It's in the archives of the listserv. All these observations are from
what I gleaned from the messages there, and my assumptions regarding these
messages. Anybody, feel free to amplify anything you know is a factual
error -- I don't claim to have any hot skinny about what's coming out of
Sterling.
The mapping engine has, reportedly, changed to in the 6.x version so that
there is no backwards compatibility, and no chance to modify pre- 6.x maps
with the 6.x mapper.
It will run the old maps, but to me this change (I would guess to the NT
architecture) means that you basically start from scratch any time you need
to make a map modification. Any Sterling-built conversion tool I would
regard with suspicion until I saw it working (and unless I saw people on
this listserv very happy with it.) Another alternative would be to
maintain a pre-6.x standalone tool for "legacy" maps, but on that path lies
insanity. (I can see it now -- maintain two copies of IGs, apps, trading
partner setups... (shiver))
The reaction of some here is "Well, if we have to go through all that
bother, why not just go look at something else?" I imagine, too, that we're
not unique.
> ----------
> From: Lee LoFrisco[SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Reply To: Lee LoFrisco
> Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2000 8:03 AM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [Fwd: In response to Kayla]
>
> Hi Richard,
>
> Would you please explain the "architecture change for the 6.x product".
>
> Without knowing the particulars of that situation, I will put my neck on
> the
> line and say that I see good things happening at Sterling.
> Last month, I attended a *coming out* party in Nashville for Sterling's
> new
> look and future with the SBC reorg.
> It was attended by all of their consultants. Like any company enduring a
> takeover, their are changes both internally and externally.
> What I saw and heard impressed me. New products that take a company to
> the
> next-level of b2b e-Commerce, improved service and
> a new attitude. Now that the *party* is over, and its time to settle
> down,
> let's give them a chance.
>
> Lee LoFrisco
> Sterling Commerce Consultant
> Cell: 410.963.6218
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Electronic Data Interchange Issues
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Hurd, Richard A (Rich)
> Sent: Friday, October 20, 2000 2:24 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [Fwd: In response to Kayla]
>
>
> I hesitate, too, to put my paddle in the water because my mom told me "If
> you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Hence my
> silence on our TLW experience.
>
> However, I am minded to reply to Chuck.
>
> > If this 'stunt' were to be pulled on them, no matter WHICH EDI software
> > vendor was involved, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend 'pulling the plug'
> > and seeking another vendor. This discipline (EDI) is too dynamic for
> > companies to be wasting their time doing things that shouldn't be
> > necessary, when Sea-changes in the discipline are either upon us now, or
> > at the least looming around the corner.
> >
> The problem is -- and what these software companies are banking on -- is
> the
> software corollary of Newton's law of inertia. If others' EDI departments
> are like ours, we can barely keep up with what's going on and what the
> future holds. And now we want to switch to a new TRANSLATOR? Where are
> we
> going to find the time for the DD necessary for that little maneuver? Not
> to mention the huge hump that you have to get over before you get
> productive
> in the new software? Changing a translator is akin to changing an email
> package, albeit not as dramatic a change.
>
> The recent rumblings of Sterling Commerce and their architecture change
> for
> the 6.x product line underlines that. We are a Sterling Gentran shop,
> and
> we have watched those threads with interest. We have a guy who does
> mapping
> for us that we use on a part time basis. I emailed him this story and he
> called within 5 minutes, saying "Are they out of their minds?" To him, it
> can be seen as the PERFECT opportunity to switch. "Why, if you have to
> re-engineer everything, don't you just re-engineer everything in a
> competing
> product?"
>
> But we're not talking Sterling, we're talking Harbinger. Our experience
> with their product line although limited is another "Me too" story of too
> much promised, and too little delivered. And that's why we're not using
> the Harbinger TLW product any more.
>
> And even though Lucent does have some installations of Harbinger, the
> division I work for (Lucent Microelectronics) is spinning off to become an
> independent semiconductor manufacturer. So although I can't legally tell
> people to go buy stock, I can say with confidence that in some near-term
> time frame we will be truly Harbinger-free. And that oughta be worth
> something. :-{)
>
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