Databases have become utility. I don't see many applications today advertising they run on Oracle or Microsoft, many are trying to be generic. People are more interested in buying SAP than worry what database it runs on. Those days of user base and TPC ratings are gone. Users and developers want to know does it run on the environments they want, does it interface with other applications, does it work with cloud, what are the costs, what are the returns it will deliver. They are not asking who uses the database or how many users around the world use it, they are asking who uses the application that they are looking to buy.
There is nothing in U2 that stops me interfacing with new technologies. Sure I would like some more native and sometimes simpler interfaces but I have been able to do most things talking to U2. Rocket may not publish figures, but U2 is increasing staff, U2 are introducing new products such as DataVu, these are not indicators of a dying product. Less than 500 people attended U2 universities around the world which means everyone else failed to find out what Rocket is doing. Rocket created the opportunity, but people failed to take advantage of it. Stop focusing on what U2 does not do as all technologies have holes. Focus on what it does do and then work with Rocket to further improve the technology. People do not understand where they are touched by U2. Your baggage being unloaded from the plane is probably using U2. Dialing an emergency number, the operator could be using U2. Doing a banking transaction often has a pick application involved, booking a flight, membership to a union, project management of a building site, dealing with a car distributor, going to the library, managing a nuclear reactor. You name it you are being touched by U2 applications everyday. For me U2 allows me to compete with a small R&D staff, small support staff and at a lower cost. I am able to deliver far more for a tenth of the cost of my competitors. If new developers are making decisions based on technology awe instead of business justification, then they will have a short life span. I don't really see why we need to know what the number of users in the market are, it is not that relevant. David Jordan _______________________________________________ U2-Users mailing list U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
