Top Stories of 2006, Part 4
December 29, 2006
The year 2006 once represented a finish line for many HP 3000 customers. If you relied on the HP 3000 to handle your company business, well, by the end of this year you needed a new business server tested and ready, or a support extension from HP, or a new support provider.
HP's action of December 20, 2005 changed the distance to the finish line for many customers on the Transition trail. Sparked in part by HP's decision, users proposed a 3000 conference, warned the community about a flawed database feature, and reinvigorated user and advocacy groups which will deal with HP's endgame for its 3000 operations. Here's the wrap up on our dozen Top Stories of 2006.
10. Customers reported that HP's divisions didn't know the 3000's support got a two-year minimum extension. The 3000 group inside HP knew better, but couldn't get the word out as fast as customers were asking, especially during support contract renewals. Those contracts came to a head as HP looked for beta testers to get the latest 3000 enhancements into a PowerPatch for MPE/iX 7.5.
11. Third parties warned the community about data-corrupting Large File Datasets in IMAGE. A troika of some of the best 3000 vendors in the world — Adager, Robelle and Allegro — issued details to keep 3000 sites from creating or using any more of these "LFDS." HP responded with a report that it continued to work on a repair for the datasets, which were the IMAGE default for bigger-than-4GB datasets at the time of the warning.
12. An advocacy and user group effort continued to serve the 3000 customer during 2006. From the announcement in mid-January of the 2006 Greater Houston RUG's 3000 Conference, to the continued efforts from OpenMPE to clarify and document HP's policy on MPE/iX licensing and other endgame issues, the users didn't act like their future was irrelevant.
That kind of reaction during 2006 reflected the history and legacy of the 3000 community: resourceful in the face of problems, sharing and inventive when the need arose for combined efforts, and most of all, willing to work with whatever their vendor could do to smooth the ownership path during Transition. Whether you spent your 2006 leaving the 3000 for another platform, or dedicated the year to a sound homesteading effort, we salute your spirit.
We've been honored to chronicle your year on these blog pages and in our printed issue. Have a prosperous and productive 2007 — a year that's certain to generate another great dozen stories of your pluck and faith in one another.