The iDeal iSeries, Part 1
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

Don't you wish some days that you could design your own iSeries product line? Me, too. I've been thinking about this a lot over the years. I've watched IBM launch 10 generations of AS/400 and iSeries servers. IBM used to do a pretty good job keeping the OS/400 platform in step with the industry. But around the time of the debut of the Apache machines, in 1997, the company stopped trying to keep up with entry and midrange alternatives in offering excellent bang for the buck. READ MORE >

SMBs Benefit from IBM's Increased Attention
by Dan Burger

It could be called the battle for the SMB, and it's nothing like a DMZ, or demilitarized zone, typically found in areas where war breaks out. The SMB, or small and midsized business, market is turf that IBM, among others, considers crucial to future sales. So if you work for a company that fits squarely in this niche, be ready for a full-tilt assault that will put you in position to take advantage of vendors elbowing each other for your business. READ MORE >

Palmisano Named IBM Chairman, Presents Autonomic Vision
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

IBM announced last week what many have long expected: that Sam Palmisano will be its next chairman. Palmisano will consolidate his control over IBM on January 1, when Louis Gerstner, who will have run IBM for almost a decade, steps down. Palmisano has been IBM's chief executive since March and its president since October 2000. He has run IBM's services, servers, and PC divisions, and is arguably the best person, other than Gerstner, to run Big Blue. READ MORE >

Admin Alert: Basic Client Access Express Installation from IFS
by Joe Hertvik

While many people install Client Access Express for Windows from a CD, then download and install the most recent service pack from the Internet, there are other options for administering Express desktops directly from an iSeries or AS/400. These options all begin with the basics of installing Express client from an iSeries server to a Windows-based PC. Here's a look at the process of installing Express from your OS/400 box. READ MORE >

Infinium Probably Not the Last Acquisition for SSA GT
by Alex Woodie

SSA Global Technologies shook the midrange market again last week with its acquisition announcement of Infinium Software, which comes just six months after the company acquired PRMS, along with 12 other applications, from Computer Associates. While SSA GT appears to have stabilized since its first acquisition, and even delivered a new release of PRMS two months ago, it simply hasn't had the time to fully execute its integration strategy. The fact that SSA GT moved forward with the Infinium acquisition--and the deep pockets of its backers--indicates that more acquisitions are likely to follow. READ MORE >

Dataquest: Server Market Still Shaky Despite 3Q Gains
by Alex Woodie

Gartner's Dataquest unit said last Monday that the world's server market remains in a funk, despite the fact that the number of servers shipped during the third quarter increased by 3.1 percent worldwide and 12.2 percent in the United States compared with last year. Dataquest said the September 11 attacks make last year's third quarter a poor barometer for comparisons, and that the possibility of war in the Middle East is contributing to poor IT purchasing conditions. READ MORE >

As I See It: The Mind Millennium
by Victor Rozek

Hardly a week passes that a new book or article isn't published purporting to tell the business world what skills and behaviors will be required to succeed in the new millennium. How often have we been solemnly informed that change is accelerating, knowledge is power, and business must become more competitive in order to survive in the global economy. I suppose these would qualify as penetrating insights to someone who had been in a coma for the past twenty years. READ MORE >

But Wait, There's More . . .

Get the Latest OS/400 PTF Guide . . . ASNA Launches New Web Site for Developing in .NET . . . Linux 2.6 Expected in Mid-2003 . . . Manhattan Associates to Acquire Logistics.com, Hits 3Q Revenue Mark of $43 Million . . . Vision Solutions Hires Bob Davis as New VP of Sales . . . J.D. Edwards Makes SCM and CRM Announcements. . . IT Managers Tout First COMMON Executive Conference . . . READ MORE >

Reader Feedback and Insights

We value your feedback and your insights into the OS/400 market. Feel free to send a letter to the editor. We will consider your letter a candidate for the reader feedback column associated with this newsletter, but we will contact you before we make your email public. READ MORE >

Correction

The article Green Streak Capacity Planning Guide incorrectly stated that the Model 820 Green Streak machine is in the P20 OS/400 software tier. The Model 820 is in the P30 tier, which we know and have been grumbling about since Green Streak was announced. Guild Companies regrets the error. [Correction made 11/1/02]