3000 Newswire News Headlines

Development vendors straddle migration issues — HP’s Transition proposal for e3000 customers has different impacts for sites using home-grown applications versus those using packaged software. But the plans of two 3000 vendors will impact both groups, as 4GL providers move toward a future that includes Homesteading as well as Migration.

Homesteaders break ground with talk of OpenMPE — After a few moments of reading the new 3000 writing on HP’s wall, a group of customers and partners want to alter it, talking with the HP 3000 division (CSY) about a future for the computer’s operating system outside HP.

Amisys execs reach for Transition plans — The healthcare app provider says customers can stay on the 3000 through HP’s support schedule, but it will migrate

HP advises transition plan from 3000 — Hewlett-Packard proposed a new chapter for its oldest business computer on November 14, one that advises customers to transition away from the HP e3000 over the next five years. The announcement from 3000 division general manager Winston Prather and marketing director Christine Martino included news of a confirmed date for end of HP support and a halt of new sales in a little less than two years' time.

Virtual array intro heralds 3000 SAN era — HP-brand Storage Area Networking (SAN) will become more than a buzzword for HP e3000 customers this month, as the e3000 division rolls out support for HP’s new VA7100 virtual disk arrays

Enhydra moves out into open seas of Open Source — The Open Source movement in software development will be taking another step toward helping the HP e3000 thrive, because Lutris Corp. is floating its resources away from Enhydra software, giving it away to independent development.

Internal memo shows new leaders in merged HP — Hewlett-Packard sent details to its employees of its new management assignments in the merged company, postings that show Compaq officers getting the plum jobs in technology.

WRQ introduces XML, XP to its emulation — Reflection 9.0 debuts with support for XML in settings files, and ready for the operating system Microsoft just shipped

3000 terminals to slip into Windows pocket PCs — Minisoft plans to move the 3000 terminal into the wireless realm with a full-function PDA version

Webcast touts Express 1, responds on merger — After problems with the audio of its latest Web broadcast cut short its scripted presentations, HP’s e3000 division (CSY) sounded off on worries about the platform’s survival through HP’s proposed acquisition of Compaq. But like the pre-recorded sounds of customers trying to testify about the speed of the new systems, CSY’s message about the merger’s 3000 impact was unclear.

COBOL readies for a leap forward — Acucorp is ready to release software for the HP 3000 which can deliver graphical interfaces and Web connectivity without relying on outside languages — giving the community’s developers fresh options while staying with a familiar language.

MatchPoint streamlines e3000 replication gateway — Packaged applications for HP 3000 sites try to deliver reports for most needs, but business analysis requirements often surpass such fixed reporting. A new solution from a report tool maker hopes to fill the gap through replication, putting incremental IMAGE data onto servers that supplement the HP e3000.

3000 keynote stresses projects in play — e3000 division chief Winston Prather uses his HP World address to show what HP and partners delivered for the platform.

NewsWire Logo

September 2001

HP to acquire Compaq in stock swap — HP took the biggest bite of another firm in the company’s history this month, announcing it will take over PC and server maker Compaq computer in a deal valued at $25 billion when it was announced.

Express 1 gives N-Class full power — HP will be pushing out its Express 1 release of MPE/iX 7.0 to most of the HP customer base this month. The software delivers an extended range of power for the N-Class systems first introduced this spring through its multi-processor support, as well as adding a twin-processor option for the entry-level A-Class line.

HP unveils free secure server at SIGWeb, by Steve Hammond — HP’s Mark Bixby updated the gathered members on the Internet and interoperability developments made by HP’s CSY R&D lab in the past year, and waited until his next-to-last slide to announce that WebWise Secure Web server is becoming a free product within the next year

New systems satisfy, and disappoint — Summer baked early returns to a trickle, but our survey of new A- and N-Class buyers and triers showed a wide range of acceptance

HP delivers new 3000 performance advice, by Craig Solomon — At HP World, CSY details how the latest systems and MPE releases boost speed, and how patches help

SIGMPE: Clouds lift for MPE, by John Burke — HP World meeting shows HP’s progress in delivering SIB enhancements, and focuses on the list of next year’s improvements

HP World 2001: Homers, cash and songs of praise — Even in a down economy with less news, Chicago show delivers confidence for HP’s No. 1 rated platform

Cognos cuts upgrade fees — 4GL maker vows to not block new sales of e3000s

NewsWire Briefs — Livermore plugs MPE in keynote; ROC announces new CEO, product versions; financial app gets document imaging; Nobix releases new TranSpooler

HP profits dive in Q3 — Report shows steep retreat in Computing Systems profit

Distributor opens ISV channel — Client Systems starts distributing 3000 tools

August 2001

Lund, Client Systems team up for first software distribution deal
A new MPE COBOL compiler and client gets previewed at HP World
ORBiT Software offers SMA’s job scheduler in new alliance
HP 3000 ISV parent SunGard slugged it out with HP over services
Summit customers are in line for disaster recovery help
STR is dealing on CBT for its products, renamed to reflect an expanded mission

NewsWire Logo

August 2001

3000 High Availability takes extra steps — Hewlett-Packard used its Webcast capability to announce new High Availability (HA) products and features for e3000 customers, bundling improved High Availability Failover (HAFO) software in MPE/iX and linking switches and hubs with Fiber Channel.

Clock ticks low on rebates — HP wants customers to see the future of its e3000 product line is now, judging from timetables for its rebate programs and sales plans for older K-Class Series 900 systems. While some of the rebates have a little more than two months of life left, computers introduced as late as last year will be history much sooner.

MPE/iX handbook good enough to become dog-eared: Review by John Burke — There has never been a book aimed at the person responsible for managing one or more HP e3000s. Until now that is. The mpe/ix system administration handbook by Jon Diercks admirably fills this lamentable void.

3000 tracks investor’s data — A famous investment manager’s company ties its HP 3000 to NT systems, tracking $50 billion in funds by swapping jobs using SMA’s OpCon/xps

HP to lay off 6,000 — Declining revenues prompt the biggest layoff in HP history, with the cuts coming this month

Advanced Telnet en route — Faster connectivity on the longest routes is heading for the e3000

Analog/iX adds graphic output for Web logs — A new version of the Web analyzer, free for the e3000, paints pictures of Web usage

Amisys users set meeting — Users of the leading e3000 healthcare schedule a meeting in September for their first conference since the product's acquisition

TechGroup offers Interex discount, Ideal vouchers for training — The independent e3000 university extends deals to Interex members, while a reseller includes training vouchers

LineJet business to depart HP’s hangar — Following the HP corporate mission to focus on core businesses, the HP e3000 group is turning over its impact printer duties to the maker of HP LineJets, Printronix.

PDAs handle e3000 admin — System managers will be able to put a console in their pockets this summer for their HP 3000s, as an MPE/iX solution provider offers a new version of GUI3000 which runs on a growing share of handheld Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs).

3kworld lifts its face, access — Recognizing that no Web site is ever truly finished, 3kworld.com rolled out a new version of the 3000’s community Web portal designed to improve access to its online resources.

WRQ adds security, updates Web platform — The new version of Reflection for the Web passes through app printing, while security comes online through new downloads

HP invents public development 3000 host — HP’s e3000 division opened the doors on a virtual lab for the server’s development community last month, as the company put a high-end computer on the Internet for the public to use for free.

Server sales stable in HP’s latest report — Hewlett-Packard reported its enterprise server revenues declined only 1 percent between this fiscal year’s second quarter and last year’s, and it rose 2 percent since last quarter. The news was a thin ray of hope that the company’s business declines may be at an end.

HP updates 9x9 end of support — HP has been pointing to strong demand for its latest e3000 models, but the 3000 division (CSY) has been driving that demand with a proactive end-of-support campaign for existing systems. In the months after new system announcements, several of the existing 9x9 “K-Class” 3000 systems have had their lifespan shortened even more.

New Socksified FTP makes debut for e3000 sites — A new version of the FTP file transfer utility is available for e3000 sites, one that permits “Socksified” connections without rebuilds.

Nishimoto wins HP Women's Conference award — HP e3000 Internet and Interoperability expert Alvina Nishimoto earned honors from Hewlett-Packard recently, winning the Entrepreneurial/Business Achievement Award from The HP Women’s Conference. Nishimoto was one of just four HP female employees so honored.

SIGCOBOL to benefit from COBOL World registration code — The Interex Special Interest Group for COBOL (SIGCOBOL) can receive a financial bonus for each person registering for the upcoming Cobol World 2001Conference.

Outer Banks to offer MPE management classes at Tech Group University — A four-day Advanced MPE Systems Management class is being offered next month.

F100 print support costs soar in new schedule — A customer reports that HP is nearly tripling support charges in the coming year for using its F100 Series printers.

HP shifts support structure for e3000s — The company calls its new e3000 support structure an attempt to deliver simplified support contracts, a benefit which HP 9000 managers may already be experiencing.

A-Class aims to improve e3000 ownership costs — Eyes turned in amazement this spring as HP’s e3000 Platform Planning Manager Dave Snow toted a new A-Class e3000 just 3.5 inches high under his arm at the Solutions Symposium. But there’s something even lighter about the new entry-level systems: costs to maintain one. At the same time, HP is keeping down clock speed for the computers, apparently to give its N-Class low-end systems some definite advantages.

SIGs’ ballot lifts IMAGE, freeware jobs — In a process they wrapped up in less than two months, members of Interex Special Interest Groups told HP it should move freeware to supported status for the e3000. But the leading enhancement is a major improvement for IMAGE, one that could increase performance and compatibility, and take awhile to produce.

HP reorganizes European 3000 operation — In a new management model to spread 3000 mindshare, HP e3000 Marketing Manager Christine Martino has reorganized the European marketing operations for the platform, aligning the team's makeup to more closely match US organization and eliminating the Regional Business Manager post.

N-Class systems fan out into customer base — The first N-Class HP e3000 rolled off the loading dock of North American distributor Client Systems late last month, kicking off an era of expanded potential for the 28-year-old business servers.

HP considers Open Source for MPE development — Hewlett-Packard’s 3000 division is looking at all kinds of resources to help extend the abilities of its legendary MPE operating system — including giving the community’s most experienced developers a crack at developing parts of it.

Conley gets 10 months, fines in plea bargain —HP’s attempts at keeping its e3000 servers fully licensed during resale finally came to a criminal close last month, when a US court passed sentence on a broker convicted of rigging bids on systems.

9x7 customers ponder A-Class replacements — Low-end refresh gets some sites’ attention, but total cost must be considered

HP adjusts SIG input on 3000 improvements — HP outlined a new, more stringent set of guidelines to make Special Interest Group (SIG) enhancement requests more meaningful — and therefore more likely to appear on future 3000s.

FLORUG flies performance flag in fifth conference — The annual meeting in the Florida sun goes beyond typical RUG event to become specific on speed

Considering total cost? — Software vendors study how to price for upgrades to the new A-Class systems, while managers brace for the bills. Budget for all of it.

Marts make healthcare more efficient — The heart of data warehousing on the e3000 comes from extracts for some Amisys sites in a new M.B. Foster offering

WRQ rebrands, launches Verastream for 3000 — The 19-year-old firm reworks its application development object tool for the MPE market to connect legacy apps

HP jumps up its Java promise — The HotSpot virtual machine runs two to five times faster on any 3000 running 7.0, and Enhydra offers a prospective killer app

A-Class makes early debut, while licenses go to all-unlimited for new e3000s

New N-Class boxes offer 10x IO improvement

A-Class appears early to target 9x7 owners

Unlimited MPE/iX licenses now included in A, N-Class; Enhydra gets bundled, adds support option, while Allbase separates from MPE/iX

MPE/iX 6.5 upgrades: Good, Bad and Ugly — Advertising and marketing can make any product look perfect and delicious, just as Hewlett-Packard did with MPE/iX 6.5. It's not to say that that version 6.5 is filled with false advertising — more with well-intended promises and hopes.

NewsWire Briefs —

HP cuts marketing jobs in layoff: HP announced plans to cut 1,770 jobs by April.

OmniSolutions releases new GUI/3000 version: 4.0 has new monitoring tools.

HP makes 5.5 patches available through June

Analog, Tidy make e3000 Web easier: Freeware programs help track Web use, clean up pages on e3000 servers.

FTP update provides Web, HFS, anonymous logon: FTP is getting more flexible on the e3000. But anonymous logons are still a problem, because of weak security

Quest offers Quark+ MPE archiving tool for initial free trial: Commercial compression utility is available for a 1-year trial for vendors and customers

HP to revive training broadcasts via Web — One of the most popular spokesmen for the HP e3000 is returning to the MPE community this year, as George Stachnik works on training sessions to highlight new and little-known features of the venerable business server.

HP catalogs middleware options at conference — It’s not the favorite talk of HP’s top managers, but Alvina Nishimoto keeps giving it and improving it. A thorough tour of the rich middleware options for HP 3000 customers and developers stood out among several fine talks at a recent meeting of the Greater Houston Regional Users Group.

Prison terms to wrap up license guards — After millions of dollars in court fees and fines, and more than 14 years worth of prison sentences, HP’s push to put teeth back into its 3000 licensing closes a two-year chapter this month. But one defense attorney still maintains the company’s actions are simply persecuting a competitor in the courts, while a key HP witness against that competitor remains shrouded in mystery.

Bagging up Logic on a Trip to the Web — One of the most successful plastics products distributors in the US counted on its reseller to get 3000 apps on the Web