Dawn Thanks!
The u2ug address is 'in progress' - Chuck's doing a test run with u2ug.net to get to the new site. Once we know that's all working, we'll repeat the process with u2ug.org. Yes, my own web site is always bottom of the list <sigh> and really needs reorganizing and some new content. Isn't that always the way? I've got a whole bunch more free utilities I just need to package up to go on there - starting with a nice and easy Windows editor that I use every day now but just never got round to polishing. As for IBM - I'm actually not hugely concerned, which may seem a strange attitude. Let me explain: we've all spent years saying "why doesn't the vendor do (marketing, promotion, whatever it might be)...". It's become such an ingrained response that it is almost a mantra. Yes, we want them to do these things, but the problem is, whilst the vendor doesn't, we don't either. The same charges were levelled against everyone from VMARK to Microdata and nothing has changed. I really believe the only way to resurrect the model is from within the community and the people who use it. It would, of course, be good to get marketing information from IBM but I'm not going to sit back and wait for it. That's better handled by those who are more market-aware than I. What I really hope is to try to motivate the user group members to start promoting in small ways. The cumulative effect could be very powerful. Look at how PHP started life.. Am I being too hopeful/cynical? Best Regards Brian Brian -- Good work with everything you have done. I love the new web site with UniVerse backing it -- super! (when will it be the one we get to at u2ug.org?) I like your various utilities. I couldn't find the demo database in my first pass of late at your web site, but will return again later as there was more to see. I have no doubt that you will do good work with the incubator too, but, again, it might be an opportunity for the board to get a clear understanding from IBM as to their target audience and with what type of prospective customer they will be activitly engaged in helping to close the deal. Are 30, 60, or 90% of their marketing efforts towards existing VARs and their prospects? What % of IBM's database marketing dollars and what % of the U2 marketing dollars are targeted to getting new VARs who have never used a Pick product before? What percentage to trying to woo non-U2, but currently multivalue VARs or application providers? If you get people some portion of the way there, is IBM planning to allocate any dollars to taking those that the U2UG and the incubator project bring in and try to convert them to customers? In spite of not choosing it for my current project, I still hope you are able to be very successful, which is why I am jumping in with this concern. I'm not sure that even if it were an "if we build it, they will come" situation, that the next piece is in place. Having the ability to do what you are planning might give you some leverage with IBM to get some more commitment from them to possibly widen their scope. It might even be helpful to the U2 team if the U2UG asks IBM some questions along these lines. Best wishes. --dawn ------- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
