Participate in the IBM i Manifest EMEA Webcast on April 12

Published: March 21, 2011

by Dan Burger

There's still a spark in the IBM i Manifest EMEA organization. It's been a while since any news on this organization has surfaced, but a call for participation Webcast is penciled in for April 12. Perhaps this is a step in the direction of getting a program in place to bring together business partners (in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the U.S.) for the purpose of marketing the IBM i as well as promote business partner software.

The ever-popular Frank Soltis, pioneer of many IBM technologies and father of the System/38 and grandfather to the AS/400, is one of the speakers for this event, along with other unidentified industry leaders. Soltis is actively involved in the IBM i Manifest initiatives in the U.S. and Japan.

Like the IBM i Manifest U.S. group, which has had two Webcasts to draw more attention to its cause, this EMEA-oriented session is intended to raise awareness and initiate new discussions on marketing the IBM i on Power Systems in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The announcement of the upcoming presentation notes the group's aim is to "create a cohesive message to assure IBM i customers, resellers and ISVs selling 'i' solutions that the platform will not only survive but continue to prosper."

There have been discussions regarding a potential merger of the IBM i Manifest U.S. with iManifest EMEA. However, it was decided that "at least in the short term, the EMEA and U.S. groups will remain separate," according to Jeff Olen, who at that time (April 2010) served as a chairman for IBM i Manifest U.S.

The three regional i Manifest groups have pledged to work with one another, but their organizational structures remain separate at this time.

Early in 2010, iManifest EMEA organizer Martin Fincham stepped away from his role in that organization due to the demands of his day job. Since Fincham's departure, the organization has struggled to make any progress.

The EMEA Webcast gets under way at 10 a.m. EDT. You can register for the event here.

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