Borman Out, Shearer In As iSeries General Manager
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

The corporate world is a lot like the physical world in that for every action there is an opposite reaction; whether it's an equal as well as opposite reaction is subject to much debate. It is with that thought in mind that we ponder the implications Mike Borman's replacement as general manager of the iSeries by Mark Shearer, who until now has been the head of marketing and strategy for IBM's Systems and Technology Group. READ MORE >

Q&A with Mark Shearer, the New iSeries GM
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

As we reported elsewhere in this newsletter, there is a new general manager of the iSeries business, and his name is Mark Shearer. His appointment came as something of a surprise to the OS/400 community, with his predecessor, Mike Borman, so new to the job. But IBM needed Borman to run software sales, so the iSeries gets a new GM. So who is Shearer, what does he know about the iSeries, and what are his plans for the platform? READ MORE >

RFID Specialist Stratum Global Spins Off from LANSA
by Alex Woodie

Two former LANSA executives have formed their own company, called Stratum Global, to tackle the growing market for solutions built on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Headed by Alan Christensen and Bill Hood, Stratum Global was spun off from LANSA in December and is looking for customers interested in small-scale RFID projects that prove the cost-effectiveness of the technology. READ MORE >

Subscription Pricing: A Tough Path to a Better Pricing Model
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

It has taken a little time--like a few decades--but the IT industry is finally coming around to one of the oldest ideas in the industry: that it is too hard to sell a big, expensive piece of technology, but it is relatively easy to get a company to subscribe to that same product and spread those acquisition costs over the long haul. After all, we are all used to paying monthly for most things: our cars, our homes, our bills. We're conditioned to pay this way by life itself. READ MORE >

  But Wait, There's More

Number of OS/400 Server Customers Stands at 245,000, Says IBM . . . IBM to Raise Entry i5 Prices, and Cut Partner Margins? . . . Heads Roll At Oracle and Former PeopleSoft . . . NaviSite to Resell EnterpriseOne and World ERP Suites . . . IBM Outsources Some Power Server Manufacturing to China . . . IBM Helps Partners Push i5/OS with 'How To' Guides . . . ACOM Establishes Electronic Medical Records Division . . . READ MORE >

Reader Feedback and Insights

In December readers responded to Timothy Prickett Morgan's articles "The eServer i6 and i7 Wish List" and "Crazy Idea Number 527: Should IBM Buy Apple?" and to Hesh Weiner's article "Mad Dog 21/21: The Dry Fish Affair" and to Dan Burger's series of articles on high availability, "Make High Availability Work for You" and "Choose Wisely: High Availability Performance and Reliability Issues." READ MORE >

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