<<< HUMANE::DISK$SCSI:[NOTES$LIBRARY]DIGITAL.NOTE;1 >>> -< The Digital way of working >- ================================================================================ Note 5381.2 How to get rid of OpenVMS Customers. 2 of 15 STAR::KLEINSORGE "Fred Kleinsorge, OpenVMS Engineer" 41 lines 18-JUL-1997 08:53 -< Sigh. Same old story. >- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm afraid there is very little good news. Management a long time ago got confused between worksations, servers, desktops, and graphics. As PC's replaced terminals on "desktops" and it became clear that VMS workstations would not compete against PCs, investment in VMS graphics slowed to a trickle. And as resources were squeezed, and VMS was pushed into a 3rd tier strategy, the move away from VMS workstations increased. Now, this misses the point that many of those workstations were key to the solutions that our customers rely on - even if they are only a small part of a larger Server solution. There is plenty of blame to go around. It was VMS that put Motif, CDE, and the rest of DECwindows into maintenance mode. The workstation group is focused on NT as its future, and they see any effort to sustain the VMS market to be counter to their goal, and a distraction... despite its profitabilty. On many fronts the company is faced with a choice - if we continue to neglect VMS, there may be another sharp decline in revenue. Failing to produce new workstations, as an example not only sends a message about the future of VMS, but will also create crisis for customers who depend on them. This is just starting to show up with the 3D devices on VMS are going to end of life, with no new devices to replace them. Of course, the statistics are that customers dropping VMS are likely to drop DEC when they do. On the other hand, without a clear directive from the top, no group (with a few exceptions) wants to invest much (or anything) in VMS. As to .1... given that the only "new" VAX systems we have shipped in a long time are repackaged existing systems... why are you suprised? As to service... many customers are no longer getting the level of service and competence in service that made them Digital customers in the first place. IBM and others are quickly moving to take over servicing DEC sites, where the customers are frustrated.