Conference 7.286::digital

Article 168035 of comp.os.vms:
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From: [email protected] (Jonathan Ridler)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms,comp.sys.dec
Subject: OpenVMS's future?  Digital's Ron Bunker presents.
Date: 5 Mar 97 14:20:56 +1100
Organization: The University of Melbourne
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Message-ID: <[email protected]>
NNTP-Posting-Host: rubens.its.unimelb.edu.au
Xref: pa.dec.com comp.os.vms:168035 comp.sys.dec:49883

I recently attended a "Vision Your Future Symposium" organised by one of
Digital's business partners in Australia, Integrand Solutions.  In reality
it was a morning gathering to hear Terry Shannon speak for about an hour,
and to hear from Ron Bunker, Managing Director of Digital, South Pacific
Territory.

As might be expected, Terry spoke entertainingly and informatively, pointing
the way forward (in his opinion) as Windows NT and Alpha.

The most interesting and disturbing presentation (for me, at least) was Ron
Bunker's ten minute "Digital Overview".  His 18 slide presentation made two
mentions of OpenVMS: fourth in a list of four (64-bit Unix, WNT, Internet,
OpenVMS) in the "Agenda" slide (#2), and a slide all to itself at #14.  This
latter OpenVMS slide was introduced with the words: "Of course, no slide
presentation would be complete without one on OpenVMS".  Ron also made
statements which either directly or indirectly state Digital's perspective
on OpenVMS and its future (at this stage anyway).  As I heard them:

 - The R&D dollars are going into Digital's "strategic growth platforms":
   64-bit Unix, Windows NT and the Internet.

 - As Ron put it, "quite candidly, OpenVMS is not a strategic growth
   platform for us".

The OpenVMS slide had the following information on it:

  OpenVMS
  =======

  Central to the core business computing of 10,000's of companies

  Still the best 7x24 Continuous Computing Environment in the market today

  Digital Value
  -------------

  . Ongoing Investment / Development
  . Broad Support / Infrastructure
  . Migration path to WNT

I also spoke with Terry Shannon after the presentations and to a few Digital
employees both before and after.

My opinion based on what was (and was not) said:

Digital has decided that OpenVMS has little future in the computing world
as they see it in the near future.  Digital will produce a few more
OpenVMS "cutting edge" products and will then proclaim OpenVMS to be
"mature".  Digital will then not invest in any further OpenVMS
development.  Soon after, OpenVMS will be made a "maintenance only"
product.  Existing customers will be looked after for a reasonable period
(some years?), but new customers (if any) will be pure bonus.  Within a
few years of the product "maturing", Digital will encourage OpenVMS sites
to migrate to Windows NT.  Within 5 to 8 years from now, Digital will be
actively promoting and assisting sites to migrate from OpenVMS to Windows
NT.  Digital, meanwhile, will pour vast amounts into trying to make 64-bit
Unix and Windows NT robust enterprise computing environments.

I can only say that I am stunned and amazed (but, sadly, not surpised)!

Is this the future of OpenVMS?  It seems entirely likely to me, even
though I dearly wish it were otherwise.  One small chance exists to avert
this future: as Terry Shannon rightly put it to me, if people vote with
their feet and abandon OpenVMS, the future makes itself, but if people
stand firm and shout long and loud to Digital and its business partners,
to applications developers, on the Internet, and in the press, there may
be a chance to reverse matters somewhat.  It's really up to us, the
OpenVMS community, to shake Digital by the shoulders until it wakes up. 
As one ex-Digital employee put it to me, "the lunatics have taken over the
asylum".  If my sentiments smack too much of idealism, I make no apology. 
If my future professional direction lies other than in OpenVMS, so be it;
but I will let Digital know what I think in the meantime.

Jonathan.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jonathan Ridler (VMS Systems Manager)    Information Technology Services,
Telephone:  +61 3 9344 7994              The University of Melbourne,
Fax:        +61 3 9347 4803              Thomas Cherry Building,
Email: [email protected]           Parkville, Victoria, AUSTRALIA, 3052.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>OpenVMS will be made a "maintenance only" product.

At which point, maintenance will be outsourced to EDS.

re Note 4994.44 by quoting [email protected] (Jonathan
Ridler):

> Digital, meanwhile, will pour vast amounts into trying to make 64-bit
> Unix and Windows NT robust enterprise computing environments.
  
        I suspect that Digital UNIX will follow the path being blazed
        by VMS in a relatively few years.

        Bob

    Well, it is 1-3-9, after all, it is not 1-4-9.

    Tom

    Yup.  VMS is the bleeding edge, with Digital UNIX in our wake.
    
    As I've said before, the 3 in 1-3-9 should be removed, or severely
    demoted.  What *is* a "strategic growth platform"?  What the 3 seems to
    describe is 3.5 areas of technology which the 9 are based on, which
    deliver the 1.  "It's the 9 stupid" should be our mantra.  By making
    the 3 a highlevel part of the "strategy", we've essentially said that
    our tools will drive the solutions, not that our solutions will dictate
    the tools and technologies used to deliver the solution.  And locked us
    into this debate over operating system investment strategies, because
    *we* highlighted it.
    
    It just contributes to the ongoing problem where we appear not to be
    listening to our customers, and helping to solve their problems with
    the appropriate solution, from a selection of options.  We are telling
    our customers that we have the answer, just pick one of these tools,
    now what was your problem?
    

    Isn't it ironic that DIGITAL, the hardware company, would seem to be
    relying on software solutions to target the market segments?
    
    And - oh - your problem was that your machines arrived dead or 
    misconfigured?  How come we don't see any statement addressing that
    problem?

    One of our customers has a document management problem. A couple of
    hired consultants (why not our own NSIS people? I don't know) are
    working on a solution. They see it as an Internet problem (because
    that's one of the places that data will be collected from) and a
    datamart problem (because the data has to be stored somewhere). When I
    suggested that a bigger problem is the fact that lots of people are
    creating and editing lots of documents and passing them around, and
    that something like LinkWorks might come in handy for workflow and
    document management, I was politely rebuffed.
    
    "Where is LinkWorks in the 1-3-9?" they ask.
    
    "Just because something isn't in 1-3-9 doesn't mean we ignore it," says
    I, "what about OpenVMS?"
    
    "Ah," says they, "OpenVMS is one of the 3."
    
    "Actually, it isn't," says I.
    
    "Yes, it is, it's in a little paragraph after the other 3. So where is
    LinkWorks in 1-3-9?" they respond.
    
    "It isn't."
    
    "Well, there's your answer then."
    
    As .48 says, we're no longer solving customer problems, we're imposing
    a pre-defined set of tools on them from a high level. If the problem
    doesn't fit the tool, it must be the customer's fault.
    
    PJDM

> "Where is LinkWorks in the 1-3-9?" they ask.

Someone who is asking that question missed the point. 1/3/9 is about a 
mission, a platform strategy and focus markets. It has nothing to do with 
individual products. The 1/3/9 strategy helps in identifying in what products 
and skills need to be invested (more), and in what products and skills
not (or less).

The right question is: How does LinkWorks fit in the 1/3/9 strategy?
 
The answer is: very well

LinkWorks helps partners in developing (networked) solutions for mission
critical, document based business processes.  
   
LinkWorks fully supports all 3 strategic platforms, and offers specific added
value in the field of:
* Windows NT integration
* Mail & Messaging
* Internet/Intranet

Dick van Gaalen
LinkWorks Marketing

    Come on now am I not the only one who has felt since Bob
    took over that eventually we will be 0-0-0?
    
    0 workers
    
    0 income
    
    0 company
    
    Just a matter of time and I haven't been convinced otherwise.
    
    Jim C.
    

    
    It's simple.....you believe that the high level people are the ones
    that drive this strategy. If so, they must be talking with other high
    level people in other companies about the problems that our high
    level strategy will attempt to fix. Hense, ala, presto! the 1-3-9
    strategy!!!!!
    
    WHAT, for one minute, makes anyone believe that the high level people
    in THIS company, are talking to people in the other companies, that are
    any better suited to know what their 'real' problems are!!!????? 
    Ever heard of the blind leading the blind........
    
    
    I got the glossy the other day, made me wanna puke.  Nice words,
    probably had to go to college to learn how to say em without the smirk!
    
    If you think customer's really believe it, come work in support for 
    a while!  Words, just words, with NO SUBSTANCE of makeing it all play
    together!
    
    chet

Well,

The first of the 3, "64-bit unix", has recently been replaced by
"64-bit servers" and in some cases by "64-bit computing". Guess that's
where VMS comes in; nice for the july timeframe for 64-bit NT too.

Unfortunately not all people in the corporation have been told this, I
spotted this on a couple of the newest corporate presentations.

Cheers,
Henny

    re .last
    Makes sense.  According to IDC, DIGITAL sold fewer Unix workstations
    in 1996 that it did in 1995.
    K

    re: .52 
    > 0
    > 0
    > 0
    
    finally & happily the cost will also be 0 

    re: .55
    
    This is known as "self-fulfilling prophecy."  The focus has been UNIX
    servers for a while, they're just now getting around to admitting it at
    large.
    
    	Steve

    re: -.1+.1
    
    Well OpenVMS VAX grew 20% last quarter.. but it's not a strategic
    platform for growth... 
    
    I guess I'll have to tell my customers to stop ordering OpenVMS
    and switch to Digital Unix or WNT...
    
    That way we can all come in for the the big win when we start to 
    sell only strategic, commodity platforms that we can make grandious
    plans for...
    
    Why don't we give OpenVMS to a small startup company.. I'm sure the
    4 billion dollar a year business would be appriciated and expected
    to be more than a strategic platform aimed at only an installed
    base...
    
    Anyone who believes that OpenVMS is dead isn't looking at the
    numbers, but even the best prouducts will stop selling if the 
    company behind them stops pushing and believing in them.  Well
    folks.. tinkerbell is beginning to fade out...
    
    Sales people are still afraid to even mention OpenVMS in a sales
    pitch unless customers ask for it first...  Why?  Is it wrong
    to tout the best clustering in the world might be a fit for 
    some new customers?  
    
    Hell, the only strategic advantage we have left anymore after raw 
    performance is OpenVMS and we never talk about it anymore.  All those
    other "Advantages come from our "Partners" who's loyalty is to the
    hottest box of the hour most of the time.. Partner's Advantages follow
    the box and build no longterm loyalty for Digital...
    
    The customers don't care about our 1-3-9 plans.. they want solutions
    that add value to their bottom line... OpenVMS does that when employed
    correctly, so does Unix and NT.. Only by selling all of our strenghths 
    will Digital really win and so will our customers.  By entering the 
    marketplace with one hand tied back we begin our task at a
    disadvantage....
    
    JMHO
    
    John W.
    
    

 no no it's 1 customer, 3 salesmen, and 9 VPs

(I "learnt" this at a recent training session ;) ;)

Greg.

re.54:

Is it really a good idea to make up corporate strategy as we go along?
I don't think so but some individuals obviously do. They should be fired
because if the strategy had changed, Bob would have told us.

Dave.

|Is it really a good idea to make up corporate strategy as we go along?
|I don't think so but some individuals obviously do. They should be fired
|because if the strategy had changed, Bob would have told us.

One of the hallmarks of Digital culture is: Anarchy rules. We have never
been very centrally managed, even though alot of managers work in close
proximity around GMA. This is hurting us bad these days. Perhaps one of the
biggest failures of the current senior management, including Bob, is its
inability to suspend some of the anarchy and build a more united organism.

Instead of unification, wich requires a more hands on approach to management,
we've continually restructured (which fosters more anarchy) and maintained
the steep reporting herarchy despite having shed near 50% of the workforce.

This anarchy also manifests itself, these days, in different blobs in the
company interpreting mixed signals from BP's staff into siding with their
group or their business. As a result, each group puts its slant on the
strategy. So, in my oppinion, you are not really seeing the strategy changing
that much, but different groups or individuals taking a different spin.

And, BTW, this is not much different from the good old days. The only big
difference is that we are no longer the king of the hill. We have lost
momentum and others have their act much better together.

IMO, the only way this company will fly again is if Bob climbs down from
his tower and start to pull people back together again. Not until we have
some sense of unity and control over our own common destiny will credible
and sustainably strategies emerge. We have to stop attempting to elliminate
problems, by selling or cutting groups, and start solving them instead. We
must stop to walk away from our problems.

>Per

Per:

> One of the hallmarks of Digital culture is: Anarchy rules. We have never
> been very centrally managed, even though alot of managers work in close
> proximity around GMA. This is hurting us bad these days. Perhaps one of the
> biggest failures of the current senior management, including Bob, is its
> inability to suspend some of the anarchy and build a more united organism.

  Your use of the word "management" rather than "leadership" is,
  to me, very insightful. If we had LEADERSHIP, then I believe
  it would be relatively easy to rally a big portion of the troops
  behind the vision held by the leaders. (And those that didn't
  like the vision would, of course, be free to jump ship and
  follow the leader of their choice in another company.)

  But we have MANAGEMENT. And as far as I can tell, they have
  absolutely no consistent vision of what they want us to be
  in five years, or even next year. And in response to this
  lack of a global vision, we each invent our own, thus leading
  to the current chaos and "strategies du jour".

                                   Atlant

Re .51: that someone can miss the point is the whole point.

The 1-3-9 arithmetic homework has been communicated extremely badly. (What's 
new?) The people in .50 read everything that Digital has put out about this new 
strategy, and came to what they perceived as appropriate conclusions.

We can't explain 1-3-9 to them, we don't understand it either, but as .61 says, 
anarchy rules. Any strategy that someone comes up with these days is 
definitely confusing and possibly irrelevant, so we either ignore it or take 
some words from it and attach it to what we do to make ourselves politically 
correct. The catch is, anyone else who is not used to the anarchy takes the 
strategy as gospel, and as soon as you do that, you're ruined before you start.

As for LinkWorks, apparently 1-3-9 doesn't mention it once. If you were a 
customer, salesperson, consultant, IT manager, whatever who was new to Digital 
and trying to figure out what we do, what conclusions would you draw?

PJDM

>     <<< Note 4994.62 by 2970::SCHMIDT "See http://atlant2.zko.dec.com/" >>>
>                     -< This week's plan is "1-3.14159-9" >-
    
    Are you suggesting that the plan is irrational?

    
    	No, it means that all of the VP's are trying to get a piece of
    	the pi.
    

Since so many of us think parts of it are imaginary, i thinks it must be 
complex.

PJDM

    Closed book POP QUIZ!
    
    Name the "3"!
    
    Name 3 out of the "9"!
    
    What is the "1"?!
    
    FJP

    One version:
    
    1 Consultant
    
    3 Managers
    
    9 Vice Presidents
    

    See?
    
    We really do need these quick reference cards after all.
    
    Either that - or we need a simpler statement.
    But simple statements and complex management structures don't mix.

    1	customer 
    3	sales rep's
    9 	strategic directions

        The big 1
        
        	OpenVMS Pays the Bill's