[Tig] color

[Michael Bittle]

On May 1, 2007, at 10:26 PM, Bob Friesenhahn wrote:

> When evaluating eroding value of big iron systems you need to evaluate
> it based on how much paying work you will be able to run through them.
> If the profit margins are there for a long enough time, there is no
> need to worry about such erosion.  Your expensive SAN will be eroding
> at the same time as those big iron systems so by the time the big iron
> system has run out of steam the SAN will need to be replaced as well.
> Meanwhile, the big iron system will be providing assured performance
> with excellent support.
>
> The treadmill for "PC" type systems runs a lot faster than big iron
> systems.  These cheaper systems need to be replaced every three years
> or they are already defunct

Unfortunately the business model for more than a few boutique shops  
is not ROI driven but cash flow driven. eg" if I can buy the tool to  
get the job that pays for the tool...."  This of course lends itself  
to the lower cost end of the spectrum.  ("who cares if it takes 3  
times as long, that's what nights and interns are for"). Of course,  
to Bob's other excellent point, the treadmill does run a lot faster.   
That said, there aren't many (any?) industries left where workers  
don't feel like Lucille Ball in The Chocolate Factory.

...now where did I put my IBM 360 Programmer's Reference Card???

My curmudgeonly 2 cents....

Mike