[Info-vax] New CEO of VMS Software

[Dan Cross]

In article <unff7n$5ld$1 at panix2.panix.com>,
Scott Dorsey <kludge at panix.com> wrote:
>Dan Cross <cross at spitfire.i.gajendra.net> wrote:
>>My sense with the AIX tools was that they were trying to
>>insulate the system manager (or low-paid operators) from the
>>underlying system.  If your use-case is a factory floor or a
>>business data processing shop, that may make some sense.
>
>This is the IBM WAY.  The system manager does this, the operations staff
>does that, nobody is able to do anything else outside of what they are
>supposed to do, and if you want something else done you call IBM and they
>do it.
>
>IBM is a services company.  They sell hardware only so that they can sell
>services for them.  Their goal is to optimize your need for IBM services.

This is so true.  I know some of the folks who worked on AIX,
and they're good engineers, but they were stuck in a weird place
that didn't really get what they were doing.

>>>Again, I think this was because the intention was to run a million
>>>workstations with a single admin.  If something goes wrong to prevent 
>>>booting, you just swap the machine out with a new one and have your 
>>>on-site IBM FE fix it.
>>
>>Yeah, but when a room full of them are crashed and won't boot,
>>one wonders whether the cure isn't worse than the disease.  :-)
>
>That depends whether you are an IBM shareholder or not.

Owning some IBM shares doesn't really help when you've got a
bunch of angry users shouting at you. :-D

	- Dan C.