I thought I would try to answer Timothy Sipple's question in a different way.
How is the mainframe like the opera? Answer, in both cases, the average customer age and the average aficionado age gets about eleven months greater every year. This does not bode well for future business. One reason, in the case of the opera, and some might say in the case of the mainframe, is the entry cost. Let's say you're a young guy who thinks he might enjoy the New York Metropolitan Opera. Guess what? The cost to find out is about $300 (two tickets plus a few incidentals). This would not encourage you to become a new opera customer or aficionado. It's fine if you're already hooked, but there are few new entrants. Sound familiar? Here's what the Metropolitan Opera is doing about the opera's problem: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/09/arts/music/09cheap.html It's currently THE MOST E-MAILED STORY on the NY Times Web site. Question: What is IBM doing about the mainframe's problem? The FLEX-ES situation indicates they may be moving in the opposite direction. Charles Mills ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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
