Folks,

just discovered a new website that demonstrates how serious IBM is
about Informix:

http://smarterquestions.org

In fact almost all questions are asked and answered by IBM itself and
there isn't a single one that is covering Informix - just DB2. Well
done, IBM (:-

I just started to ask a few questions about Informix and I encourage
you to the same here:

http://smarterquestions.org/ask-a-smarter-question/

Let's give IBM the opportunity to provide some smart answers for
Informix customers !

Hi Eric,

I'm not so sure about your assessment for this site ...

Here's what I found:

It was a new information for me, that such a thing exists.
If I was informed about this before ... it completly escaped
my attention.

But looking at it today, I saw that at least someone has
already asked a question about Informix compression
"1 week ago" ... Though admittedly I do not see an answer.

I also have to admit, that the whole concept of the site
doesn't seem too intuitive to me (though that can easily be
my personal problem of not swimming on the tide of facebook,
twitter and similar "things" ...). I've not yet understood how
answers are connected to questions, i.e. how I can find an
answer given to a particular question. Maybe this is because
simply there are no answers to the questions I looked at ...
Searching for "Informix" also didn't find any hits, i.e. didn't
even show the questions. Maybe this is because searching
is done only on given answers ...?

The question on Informix compression was posted by someone
of the name "Martin Hubel", who doesn't seem to be an IBMer,
at least not by this name ...

So I entered an answer to his question, via the small "Reply" button.
I was then informed that my apply needs to be approved (as
the qhole site is moderated). Let's see, what happens next ...

Cheers, Martin
--
Martin Fuerderer
IBM Informix Development Munich, Germany
Information Management

Read about the Informix Warehouse Accelerator:
http://tinyurl.com/the-iwa-blog

IBM Deutschland Research & Development GmbH
Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Martin Jetter
Board of Management: Dirk Wittkopp
Corporate Seat: Boeblingen, Germany
Reg.-Gericht: Amtsgericht Stuttgart, HRB 243294


informix-list-bounces (AT) iiug (DOT) org wrote on 05/30/2011 07:56:33 AM:

Eric,

I think you are forgetting this is IBM that we are talking about.
Forget about the other divisions and even other pillars within SWG, just concentrate on IM.

There are enough overlapping and different products that even IBM couldn't create a comprehensive product outline and strategy.

But you have to look at this from a different perspective. This isn't aboutDB2 vs IFMX but RDBMS vs Big Data.

IBM stuck their big toe in the water 2 years ago and got it bit off. (yeah they totally fscked that one up, that even I was surprised at how fscking incompetent they were. and I know how screwed up IBM is... ;-P
)

So now they are tossing in 100 Mil. at the space. Hint... Money and Mongolian hoards won't work.
(but what do I know...)

So IBM is fighting to keep their products relevant. Speaking of which, why is Lester pimping Penta-ho when IBM has a couple of bi tool companies in the fold?

But I digress. The point is that all of IBM customers have now heard of thisthing called Hadoop and the client teams haven't a clue. Just to give you an example, earlier this year I spoke to an IBM client who is starting their first Hadoop project. He said he asked IBM about their efforts in this space.later he gets someone on the phone asking about his interest in "ha dooop?"..
My guess it was an IBM IT specialist asked to field the question....

So this website was created as a way to start making IBM relevant in this space.

But hey, what do I know? It's not like I've been playing in the big data space for a while, or started a local Hadoop user group... Oh wait I did.
;-P


On May 30, 2011, at 12:56 AM, Eric Herber <eherber1967 (AT) googlemail (DOT) com> wrote:

After some people asked some real smart questions, IBM installed a new
slogan now in
the area where you could provide questions:

http://smarterquestions.org/ask-a-smarter-question/

"And while we would love to answer all of your IBM-related questions,
Smarter Questions
only considers the competitive aspects of IBM technology versus
Oracle. "

Good to know that Informix doesn't compete with Oracle from IBM's
point of view.

That clarifies some misunderstandings we had regarding IBM's marketing
strategy for Informix :-)



On 30 Mai, 07:56, Eric Herber <eherber1... (AT) googlemail (DOT) com> wrote:

"Eric Herber" <eherber1967 (AT) googlemail (DOT) com> wrote

Are you sure that the appearance of this extra paragraph is related to a
determination not to answer questions about Informix? Have any Informix
answers appeared yet?

On 6/2/2011 6:57 PM, Martin Fuerderer wrote:
Must have been a glitch, then, as I asked a question and haven't seen it
posted yet . . .

JWC

Ok...

I just left a handful of comments.
First, I wonder how long they will stay because they are a bit acidic. ;-)
(But they are honest and truthful. Unfortunately the truth can be a bitter pill)

IMHO the site is a bit of a failure. Its purpose is to help generate buzz and the only buzz is a bunch of angry Informixers who want to know why they were left out of the party.
Sorry, guys, but its true. I went over and looked at the article
How Netezza fits in with IBM Smart Analytics Systemand in 7 days it generated 347 hits with 5 comment that say nothing but reiterate a twitter plug tothe video segment.

Considering that 'Big Data' analytics is a very hot topic...
When you try to make a marketing position statement about how your productsfit together and no one really pays much attention, what does that really tell you?

But hey! What do I know? I realize I leave some cryptic hints to IBMers about this issue and it just goes over their heads.
Here's another one for IBMers. Can you say White out?

-G