Regal Finds Linux Perfect Tool for a Dirty Job
by Alex Woodie

You think your factory floor is tough on terminals? Try spraying Coke and real butter-flavored popcorn on them, and see how they function. Regal Entertainment Group, the nation's largest chain of movie theaters, knows that the concession stand is no place for a greenhorn point-of-sale system. That's why it's rolling out IBM SurePOS terminals to all of its theaters. While these systems are nearly impervious to grime on the outside, Regal appreciates that Linux keeps things clean and simple on the inside. READ MORE >

BMC Ships New Capacity Planning Tool for iSeries
by Alex Woodie

BMC Software and IBM came to an agreement late in 2001 that allowed BMC to once again claim ownership over the preeminent capacity planner for the OS/400 platform. Last Friday, the Houston, Texas, software company started shipping that new product, called PATROL for iSeries-Predict, the replacement for the BEST/1 for AS/400 capacity planning tool, which was developed by BGS, a company acquired that was by BMC. READ MORE >

HATS Off to IBM for New Rules-Based Screen Converter
by Alex Woodie

IBM last week announced yet another method of converting 5250 and 3270 green screens to GUIs, its second such new offering in recent weeks. Officials with the company say WebSphere Host Access Transformation Server (HATS) Version 4.0 provides a simpler way to create browser-based GUIs from midrange and mainframe screens than other options on the market, including several of its own. But is Big Blue stepping on its own toes? READ MORE >

SSA GT Hints At Future Convergence of BPCS and PRMS
by Alex Woodie

SSA Global Technologies gave a glimpse into the future of PRMS two weeks ago, when it announced its first new release of the ERP suite in 20 months, and the first release since the company bought it from Computer Associates last spring. In addition to about 40 functional enhancements, PRMS 9.2 features what the company calls a "common object model" underpinning, which eases integration with other applications and could pave the way for a BPCS/PRMS merger. READ MORE >

SafeStone Helps Users Help Themselves to New Passwords
by Alex Woodie

Every time a user forgets a password, it costs the company an average of $21 in lost time to have the user's password reset by an administrator, says SafeStone Technologies, an OS/400 security software vendor from Princeton, New Jersey. Not so any more. SafeStone last week announced DetectIT Self Help, a utility that allows users to reset their own passwords, thereby saving the company time and money. READ MORE >

News Briefs and Product Shorts

Maximum Availability Lands First American Customer . . . Symtrax Unveils New Portal for Accessing Reports . . . Baan and Solzon SPROUT an Upgrade Tool for PRISM . . . FormScape Launches Document Management Package for Distributors . . . HiT Announces Improved Transaction Support in Database Middleware . . . Mazda Goes Live with Infinium's HR Software . . . CommercialWare to Offer Software as Web Services . . . READ MORE >

Reader Feedback and Insights

We value your feedback and your insights into the OS/400 market. Feel free to drop us a letter to the editor and we will post them in a reader feedback column associated with this newsletter. READ MORE >