *what* iManifest plans to tell people is awesome about our machine after they see the WSJ ad. It would be a lie to say our machine is the best because it runs Java and PHP so well and integrated - those technologies are hardly of the same reliability of the equivalent RPG applications.

Aaron Bartell
http://mowyourlawn.com

Aaron,

It seems like maybe you have a valid point.


Maybe someone somewhere (iManifest, iSociety, Common? ... or even someone just willing to support the cost of a website ...) should construct an IBM i web page. Be sure to include the names AS400, AS/400, iSeries, System i in at least meta-tags so search engines can find it.


The page could have a fairly concise explanation, written for executive types, of why the IBM i is a great machine.


It could have links for:

-- More detailed reasons to buy an i, still written for the executive

-- Technical reasons to buy an i, written for CIOs and IT managers.

-- A page with links to IBM and ISV sites to --- hmmm --- actually start to buy an i. (The ISV links could also provide some information of software and what it does.)


Having such a site would provide the "where would I go" that you wonder about. It also might help revitalize the platform. Because I think your point is: Once you have planted the bug in someone's ear, how do they follow up on it?


Now, if you will excuse me, it is time for me to duck and hide ... there may be stones aimed in my direction :p

I'm with Aaron. To me, the very existence of iManifest seems to to be a confession that we have a platform that people don't want. I can't really see an advert making much difference to peoples perceptions.

The question is why don't people want the platform? IMHO it has everything to do with the perception created by the out of date user interface. I know it's easy enough to write a web front end to your applications but it's hard to completely avoid the greenscreen.

Then you look at the price compared to an equivalent *NIX server! I know everyone tells you to look at total cost of ownership but it must be another factor waiting to put people off.

I don't believe that RPG has this huge reliability advantage over Java or PHP either. For starters PHP is a scripting language so you can't really compare it to RPG. In my experience the biggest limiting factor in software reliability is the developer and the lifecycle processes. It's just as easy to write rubbish in RPG as it is in Java! Back to potential selling points I can't see anyone but an RPG developer choosing a platform based purely on the fact that it runs a 50 year old language!

In practice I don't think people really buy AS400's. What they buy are software packages that happen to run on AS400's. This is true of all servers and either the platform allows you to come up with something competitive or it doesn't. Don't you think?

I agree with Aaron but I have a real problem with iManifest doing IBM's job. How far can the iSeries go without marketing backing from the company that builds the darn thing. I commend iManifest but still cant drink the Koolaid.

Don N.