But Wait, There's More

• If you are trying to keep up with PTFs on OS/400 and related systems programs, check out the OS/400 PTF Guides, put together by our partner DLB Associates.
  
  

• May 17
• May 10
• May 3
• April 26
• April 19

• Guild Companies ran an item in this column two weeks ago about the expanded partnership between Tango/04 Computing Group and PowerTech Group. The short story also raised the question of the possible effects that the new reseller relationship may have on Tango/04's long-standing reseller partnership with SoftLanding Systems, which is also a close partner of PowerTech's and resells its products. Tango/04 officials contacted Guild Companies to clarify the solid nature of its relationship with SoftLanding, which, they say, continues to be Tango/04's primary reseller in the United States and will not compete with PowerTech for Tango/04 business. The new partnership does not involve PowerTech selling Tango/04's wide range of OS/400 software products (as SoftLanding does). The only Tango/04 software that PowerTech will be selling is a scaled-down version of Tango/04's systems management software, called VISUAL Message Center, designed to work as a console for messages sent from PowerTech's PowerLock network security software for OS/400, the official said. "SoftLanding continues to be our premiere partner in the United States," the official said.
  
  
• BPCS specialist Advanced Systems and Products has signed on to resell Global Software's BPCS analysis tool suite as part of a new partnership the two companies announced last week. As part of the agreement, Kenilworth, New Jersey, based ASAP will sell Global Software's Global Data Analytic Suite, which is comprised of the flagship Spreadsheet Server, Executive DASH, Cost Analyzer, and Budget Manager. Since it was founded, in 1989, ASAP has built a practice around providing BPCS software and services. ASAP recognizes that Global Software's BPCS add-on tools can provide valuable extensions to the popular OS/400-based ERP system, says Vicky McLean Young, ASAP's southeast regional services manager, who is heading up the partnership with Global. "There are gaps in the BPCS system that can make life difficult for our clients at times," she says. "Global's Analytic Suite was developed by BPCS professionals who know what those gaps are and how to do away them." ASAP will sell Global Software's products to BPCS shops across the United States, from its New Jersey headquarters and from its satellite offices in Chicago, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Massachusetts.
  
  
• Barcode label printer maker Zebra Technologies last week revamped its partner program for resellers, distributors, and systems integrators. The Vernon Hills, Illinois, manufacturer said the changes introduced with its PartnersFirst program were necessary to drive Zebra printer sales into new vertical markets and to make it simpler for users to work with an evolved sales channel to buy and implement printers, which have become more complicated over the last few years with new technologies such as wireless connectivity, network management, mobile printing, and radio frequency identification (RFID). Zebra also announced its newest partner, Charlotte, North Carolina, based Prisym, which provides label printing systems software for the pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical device, clinical trial, and fine chemicals industries. The new partnership is expected to yield new sales in the areas of reducing patient medication errors by implementing barcoding on medications, and compliance with federal electronic signature guidelines specified in FDA 21 CFR Part 11.
  
  
• Companies developing Windows- or Linux-based applications with Magic Software's programming language now have another option when it comes to database support. Last week the Irvine, California, development tool vendor announced that it has formed a tighter relationship with database developer Pervasive Software that will have Magic including Pervasive's SQL V8 database engine with copies of eDeveloper 9.4, Magic's newest cross-platform development environment. Magic has offered support for Pervasive's database engines for years, most recently Pervasive.SQL 2000 i. Magic officials say the new partnership was created in response to building interest in the Pervasive database among Magic customers. Persuasive officials said Magic chose Pervasive's database software over others because of its high performance, low cost, and the ease in which the Pervasive database can be "embedded" in Magic applications. One such company offering Pervasive.SQL V8 as an option with its Magic-developed CRM application is Irvine-based ADAPT Software, which also supports Microsoft's SQL Server database in its enterprise version of ADAPTcrm in order to support data replication. The eDeveloper 9.4 now includes a five-seat license for Pervasive.SQL V8, allowing developers to write and test their applications. The development environment also includes a "time-limited" license for the 10-seat version of Pervasive.SQL V8, allowing developers to test the application in real-world settings. Companies wishing to deploy Pervasive.SQL V8 with applications used by more than five people can purchase the appropriate license from Magic. The 32-bit Pervasive.SQL V8 database runs on Windows NT/2000, Novell NetWare, and Linux servers. Magic's tools can also be used to write 64-bit applications that run on the iSeries and use the DB2/400 database, as well as other operating systems and database systems.
  
  
• Call it a spring cleaning. One week after mopping up its acquisition of SimplexGrinnell's labor management software business, Kronos announced it has acquired the base of customers who use the Best Software payroll and human resources applications that Kronos has been selling under its own private label for the past year. Last week Kronos announced it has acquired the support and maintenance agreements for 88 Abra Enterprise customers from Best Software for an undisclosed lump sum. Officials with the Chelmsford, Massachusetts, company say they intend to help the companies migrate to its version of the software. In March 2002, Kronos acquired the source code to Best Software's Abra Enterprise, an integrated payroll and human resources application that runs on Windows operating systems and Microsoft's database. Kronos made some minor changes to the Abra Enterprise source code, including providing closer integration with its labor management software for Windows and Unix servers Workforce Central, and it started selling the software as Workforce HRMS last June.
  
  

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