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Conference 7.286::digital

Title:	The Digital way of working

Moderator:	QUARK::LIONELON

Created:	Fri Feb 14 1986
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	5321
Total number of notes:	139771

4397.0. "Ken Olsen's Advanced modular ..." by ROM01::OLD_CIPOLLA (Bruno Cipolla) Tue Jan 30 1996 13:28

Subj: DQ Alert: Advanced Modular Solutions - Ken Olsen's Crusade to ... (MR041HSC.TXT, English Language, ASCII document)

DQ Alert January 22, 1996

Advanced Modular Solutions--Ken Olsen's Crusade to Regain Control
of Computing Resources

Olsen's Vision and Modular's Opportunity

When Ken Olsen mounted the podium at DECUS/San Francisco in early
December 1995, he must have felt a keen sense of achievement in at
least partially defying Thomas Wolfe's dictum. For Mr. Olsen had,
in a sense, come home again and was using a forum provided by
Digital Equipment Corporation--his old company--to introduce his
new company, Advanced Modular Solutions.

Mr. Olsen is chairman of the three-year-old company based in Acton,
Massachusetts. It's a technology company that seems to have derived
a good chunk of its corporate vision from another New England icon,
Henry David Thoreau. That's because the company's message to user
sites is, among other things, an updated technology version of
"Simplify, Simplify."

Founded in 1992 by Terry Potter, former corporate new venture
manager at Digital, the company has harvested a lot of executive
talent from the Maynard, Massachusetts-based vendor. President and
Chief Executive Officer Lyn Benton came to the company in August
after serving Modular as an adviser (she had her own management
consulting business). Before that, Ms. Benton was vice president of
finance and corporate services for Lotus, which had hired her away
from Digital, where she was vice president and assistant corporate
comptroller. Chief Financial Officer Stanley Miloszewski hails from
Digital as well as Barry Goldstein, who was the technical director
of Digital's advanced server program before coming on board as the
chief technical director of Modular.

While there is a strong management and technical team in place, it
is Mr. Olsen who serves as the most eloquent spokesman of Modular's
vision. In that role, he takes great pains to carefully articulate
the difference between a "controlled computing environment" and a
"computing environment under control." Rather than emphasizing the
stifling connotations of the former, it is the latter phrase that
sums up Mr. Olsen's vision and the company's market opportunity.

Indeed, Modular has predicated its very existence and prospects for
success on helping CFOs, CIOs, and systems administrators regain
financial and technical control over computing resources that have
careened out of control, in the view of Modular.

The company's vision, as generated and fostered by Mr. Olsen
himself, is that users have been trapped in a never ending cycle of
planned obsolescence and technology addiction that too often have
led to the purchase of more computing power than is really
necessary to solve their particular information technology problem.
Mr. Olsen refers to this phenomenon as forced migration.

It's his opinion that too many of today's technology offerings
serve as examples of vendors that are manufacturing solutions
without bothering to do the front-end work of determining exactly
what the problems are.

His argument is straightforward:

o Most user sites don't need much more speed than they already
have.

o Legacy systems in many cases are working just fine.

o Most desktops that operate in a networked environment where
they are connected to a centralized server don't need to be full-
featured and loaded with copious amounts of disk storage capacity.

o Costs are out of control at many user sites, while management
of computing resources is often so overworked and inefficient that
a state of anarchy exists.

Modular's Two-Pronged Strategy

So much for stating the problem. The solution, at least in the view
of Modular, has a dual nature.

The company's first approach to a user site takes the form of
classic consulting. Modular's systems experts analyze and distill
the user problems and formulate a solution that includes hardware
and software integration.

The second part of Modular's value proposition--especially when
combined with its consulting expertise--is perhaps what gives the
company an element of uniqueness and sets it apart from Coopers &
Lybrand, Andersen Consulting, and other mavens of the pure
consulting business. That half of the equation takes the form of a
product set that plays off Modular's two-pronged credo of
investment protection and bringing computing resources under
control.

When "productizing" its consulting expertise, the company leaned
heavily on the modular concept of building servers. As a result,
its quartet of server offerings--the Application Server Array, the
Consolidated Server Array, the Cross Platform Server Array, and the
M930 Server--stress the concept of centralizing computing resources
and using current computing platform technology from the likes of
Digital and IBM, rather than lusting after leading-edge
technologies that would constitute overkill for dealing with the
user problem at hand. And they are stackable, coming in rack-
mounted configurations that emphasize resource control and
security.

The Application ServerArray 2000 family of Modular servers is aimed
at applications like financial trading, evaluation and test, and
Lotus Notes and is tuned for the kind of businesses that make use
of dedicated asynchronous computing.

The Consolidated ServerArray is targeted at solving the "unintended
consequence" kind of problems that multiple servers dispersed
throughout an organization could cause. Those problems, such as
different software versions of the same application and expensive,
uneven system administration provide the targets for the product.
The array consolidates homogenous clusters of VAX, Alpha, PowerPC,
or Windows NT-based servers into a single, integrated system.

The Cross Platform ServerArray makes it possible to combine
different processing engines, operating systems, and applications
into one hybrid, rack-mounted server. Modular's value-add with this
particular array takes the form of something called the
"Distributed Resource Broker," which integrates the different CPUs
into one server.

All of the arrays support the Pentium, NVAX, Alpha, and PowerPC
processor architectures. Operating systems supported include Novell
NetWare, Windows NT, Windows, DOS, OpenVMS, AIX, and OS/2 LAN
Server. Storage options include RAID and non-RAID storage arrays
and hot-swappable storage devices.

The M930 Server is based on the IBM S/390 microchannel adapter
card. The card makes it possible for PC-based servers to run MVS,
VM, or VSE mainframe applications.

In addition, the company offers console module packages that are
tailored for Intel platforms running in Novell environments. The
console modules can be used for such tasks as running diagnostics
on clients, servers, and the network and for implementing local or
remote-node fixes via swaps, reboots, patches, and reinstallations.

There are basically two packaging approaches for the console
modules. If a user site wants to employ a building block method, a
console module can be placed beside any number of the rack-mounted
arrays, or the modules can be housed in their own rack with a
dedicated power supply and expansion space for additional modules.
When the modules are centralized, they are called a Modular Command
Center. The center can be used to upgrade or modify application and
operating system software and perform archive, backup, and restore
functions. It can also be used to track application traffic and
statistical information, run virus scans and alerts, and send
alerts based on specific configurable events. The information is
sent real time so as to provide an early alert to MIS staff of any
problem areas.

The modularized arrays, command center, and individual modules can
be used to support the gamut of desktops, all the way from dumb
terminals to more full-featured systems.

For the desktop, Modular offers network-ready clients that are the
size of a tissue box (36 square inches). The clients are available
in diskless and disk-equipped versions. The diskless clients are
typically used in environments where security is a prime concern.
The client devices can be rack-mounted, where their small size
permits ultradense packaging for applications that might call for
incremental and/or asynchronous power.

The company sells through both direct and indirect (OEM and
reseller) channels.

Important Relationships

Modular got a boost from two disparate sources in 1995--the federal
government and IBM. In September, the company received a funding
award from the Department of Commerce's National Institute of
Standards and Technology. The company, which will function as part
of a team effort to develop technologies for use in high-definition
televisions, will create the server systems for the project.

In late August, Modular joined forces with IBM to develop the 7596
Cross Platform Server. The server supports VAX/VMS, AIX, NetWare,
Windows, and OS/2. Both companies also committed themselves to
creating a Competency Center in Acton to work with users who want
to streamline their business applications.

Dataquest's View of Modular's Strengths

Given the inescapable reality of limited financial resources at any
given user site, Modular's promise of squeezing the maximum out of
a user site's legacy environment gives the company a compelling
story to tell. It also stands to benefit from the well-documented
trend toward server consolidation, a phenomenon that fits the
company like a kid glove. Another plus comes from having an in-
house product set that can be used to implement its consulting
thrust. But perhaps the real ace card in the company's deck is Mr.
Olsen himself. His industry stature will undoubtedly open doors to
some accounts that might otherwise be closed to a small company
like Modular.

Dataquest's View of Modular's Challenges

Perhaps the biggest hurdle that Modular must clear comes in the
form of inertia built up by years of shortening product life cycles
and rapid technology advancements. Those dynamics have led to
processor, software, and systems design improvements that create
demand as effectively as salty peanuts stimulate one's thirst for a
tall, cool frosty. The company must, in effect, counter-evangelize
and convince user sites that less is more and that they won't be
left behind in the competitive dust just because they didn't buy
into the latest technology. Although there's no denying of the
logic of Olsen's position, the marketing machines of companies like
Intel and Microsoft provide stark evidence of a highly refined
demand creation paradigm: new technology development + hype = mind
share/demand. As a result, Modular is swimming against the tide to
a certain extent. But if the company picks its opportunities
carefully, it can win converts to Mr. Olsen's investment-protection
and resources-under-control credo. Given its limited size, Modular
must also engage in a controlled growth strategy, lest demand
outstrip the company's ability to respond.

By Greg Garry

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
4397.1	hmmmmmmmm....	DECWET::WHITE	Surfin' with the Alien	`Tue Jan 30 1996 16:55`	5
	Buy a big expensive proprietary cross platform server and consulting so you don't have to buy any more open commodity priced systems... It's the anti-computer computer company!!
4397.2	It's the anti-buy-a-neat-box-for-its-own-sake company!	ZPOVC::GEOFFREY		`Tue Jan 30 1996 22:40`	16
	re: .1 > Buy a big expensive proprietary cross platform server and consulting so > you don't have to buy any more open commodity priced systems... I think the major selling point of Advanced is to avoid buying any system that can't or won't be utilized. Do you have any idea how many people have bought "open system" workstations and then used them as hyper-expensive terminals on the corporate mainframe, with substandard results for their time, effort, and money? Proprietary or open, the first thing is to get something that is both usefull and cost-effective. It's a basic formula, and it hasn't changed any since computer were invented. Geoff
4397.3	@	DECCXX::AMARTIN	Alan H. Martin	`Wed Jan 31 1996 13:41`	4
	For more info on the company, see http://www.mod.com/ . K.O.'s mini-bio is at http://www.mod.com/keno.html . /AHM
4397.4	founder cuts ties with Digital	GIDDAY::BACOT		`Thu Jun 20 1996 22:18`	21
	An article in The Australian announced that Ken Olsen has taken his final leave from Digital Equipment Corporation. ... Mr Olsen has moved out of a staffed office at a Digital facility in Stow, Mass. He moved into the new Boxborough, Mass headquarters of Advanced Modular Solutions - a company he helped launch 3 years ago with a group of former Digital employees... The article mentioned that he had announced the move in a letter to Digital employees. Has anyone seen this letter? Regards, Angela Reported in The Australian, 18-Jun-96
4397.5		BIGQ::GARDNER	justme....jacqui	`Fri Jun 21 1996 07:51`	3
	Yes, but only because my husband works at the OGO site where Ken had his office.
4397.6	who really cares ?	MSE1::PCOTE	this novel approach will work again	`Fri Jun 21 1996 11:39`	0
4397.7	Ken Olsen's note to OGO employees	STOWOA::LARSEN	Kathie Larsen	`Fri Jun 21 1996 12:11`	37
	---------- From: Readers Choice[SMTP:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, June 07, 1996 7:04 AM To: (distribution list deleted) Subject: A Message From Ken Olsen to Stow Employees 1 From Ken Olsen June 7, 1996 The last few years I've enjoyed having one of the nicest offices in Digital's Stow facility, and have had the opportunity to meet some of the nicest people as I passed through the lobby. However, as I have developed more interests on the outside, I find I spend less and less time in Stow; therefore, it seems obvious I should turn the office back to Digital so that it can be used more effectively for Digital business. So, with a certain amount of sadness I am leaving the office, and with Ann Jenkins and Loretta Paquet, will spend full-time at Advanced Modular Solutions, Inc. As we leave, we wish you all well and we will always have fond memories of the good times we had in the past. With best wishes. Ken Olsen
4397.8		TENNIS::KAM	Kam WWSE 714/261.4133 DTN/535.4133 IVO	`Fri Jun 21 1996 12:46`	4
	re .6 I totally agree. Here's an individual that spent most of his professional career building Digital into what it use to be and how he's spending his twilight years trying to get Digital user's migrated to IBM systems? This hurts our install base and his stock value.
4397.9		PADC::KOLLING	Karen	`Fri Jun 21 1996 13:12`	5
	Ken built Dec and when the company got into hard times in its early years, he froze salaries and hiring rather than lay people off. When he said something, you could trust that it was true. How many bosses are there out there like that now?
4397.10		ICS::CROUCH	Subterranean Dharma Bum	`Fri Jun 21 1996 13:22`	11
	re: .9 Only one that I'm aware of. The owner of the Malden Mills plant. Long story but if more owners/ceo's were like him, well who knows what could happen. Other that, NONE! Jim C.
4397.11		PATRLR::MCCUSKER	Lets look 4 the purple banana till they load us in the truck	`Fri Jun 21 1996 13:35`	11
	RE .9 Oh, I get it, if Ken was still here, DEC would still have 120,000 people on the payroll. So simple. But what about the millions $ /day that Ken's company was losing? I'm with .6. Ken's time has come and gone. And so hasn't BPs. Now that we've identified what our core is, we need someone who can grow it.
4397.12		JULIET::MORALES_NA	Sweet Spirit's Gentle Breeze	`Fri Jun 21 1996 13:54`	3
	.11 We've identified what our core is????? Please share.
4397.13	The VPs are coming	KELVIN::KOU		`Fri Jun 21 1996 13:56`	3
	So we get VPs instead of Ken...... Mike
4397.14	We haven't??	PATRLR::MCCUSKER	Lets look 4 the purple banana till they load us in the truck	`Fri Jun 21 1996 14:48`	4
	Ya got me... I figured we must have identified it by now. If we haven't, then even more reason to change skippers.
4397.15		JULIET::MORALES_NA	Sweet Spirit's Gentle Breeze	`Fri Jun 21 1996 15:46`	4
	Does anyone know what Digital's Core Competencies are? I could guessticulate based on experience, but... Do we have a Corporate Statement?
4397.16		FUNYET::ANDERSON	Use apostrophe's correctly	`Fri Jun 21 1996 16:11`	7
	� Here's an individual that spent most of his professional career building � Digital into what it use to be and how he's spending his twilight years � trying to get Digital user's migrated to IBM systems? Yes, a system with a Digital VAX inside! Paul
4397.17		STAR::MKIMMEL		`Fri Jun 21 1996 16:23`	1
	At Digital - Process is Core Competency One
4397.18		STOWOA::ogodhcp-124-96-142.ogo.dec.com::wwillis	Rapid Prototyping & Offer Creation	`Fri Jun 21 1996 18:55`	113
	I don't know if these are core competencies, but Palmer has said that these are our growth areas. I assume that our ability to succeed in these areas depends on how closely they map to our core competencies: 1. High-performance enterprise 64-bit UNIX platforms 2. High-performance technical computing 3. Windows NT across the enterprise 4. Connectivity within and between enterprises Digital Services (formerly known as MCS), in a recent Change Forum said their growth areas are: 1. High-performance enterprise 64-bit UNIX platforms 2. Windows NT across the enterprise 3. Internet/Intranet Here is the full "Growth" memo from Palmer ---- Date: 1/23/96 4:28:44 PM From: Robert B Palmer @MSO (PRESIDENT@A1@SALES@AKO) Subject: Digital's strategy for growth 1 To: See Below We presented Digital's strategy for growth to financial and industry analysts last September. In conjunction with that presentation and over the following months, we communicated this important information to you in a variety of ways. Despite numerous efforts to explain Digital's strategy clearly, through a variety of channels, I know that we have not reached everyone. The analysts, who represent a very important and influential audience for us, have praised our progress. They now understand our strategic positioning as a leader in the industry, and they have expressed confidence in Digital's capabilities and direction. However, we will achieve our potential for truly impressive growth and success only through the work and understanding of employees who are aware of and fully engaged in our efforts to successfully execute the strategy. As the implementation of our strategy continues, I expect that your managers will be helping you to make the connection between what you do in your job and our strategy for growth. In the meantime, if you are looking for one brief summary of that strategy that you can clip and save, here is one that I would personally suggest. STRATEGY FOR GROWTH SUMMARY o Digital competes in four cross-industry, "horizontal" businesses: -- Client/Server Services -- Connectivity Software -- System Platforms -- Components o Digital targets four major growth opportunities: -- High-performance enterprise 64-bit UNIX platforms -- High-performance technical computing -- Windows NT across the enterprise -- Connectivity within and between enterprises Connectivity essentially means connecting people to people, people to information and companies to companies. In Q3 and Q4, you will see increased focus on two of the key components of connectivity: enterprise connectivity software and our Internet business. We have superior technology, key strategic partnerships and the determination to be the industry leader in connectivity. The strategy is already having a strong impact in the market, such as: * The VLM 64 campaign (Very Large Memory, 64-bit database platforms for VLM applications). The announcement of FX!32 translation software, which BYTE magazine called "revolutionary" -- to attract more business partners to the Alpha platform; * The announcement of new Internet hardware and software products and services, including the launch of Digital's super spider technology, code-named Alta Vista, which one analyst called, "very impressive, very fast and very comprehensive...a showcase application for Alpha."; * New Windows NT products and services, including the XL personal workstation product lines for Alpha and Intel based systems; * Significant wins, such as the Compaq Computer contract for services valued at several hundred million dollars, and the $12 million contract for multiple AlphaServer 8400 systems, together with thousands of PCs, by Best Western International, the world's largest hotel chain. You are all key to building on our strong momentum. By understanding the basic elements of our strategy for growth, and by supporting them in your own work, you will add energy to that momentum. My thanks for all you have done to make our historic turnaround possible and to position us for industry leadership again. Regards, Bob Distribution: This message was delivered to you utilizing the Readers Choice delivery services. You received this message because you are a Digital Employee.
4397.19		ATLANT::SCHMIDT	See http://atlant2.zko.dec.com/	`Sat Jun 22 1996 19:15`	16
	> I don't know if these are core competencies, but Palmer has said > that these are our growth areas. I assume that our ability to succeed in > these areas depends on how closely they map to our core competencies: > > 1. High-performance enterprise 64-bit UNIX platforms > ----> 2. High-performance technical computing <---- > 3. Windows NT across the enterprise > 4. Connectivity within and between enterprises With regard to item (2), that must be why "Embedded and Realtime Computing" (the old TOEM ["Technical OEM]" group) laid off a significant fraction of its staff this week, with more promised to go in the next month or so. Atlant
4397.20		WLDBIL::KILGORE	Stop Global Whining!	`Mon Jun 24 1996 09:30`	11
	.12> .11 .12> .12> We've identified what our core is????? Please share. Sheesh! I thought this was settled a long time ago... 1) MANAGEMENT 2) Outsourcing
4397.21	A clarification	MSBCS::BROCK	Son of a Beech	`Mon Jun 24 1996 12:31`	8
	To Mr. Schmidt in .19 'High Performance Technical Computing' does not refer to E&RT, nor to 'Technical' as in TOEM. Rather the reference is to compute-intensive computing - technical as differentiated from 'Commercial Computing'. the kinds of applications that real fast Alpha chips and multiprocessor clustered alpha systems can do. Hope this helps.
4397.22	Maybe we need more precise names? :-) :-)	ATLANT::SCHMIDT	See http://atlant2.zko.dec.com/	`Mon Jun 24 1996 12:46`	11
	Gee, and here I thought flight simulators and CAT and MRI scanners and electronic warfare and all that stuff were both: o Technical, and o Demanding of High Performance Guess I was wrong -- I'd better go tell my customers. Atlant
4397.23		REGENT::POWERS		`Tue Jun 25 1996 08:19`	25
	><<< Note 4397.18 by STOWOA::ogodhcp-124-96-142.ogo.dec.com::wwillis "Rapid Prototyping & Offer Creation" >>> > > I don't know if these are core competencies, but Palmer has said >that these are our growth areas. I assume that our ability to succeed in >these areas depends on how closely they map to our core competencies: > > 1. High-performance enterprise 64-bit UNIX platforms > 2. High-performance technical computing > 3. Windows NT across the enterprise > 4. Connectivity within and between enterprises This categorization was published in a memo from Palmer on 23 January 1996. It was (presumably) superseded by the following categorization published in a memo on 1 February: o Digital targets three major growth opportunities: -- High-performance enterprise 64-bit UNIX platforms (commercial and technical computing) -- Windows NT across the enterprise -- Connectivity within and between enterprises I think the rest of the two versions of the memo were identical. - tom]
4397.24	Ken's new MAXserver is announced (VMS lives...)	DECWET::APPELLOF	Kathy Appellof - dtn 548-8773	`Mon Jul 01 1996 19:37`	64
	Taken off of Compuserve business wire... Company News ($) CONEWS OTC 07/01 1111 Olsen's Advanced Modular Solutions "MAX" Server ... BOXBOROUGH, MASS. (July 1) BUSINESS WIRE -July 1, 1996--An enhanced VAX server that increases CPU power by up to 100 percent, doubles I/O speeds and expands memory of the standard VAX processor was unveiled today by Advanced Modular Solutions, Inc. The company, commonly known as "Modular," is dedicated to providing high-performance client-server solutions, including enhanced versions of the VAX architecture. Modular is an authorized Digital Equipment Corporation business partner and has as its board chairman Ken Olsen, DEC's founder and president for 35 years. Designated the Modular "MAX" ServerArray system because of its performance improvement to the popular Digital VAX workhorse CPU, the server is aimed at the estimated 250,000 OpenVMS sites around the world. For many of these sites enhancement to the proven VAX platform is preferred over migration to a new one. Modular's president, Lyn Benton, emphasized the company's appeal to the VAX user market space. "Modular offers realistic and cost-efficient alternatives to migration for VAX sites, and for other proven computing platforms as well," she said. "Our building-block approach provides 'best of breed' solutions that are flexible and easy-to-grow. Modular's enhanced VAX product is clearly a natural choice for thousands of VAX sites, and choice is what Modular is all about," said Benton. Modular's "MAX" high-performance VAX server, which lets OpenVMS applications run unchanged, combines a wide range of storage, networking and power options in a scaleable rack-mount solution suitable for clustering or cross-platform applications. Key to the boost in VAX performance is a plug-in module consisting of a performance-oriented mother board and additional memory. The custom-integrated module can double VAX system performance. When coupled with Modular's advanced RAID storage technology, the system provides greater throughput, continuous availability and increased data security. The Modular "MAX" ServerArray system has begun to catch the eye of industry gurus. "Modular is offering the quarter million VAX installations a new lease on life," commented Terry Shannon, industry analyst and publisher of Shannon Knows DEC. "With Modular's "MAX" implementation of Digital's VAX, users get a native VAX system that advances the state of the art with new levels of performance without having the expense and risk of changing their mission-critical applications to a new architecture." Modular's "MAX" server offers savings in several different ways. In addition to getting more VUPS and more storage at less cost, software upgrade fees are usually less, and hardware maintenance is greatly reduced. Investments in VMS applications are protected, obviating the need for application porting, new licensing and user training. Headquartered in Boxborough, MA, Advanced Modular Solutions, Inc. is a computer systems and consulting company that offers platform-independent solutions which combine the best attributes of mainframe, client-server, and open-environment technologies. -0- Note to Editors: The Modular logo and ServerArray are trademarks of The Modular Group, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. --30--eh/sf jf CONTACT: Advanced Modular Solutions Inc. Jeanne Marquis, 508/266-9700 ext. 178 jmarquismod.com KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS COMED PRODUCT URL: http://www.mod.com REPEATS: New York 212-752-9600 or 800-221-2462; Boston 617-236-4266 or 800-225-2030; SF 415-986-4422 or 800-227-0845; LA
4397.25	So what is KO feeding to our cash cow?	KAOM25::WALL	DEC Is Digital	`Mon Jul 15 1996 10:30`	4
	So does anyone know (or care) what kind of VUPS or IO we are talking about here? Just curious.
4397.26	Ken in the news	TROOA::EPIERCE		`Wed Sep 04 1996 11:55`	24
	IBM UG604-14 OLSEN CONTINUES TO HELP IBM WOO AWAY DIGITAL'S USERS C/S News, August 19, 1996 * IBM is moving ahead on its 7596 Cross-Platform Server, a multiprocessor machine designed to lure VAX users who are unwilling to move to Alpha. * The irony is that Ken Olsen, Digital founder is actually helping IBM to steal Digital's customer base. * Olsen is the driving force behind Advanced Modular Solutions Inc. of Acton, the company that is delivering the 7596 to IBM. * The 7596 is comprised of prebuilt linkages between VAX-, RS/6000-, and Pentium boards in a single chassis, enabling data to be maintained at a single source. * By utilizing a Distributed Resource Broker, the 7596 enables older VAX/VMS-, AIX, and Windows-based client/server applications to coexist in a preconfigured, preintegrated environment. * The cost is $39,150.
4397.27	Why the whining?	HERON::KAISER		`Thu Sep 05 1996 04:49`	15
	While appreciating the hurt feelings about how Ken abandoned Digital (to Bob), let's remember that AMS sells Digital gear into multivendor environments at prices and in configurations that Digital itself doesn't. And the Digital components aren't clones, like PC clones, but genuine Digital products bought from Digital. So AMS looks to me like a partner. Isn't this supposed to be business? If we want to compete with AMS -- including doing for customers what IBM is trying to do in reselling VAXes and Alphas -- let's do it fair and square. Are we prepared to sell packages like this, including the IBM and Intel components and the "preconfigured, preintegrated environment"? No. So we have nothing to complain about. ___Pete
4397.28		ATLANT::SCHMIDT	See http://atlant2.zko.dec.com/	`Thu Sep 05 1996 08:36`	20
	> While appreciating the hurt feelings about how Ken abandoned > Digital (to Bob), ... Pete, you may not have meant it that way, but I don't think Ken exactly "abandoned" us to Bob, certainly not of his own volition. Some would even argue that the manner of Ken's departure may have a lot to do with the feelings he's now seeming to exhibit towards us. I wasn't there so I can't say, but I know I've heard that it wasn't pretty. I'll admit that I'm one of the people who thought Ken should have given up the reins of power (having bobbled the PC thing three times, more or less), but we owe a lot more respect to the founder than he got as he departed/than he now gets. And compared to the current administration, well... Atlant
4397.29		HERON::KAISER		`Thu Sep 05 1996 09:13`	8
	>> While appreciating the hurt feelings about how Ken abandoned >> Digital (to Bob), ... > Pete, you may not have meant it that way, ... I don't feel that way at all, but some people apparently do. That's what I meant, though it wasn't expressed clearly. ___Pete
4397.30		STAR::KLEINSORGE	Fred Kleinsorge	`Fri Sep 06 1996 11:03`	18
	My wife works for Modular, and talks to Ken pretty much every day. Suffice it to say that while Ken felt (and still feels) hurt by being fired (his word), he is still sympathetic to DEC, and to most of it's current and former employees - especially the grunts on the front line. Nothing that Ken says or does would lead someone to believe that he is acting against DEC out of any "hurt feelings". My wife and my discussions regarding Modular's business and DEC's business are mutually limited, but my understanding is that Modular and DEC are very much involved with each other - and Modular views themselves as a partner with DEC, not as a competetor to us. The fact that they are also very much involved with IBM is immaterial. DEC has never figured out how to _not_ walk all over it's resellers. And so of course, rather than using Modular as another outlet for our products, and a way to do things that we can't, won't, or aren't interested in -- we somehow rationalize that they are a competetor.
4397.31	Wasn't this one of Digital's many spin offs?	DECWIN::HUFF		`Fri Sep 06 1996 11:45`	7
	Just before Ken left I went to a demo of the modular concept hosted by Ken. I believe that this was Ken's parting gift to DEC. I believe that this went out the door in one of the many down sizings.
4397.32	Dead Before Ken Walked The Plank	ESB02::TATOSIAN	The Compleat Tangler	`Fri Sep 06 1996 18:05`	4
	re: .31 Actually I believe it was pronounced D.O.A. by "the powers that were" at the time...
4397.33		40513::SMITH		`Tue Apr 29 1997 12:57`	5
	Boston's TV Channel 5 "Chronicle" show featured an interview with KO and a walkthru tour of his AMS company. When? Monday, April 28 at 7:30PM. note: Entrepreneurship was the show's theme, and KO was depicted as the "Ultimate Entrepreneur".