THE WELCH COMPANY
440 Davis Court #1602
San Francisco, CA 94111-2496
415 781 5700
rodwelch@pacbell.net
S U M M A R Y
DIARY: October 10, 1995 08:00 AM Tuesday;
Rod Welch
Attend Digital Seminar in San Francisco.
1...Summary/Objective
2...Bill Walsh - Innovative Communications
3...Presentation Materials
4...Pauline Nist - DEC
.....Transitioning Service for Windows 95
.....NT, Unix & VMS Integrated on Alpha
........Potential for NT's Enterprise Success
.....Alpha Capabilities
.....DEC & Microsoft Synergy
........Network Performance
........Enterprise Support
.....Marketing Strategy - Volume
..........................Partnering
........Volume and Custom Solutions
........Microsoft Success & Weaknesses
........Joint Engineering - Combined Staffing
............Renewal, Faith, Luck - Bill Walsh
............Consistent Success Takes Consistently Using Good Practices
.....Connectivity Software
........Vision
................................Communicate
...............Shared Meaning - Bill Walsh
........DEC & Information Highway
........................Enterprise Workflow
..........................Paperless Office
................Operating System for People and Organizations
..........................Speech Recognition
5...Greg Laird - DEC
..........................NT Clusters
6...Steve Wilder - Microsoft
.....Microsoft's "Enterprise" Strategy is DEC
.....Productivity & Usefulness
..................Operating System for People and Organizations
.....Too Busy - Cannot See the Forest
7...Chuck - Oracle
........................JAVA
..............
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CONTACTS
0201 - Miller Freeman, Inc.
020101 - Mr. Philip Chapnick; Publishing Director
020102 - Database and Client Server Products
0202 - DEC, Alpha Server Bus.
020201 - Ms. Pauline A. Nist; Vice President
0203 - Oracle, New Eng. Dev Center
020301 - Mr. Charles A. Rozwat; Vice President
SUBJECTS
DexCon, 951010
Attend seminars
Windows NT v. Mainframe
0605 -
0605 - ..
0606 - Summary/Objective
0607 -
060701 - Follow up ref SDS 14 0000, ref SDS 15 0000.
060702 -
060703 - The event was not presented as indicated by the agenda, with the
060704 - result that objectives and introductions were omitted. Presentations
060705 - and Q&A were shortened because of delays. There were no closing
060706 - remarks, there was no prize drawing as shown in the program agenda,
060707 - ref OF 1 line 63. There were no printed summaries or slides of
060708 - presentations available to attendees.
060709 -
060710 - [See follow up at ref SDS 20 0000.]
060711 -
060713 - ..
060714 - Nothing was presented about how automation can improve management
060715 - productivity, what is being done to accomplish it, or how to help
060716 - executives at DEC, Microsoft, Oracle or anywhere else overcome their
060717 - fear of automated management, i.e.,
060718 -
060719 -
060720 - Take the quantum leap into the 21st Century
060722 - ..
060723 - DEC explained a recent alliance with Microsoft to offer NT on DEC's 64
060724 - Bit Alpha computers. This is a significant change at DEC from selling
060725 - superior performing technology, to now competing for market share in
060726 - the lower priced workstation market dominated by Intel. DEC's Alpha
060727 - computer configured with Unix and NT will now compete in this market
060728 - by offering a bridge between personal and mainframe automation. DEC
060729 - expects to succeed because the Alpha offers superior performance and
060730 - Windows operating systems will continue to dominate the desktop
060731 - market. DEC will compete for market share based on price, with less
060732 - emphasis on being first with the most advanced technology.
060733 -
060734 - [See article in Forbes on NT progress 970526, ref SDS 26 line 63.]
060736 - ..
060737 - DEC is changing from being a vertical provider of all major aspects of
060738 - automated products and services, to concentrate on core competencies
060739 - and partnering with others who can provide elements at less cost and
060740 - with greater innovation than DEC, so that the combination makes DEC
060741 - more competitive.
060743 - ..
060744 - DEC plans to continue to lead in the Unix business, and will remain
060745 - in the VMS business until at least the year 2000.
060747 - ..
060748 - Microsoft's representative explained its support for the Alliance with
060749 - DEC, but did not announce that an 64 Bit version of Windows NT is
060750 - being developed at Microsoft.
060752 - ..
060753 - Oracle reports making a successful transition the past year after
060754 - purchasing the Rdb database program from DEC. Oracle does not plan to
060755 - converge Rdb and Oracle 7 into a single program, but will converge the
060756 - functionality.
060757 -
060758 -
060759 -
060760 -
0608 -
SUBJECTS
Leadership & Change, 930119
Leadership is Talking
Innovation Solves Information/Time Problem
Leadership Broader Vision Overcomes Fear Change Helps People Help The
Leadership Respect for Skill Achievement, Bill Walsh, 951010
Skill Respect Achievement Positions People to Lead
1008 -
1009 - Leadership
101001 - ..
101002 - Bill Walsh - Innovative Communications
101003 -
101004 - Bill Walsh spoke about noon time.
101005 -
101006 - He explained that new leadership needs to be validated by a
101007 - recognizable skill or reputation for success, that gains the respect
101008 - of those being led.
101010 - ..
101011 - Thus, often leaders emerge from a specialty craft like, in his case, a
101012 - quarterback coach, or as an engineer, carpenter, accountant, salesman,
101013 - writer, architect. These skills position the leader to demonstrate
101014 - specialized technical ability and over time develop communication
101015 - skill.
101017 - ..
101018 - POIMS explains leaders are both doers and thinkers. ref OF 2 2049
101019 -
101020 - Below, Walsh speaks about "shared meaning." ref SDS 0 4883
101022 - ..
101023 - Ultimately, leadership is validated only by success.
101025 - ..
101026 - This requires planning, resources, strong communications and luck. A
101027 - key responsibility of leadership is to help others succeed. He
101028 - emphasized the importance of finding innovative ways to communicate.
101029 -
101030 - [On 951107 called Walsh to speak at Asilomar. ref SDS 21 0000.]
101031 -
101032 -
101033 -
101034 -
1011 -
SUBJECTS
Usefull Technology Can be Used A Lot
Information Management
Market Potential
Enterprise Workflow, Integrate
1706 -
1707 - Key Points of Interest
170801 - ..
170802 - Here are the questions I had for the speakers based on the agenda,
170803 - ref OF 1 line 21.
170804 -
170805 - What tools do the people at DEC use to earn money, per talks
170806 - with IBM at ref SDS 6 line 365, and with Intel ref SDS 12 line
170807 - 367, ref SDS 12 line 477, and ref SDS 12 line 698. This was
170808 - considered in DEC's Enterprise Workflow (EW) paper at ref SDS 5
170809 - line 66.
170810 -
170811 - How do tools at the seminar solve the problem of the
170812 - Information Highway, per ref SDS 12 line 294, and recognized in
170813 - the EW paper at ref SDS 5 line 358.
170814 -
170815 - What tools support performing Traceability and Continual
170816 - Learning called out in the ISO 10006 criteria, ref SDS 12 line
170817 - 165, and discussed in the EW paper at ref SDS 5 line 110 and
170818 - ref SDS 5 line 179?
170819 -
170820 -
170821 -
170822 -
1709 -
SUBJECTS
Examples of Need for SDS
1803 -
1804 - Progress
180501 - ..
180502 - The event was held in a small half-room with tables and chairs for
180503 - approximately 50 people. When I arrived about 0855, there were 6 or 7
180504 - people there. At 0900 when the event was scheduled to begin, there
180505 - were maybe 10 people.
180507 - ..
180508 - I met Philip Chapnick who is Director of Publishing with Miller
180509 - Freeman, Inc., the event sponsor. I mentioned that Merrill Malveni
180510 - with Digital's office in San Francisco did not know about this event,
180511 - and was unable to find out anything about it within DEC, ref SDS 15
180512 - line 57. Philip said communications on this event were disorganized.
180514 - ..
180515 - The introductory speaker was delayed in traffic, so the Welcome
180516 - segment in the agenda ref OF 1 line 19, was not done. Introductions
180517 - and objectives of the conference were therefore omitted.
180519 - ..
180520 - About 0930, Pauline Nist with DEC introduced herself, and began her
180521 - presentation.
180522 -
180523 -
180525 - ..
180526 - Presentation Materials
180527 -
180528 - I asked Pauline if we can get a copy of the slides she used, so we can
180529 - concentrate on her explanation rather than try to capture all of the
180530 - important points in her slides? She said she did not bring handouts,
180531 - but offered to submit the slides in hardcopy for distribution to
180532 - attendees after the event. The other speakers agreed to do the same.
180534 - ..
180535 - Philip Chapnick said Miller Freeman will submit these materials to
180536 - attendees when they are received from the speakers.
180537 -
180538 - [On Oct 26, no materials had been received by Miller Freeman, per
180539 - ref SDS 19 line 88.]
180540 -
180541 -
180542 -
180543 -
1806 -
SUBJECTS
Strategies
Operating System
Business Climate
2105 -
210601 - ..
210602 - Pauline Nist - DEC
210603 -
210604 - Her main point today seemed to be to assure the market that DEC has a
210605 - strategic alliance with Microsoft to make NT run on Digital's Alpha
210606 - computer in combination with Unix, and thereby create an avenue for
210607 - Microsoft to the mainframe business environment, and a path for DEC to
210608 - the personal computer dominance of Microsoft operating systems. This
210609 - is DEC's strategy to sell its Alpha computers to the growing movement
210610 - toward Windows as the operating system of desktop computers for
210611 - businesses.
210613 - ..
210614 - She asked for a show of hands on the number of Digital customers
210615 - attending the event today. There were only about 15 people, but none
210616 - were DEC customers.
210618 - ..
210619 - Pauline reported that DEC was profitable last year.
210620 -
210622 - ..
210623 - Transitioning Service for Windows 95
210624 -
210625 - DEC is offering or will be offering a service to transition firms
210626 - from Windows xx to Windows 95. So for example PG&E or Cheveron
210627 - could hire DEC to install Windows 95 on all of its computers,
210628 - convert the software and train users.
210629 -
210631 - ..
210632 - NT, Unix & VMS Integrated on Alpha
210633 -
210634 - She indicated that DEC will continue strong support of Unix and
210635 - VMS, which is a key asset DEC brings to the Microsoft alliance.
210636 - She said Unix is the only 64 bit operating system (not sure if
210637 - this is for PCs or for anything). She said DEC is developing or
210638 - has created an integration between Windows NT and Unix, so a
210639 - single machine can do both. Pauline said DEC will support VMS
210640 - through the year 2000.
210641 -
210643 - ..
210644 - Potential for NT's Enterprise Success
210645 -
210646 - Pauline said open VMS was created by Dave Cutler who also was
210647 - instrumental in developing Windows NT. Therefore there are
210648 - similarities in code and performance that make it easier to
210649 - integrate these systems on the Alpha than might otherwise be
210650 - the case.
210651 -
210652 -
210653 -
2107 -
SUBJECTS
Business Climate
DEC, Alpha
Unix, Windows NT, LANS
Strategies
Partnering
2807 -
280801 - ..
280802 - Alpha Capabilities
280803 -
280804 - The Alpha seems to run from 100 Mhz to 300 Mhz and sells from $5K
280805 - to $45K.
280806 -
280807 - The 64 bit architecture addresses up to 14 GB rather than 4 GB on
280808 - Intel's 32 bit systems.
280810 - ..
280811 - Supports PCI bus.
280813 - ..
280814 - Oracle and Sybase are creating applications for the Alpha.
280816 - ..
280817 - Unix is the only 64 bit operating system.
280819 - ..
280820 - NT will run on the Alpha; DEC will integrate Unix and NT on the
280821 - Alpha.
280823 - ..
280824 - Testing shows the Alpha runs some database programs from 3 to 16
280825 - times faster than Intel's 32 bit processor because it can read
280826 - larger blocks of data into RAM where processing is significantly
280827 - faster than processing data on disk.
280828 -
280829 - There were no examples or testing results showing how this
280830 - increased speed accomplishes specific business needs, though
280831 - presumably some ATM type inventory situations such as banks,
280832 - airline reservations, retail ordering, and the like, can
280833 - benefit from this capability. Reports of limited improvements
280834 - from 32 bit systems relative to 16 bit systems, suggest 64 bit
280835 - performance benefits for end users are a ways off, ref SDS 8
280836 - line 109.
280838 - ..
280839 - DEC & Microsoft Synergy
280840 -
280841 - Pauline said the alliance with Microsoft offers potential for
280842 - strong synergy between DEC's traditional leadership in high
280843 - performance business systems, and Microsoft's marketing success.
280844 -
280845 - [See Fortune article on Microsoft NT 970526, ref SDS 26
280846 - line 115.]
280848 - ..
280849 - Network Performance
280850 -
280851 - Pauline cited DEC network hardware and systems as reaching 100
280852 - MB per sec transfer rates and less than 5 micro seconds
280853 - latency.
280854 -
280856 - ..
280857 - Enterprise Support
280858 -
280859 - Pauline said DEC's experience and products provide effective
280860 - automation to support an enterprise through high performance
280861 - large computing systems. She believes this advantage can be
280862 - used in combination with the mass appeal Microsoft has created
280863 - among individuals for its Windows products on personal
280864 - computers.
280866 - ..
280867 - Pauline did not indicate why the desire to use Windows exists
280868 - or whether it reflects a correct assessment of value, i.e.,
280869 - cost/benefit, that can sustain commitment of the buyer. [See
280870 - subsequent analysis from CNN report, ref SDS 18 line 69.] A
280871 - key expectation seems to be that somebody will produce software
280872 - that makes personal computers valuable to people beyond mere
280873 - entertainment value (discussed with Intel at ref SDS 12 line
280874 - 497. Pauline did not indicate how her work has been or will be
280875 - improved by using the new Alpha, Unix, NT troika that DEC will
280876 - be selling, per analysis of CNN report at ref SDS 18 line 79.
280877 -
280878 - [See Connectivity Software & Enterprise Workflow below.]
280879 -
280881 - ..
280882 - Pauline seemed to indicate that DEC's 64 bit Alpha computers
280883 - provide the best path to future development of Windows NT, but
280884 - when Steve Wilder (see below) was later asked about Microsoft's
280885 - plans to make Windows NT a 64 bit program, he said he did not know
280886 - of any such plans.
280888 - ..
280889 - Evidently DEC believes the 64 Bit Alpha computer runs Windows NT
280890 - much better than Intel based processors, and this, in combination
280891 - with competitive pricing and support, will draw the market share
280892 - needed to sustain viability and earnings.
280894 - ..
280895 - Marketing Strategy - Volume
280896 -
280897 - Pauline explained that the computer marketplace has traditionally
280898 - been dominated by vertical integration where firms like DEC and
280899 - IBM did hardware, operating systems and applications (she broke it
280900 - down into about 10 or so categories). Now, however, DEC plans to
280901 - use...
280902 - ..
280903 - Partnering
280904 -
280905 - ...with other specialized organizations, like Microsoft, to
280906 - sell DEC products and services.
280907 -
280908 - [See Fortune article on Microsoft NT 970526, ref SDS 26
280909 - line 115.]
280911 - ..
280912 - They are seeking strategic alliances to enhance their
280913 - competitive posture. Pauline did not explain how a partner is
280914 - better than a subcontractor.
280915 -
280917 - ..
280918 - Volume and Custom Solutions
280919 -
280920 - DEC intends to compete in the market based on existing methods,
280921 - rather than continue to rely on creating new technology to make
280922 - new markets. This means DEC will aim for market share through
280923 - aggressive pricing, a traditional strength of Microsoft.
280924 - Pauline said DEC will continue to offer custom solutions for
280925 - particular market segments.
280926 -
280928 - ..
280929 - Microsoft Success & Weaknesses
280930 -
280931 - I asked Pauline about strategic considerations of over-reliance
280932 - on Microsoft, based on current market dominance and growth
280933 - prospects? She asked what I mean?
280934 -
280935 - I noted that when an organization becomes dominate, especially
280936 - in a short time, as with Microsoft, weakness occurs in its work
280937 - practices, they over-commit relative to availability of quality
280938 - management. Rapid success breeds management by whim and
280939 - bloated bureaucracy. Frustration and disappointment cause
280940 - talent to leave; "Yes men" remain. People seek personal
280941 - rewards of status that vitiate internal cohesion, and focus
280942 - more on outside concerns such as neglected family life, writing
280943 - books and TV appearances, rather than on maintaining the drive
280944 - for high quality work. I cited the recent example of IBM, Boise
280945 - Cascade in the 70's, Borland, ITX; even DEC has suffered these
280946 - pitfalls. Microsoft was insulated by early control of the
280947 - personal computer operating system which enabled it to buy off
280948 - the effects of these problems, but that may only exacerbate its
280949 - exposure. Customers are increasingly less forgiving of the
280950 - disjunction between promised improvements and productivity
280951 - gains that fall short. What is DEC's strategy to avoid hitching
280952 - its stockholders and customers to these risks?
280954 - ..
280955 - Pauline said DEC's continued development of Unix addresses this
280956 - point. She feels market inertia will sustain Microsoft's
280957 - leadership regardless of its performance because other vendors
280958 - are writing software for NT. Even if none of it improves
280959 - productivity, market psychology (the desire to use computers
280960 - per Tom Landauer's analysis at ref SDS 9 line 745) will drive
280961 - sales. DEC wants to position its stockholders to benefit from
280962 - these dynamics.
280963 -
280965 - ..
280966 - Joint Engineering - Combined Staffing
280967 -
280968 - Another attendee asked for evidence of Microsoft's intent to
280969 - aggressively support the alliance with DEC?
280970 -
280971 - Pauline seemed to cite co-location of a contingent of DEC's
280972 - people in the Redmond area, and similarly a group of Microsoft
280973 - people are now co-located near key DEC facilities in New
280974 - England.
280975 -
280976 -
280977 -
280978 -
2810 -
SUBJECTS
Walsh, Bill -- 49ers
Consistent Use of Good Practice
Football Analogy Having Well Thought Out
Football Plays Designed for Options to
3206 -
320701 - ..
320702 - Renewal, Faith, Luck - Bill Walsh
320703 - Consistent Success Takes Consistently Using Good Practices
320704 -
320705 - Interestingly Bill Walsh who spoke at noon, ref SDS 0 1714,
320706 - raised the challenge of maintaining focus and intensity in
320707 - times of defeat and success.
320708 -
320709 - He said competition requires talent, perseverance and luck
320710 - in order to succeed. He noted that "good" luck is enhanced
320711 - by consistent use of good work practices for planning and
320712 - preparation.
320714 - ..
320715 - Failure causes people to lose faith.
320716 -
320717 - On 921205 Stephen Covey noted that faith helps people
320718 - use good practices consistently when short-term results
320719 - leads people to give up. ref SDS 2 4803
320721 - ..
320722 - Success breeds expectations of winning by just showing up.
320724 - ..
320725 - In both cases, people give up on adhering to good work
320726 - practices, cooperation degrades. So, organizations have a
320727 - constant need for renewal of people, practices and ideas.
320728 -
320729 - [On 980307 Andy Grove's book "Only the Paranoid Survive"
320730 - describes challenge overcoming inertia of success, to be
320731 - alert to need for improvement. ref SDS 27 3740]
320733 - ..
320734 - Nothing can guarantee winning the Superbowl every year, but
320735 - a lot can be done to be more consistently competitive by
320736 - being consistently prepared with the result that luck
320737 - (i.e., forces which occur at too low a level for humans to
320738 - influence, e.g., weather) need only offer a minimal boost
320739 - to reach the top more often.
320740 -
320741 - On 950327 using SDS to "be prepared" was reviewed.
320742 - ref SDS 7 8822
320744 - ..
320745 - On 931130 Peter Drucker makes similar point per review
320746 - of his book on the role of management to strive for
320747 - consistent use of good practices as the best way to
320748 - remain competitive. ref SDS 3 1504
320750 - ..
320751 - [On 960721 explained SDS supports consistent use of
320752 - good management practice. ref SDS 25 2768]
320754 - ..
320755 - An example is the Walsh offense that designs options for
320756 - the quarterback, per analysis on 901008. ref SDS 1 6993
320758 - ..
320759 - Bill described this as narrowing the range in the waves of
320760 - life between excellence and failure.
320761 -
320762 - [On 951107 called Walsh to speak at Asilomar. ref SDS
320763 - 21 0000]
320764 -
320765 - [On 951114 developed speaking scope. ref SDS 22 1276]
320766 -
320767 -
320768 -
3208 -
SUBJECTS
Business Climate
Strategies, Connectivity
Information Management
Vision
3906 -
390701 - ..
390702 - Connectivity Software
390703 -
390704 - Pauline showed a slide of 10 or so items where DEC feels it can be
390705 - competitive. One was "connectivity software". I did not have an
390706 - opportunity to ask what this means, or get an example. Someone
390707 - else may have asked a question about it because Pauline said DEC
390708 - has a new business unit that will concentrate on "connectivity
390709 - software."
390710 -
390712 - ..
390713 - Vision
390714 -
390715 - One of Pauline's slides showed DEC's "vision" that included:
390716 -
390717 - Share Information
390718 - Communicate
390719 - Information Management
390720 -
390721 - ...my sense is that people are so bogged down in the details
390722 - of hardware and in going to meetings, sending faxes, making
390723 - cellular calls, that they have lost sight of the meaning of:
390725 - ..
390726 - Communicate
390727 -
390728 -
390729 - ...supported by Peter Drucker cited at ref SDS 12 line
390730 - 722, discussing usefulness of computers with Intel.
390731 -
390732 -
390733 -
3908 -
SUBJECTS
Shared Meaning
Football Coaches Communication Specialists
4104 -
410501 - ..
410502 - Shared Meaning - Bill Walsh
410503 -
410504 - When Bill Walsh spoke on leadership, ref SDS 0 1714, I
410505 - asked how he maintained shared meaning over time.
410506 -
410507 - He said this is the key to successful football teams,
410508 - which he accomplished by using specialized coaches to
410509 - provide continual repetition in practice of the few
410510 - things each player needs to remember.
410511 -
410512 - [On 951114 developed speaking scope for Walsh to
410513 - present these ideas to PMI's Asilomar Conference.
410514 - ref SDS 23 1276]
410516 - ..
410517 - I asked how well this worked in the business side of
410518 - managing the team, or if he has encountered a similar
410519 - method used outside the football arena?
410521 - ..
410522 - Bill said the management of the football team did not
410523 - use the communication methods he used to prepare the
410524 - players to succeed, because the team could not afford to
410525 - have additional staff to track and follow up on daily
410526 - management details, and to review these details with
410527 - individual managers, as is done with the players, their
410528 - assignments and build focused understanding based on in
410529 - depth review of prior related experience, like game
410530 - films. Such a practice would have conflicted with the
410531 - traditions of key people, especially the owners.
410532 -
410533 -
410534 -
410535 -
410536 -
410537 -
4106 -
SUBJECTS
Enterprise Workflow, Integrate
Operating System for People & Organizations
Communications Failing on Information
Paperless Office
Voice Data Entry
5007 -
500801 - ..
500802 - DEC & Information Highway
500803 -
500804 - I asked Pauline about DEC's progress with the...
500805 -
500806 -
500807 - Enterprise Workflow
500808 -
500809 -
500810 - ...program DEC reported on last year, ref SDS 5 0453, to
500811 - provide automated integration of work practices and thereby
500812 - improve management productivity?
500814 - ..
500815 - Pauline said she is unfamiliar with this effort.
500817 - ..
500818 - I mentioned the article in Byte Magazine on the desire of many
500819 - executives and managers to use automation more effectively to
500820 - improve their work practices, under the goal of a...
500822 - ..
500823 - Paperless Office
500825 - ..
500826 - For example a report on 950927 that Intel managers feel
500827 - overwhelmed by information overload, ref SDS 12 5002, but have
500828 - not been able to find a solution. ref SDS 12 7732
500830 - ..
500831 - I cited Tom Landauer's book "The Trouble with Computers,"
500832 - showing automation has not improved management productivity
500833 - because of poor usefulness due to focus on easier usability,
500834 - ref SDS 9 1222 and ref SDS 9 0582. DEC's Enterprise Workflow
500835 - program seemed positioned to improve usefulness. How are
500836 - executives at DEC using the Alpha and Unix to make personal
500837 - computers into a more effective...
500839 - ..
500840 - Operating System for People and Organizations
500841 -
500842 -
500843 - ...in light of the information highway that sends more
500844 - information to people through phone calls, meetings, e-mail,
500845 - correspondence and seminars like today? How do DEC's tools
500846 - create controllable action items linked back to their source
500847 - so people can follow up effectively? Is this part of
500848 - Enterprise Workflow that improves productivity?
500849 -
500851 - ..
500852 - Pauline said this objective is part of the new Connectivity
500853 - business unit. DEC is actively seeking partners to support
500854 - this effort.
500856 - ..
500857 - Chuck Rozwat or another speaker said DEC is planning to use the
500858 - Connectivity business unit to develop a "Paperless Office"
500859 - capability based on the Internet. He said...
500860 -
500861 - Speech Recognition
500862 -
500863 - ...is now available for a price, but nobody has been able to
500864 - deploy it to improve productivity. This supports the analysis
500865 - on 950927 at Intel about the demand for applying technology to
500866 - the practice of management, ref SDS 12 4408, i.e., "This is
500867 - what I want!" per ref SDS 12 8943. People want "automated
500868 - management," but do not know what it means or how to accomplish
500869 - the goal. ref SDS 9 1222
500870 -
500871 - [See follow up discussion with Morris on this point at ref
500872 - SDS 13 line 339, and ref SDS 17 line 432.]
500874 - ..
500875 - [See meeting with Intel, ref SDS 24 line 519.]
500876 -
500878 - ..
500879 - Pauline said we can get additional information at...
500880 -
500881 - www.digital.com
500882 -
500883 -
500884 -
5009 -
SUBJECTS
Business Climate
Windows NT
NT v. Mainframes IBM Unix Sun Novell
5305 -
530601 - ..
530602 - Greg Laird - DEC
530603 -
530604 - He offered a few details to support Pauline's presentation.
530605 -
530606 - Microsoft has paid DEC to train DEC employees on Microsoft
530607 - systems.
530609 - ..
530610 - They seem to have a common e-mail system.
530612 - ..
530613 - DEC is creating a software product called
530614 -
530615 - NT Clusters
530616 -
530617 - ...which has either been licensed by Microsoft from DEC or to
530618 - DEC from Microsoft. This may the flagship product for applying
530619 - NT on the Alpha computer.
530621 - ..
530622 - It will not be available until 1996 or 1997.
530623 -
530624 - Greg said Microsoft and DEC have done a lot of cross-licensing
530625 - of products, but no specifics were given.
530626 -
530627 - Future NT CDs will install on both Intel and Alpha computers.
530628 -
530630 - ..
530631 - Someone asked for a name of a contact at DEC we can call for more
530632 - information on DEC's plans, schedule, and/or to purchase a system, get
530633 - on a list, or offer ideas to help DEC and Microsoft shape its
530634 - development efforts.
530635 -
530636 - Greg said he will investigate and advise attendees through the
530637 - event sponsor.
530638 -
530639 -
530641 - ..
530642 - Steve Wilder - Microsoft
530643 -
530644 - Steve did not bring a card. I did not get information on what he does
530645 - or which business unit he supports at MS.
530646 -
530647 - Steve's presentation was abbreviated and cursory because of delays
530648 - starting the program.
530650 - ..
530651 - Microsoft's "Enterprise" Strategy is DEC
530652 -
530653 - He said Microsoft is strongly committed to the DEC alliance to
530654 - provide an essential bridge for Windows NT into mainframe
530655 - computing. This is Microsoft's primary commitment to Enterprise
530656 - business support. The idea is to give office desktop computer
530657 - users access to large data bases.
530659 - ..
530660 - [See Fortune article on Microsoft NT 970617, ref SDS 26
530661 - 7401
530663 - ..
530664 - Someone asked about Microsoft's commitment to the Alpha platform;
530665 - using the pejorative form asking if
530666 -
530667 - Microsoft is eating its own dog food?
530668 -
530669 - ...which seemed to be a way to ask if Microsoft is using the tools
530670 - it is selling to others, per analysis of meeting at Intel.
530671 - ref SDS 12 YB65
530673 - ..
530674 - Steve said Microsoft is using NT on the Alpha. He was unsure
530675 - about details and could offer no specific examples. He could not
530676 - explain how he is using the Alpha to improve his work. Steve said
530677 - he will submit more information on this.
530678 -
530679 -
530680 -
530681 -
5307 -
SUBJECTS
Productivity Improved by Faster Processors
Productivity Not Improved by Faster
Operating System for People & Organizations
Usability Engineering
Usefulness is Not Marketing Criteria
Useful Management Technology Requires Regular Use
6108 -
610901 - ..
610902 - Productivity & Usefulness
610903 -
610904 - Steve cited the correlation between faster processors and reduced
610905 - cost, to support an observation that automation is improving
610906 - productivity. He offered no examples or demonstrations of how his
610907 - work has been improved the past 10 years or even the past 6 weeks,
610908 - as a result of using Microsoft products.
610909 -
610910 - [A scenario of what Steve could have shown occurred at the IBM
610911 - TechCon the next day, ref SDS 16 line 194.]
610913 - ..
610914 - I mentioned the report by Jim Manzi at Lotus Development in 1992,
610915 - and more recently by Tom Landauer in his book "The Trouble with
610916 - Computers" that better productivity has not grown as fast as the
610917 - correlation between price and processing speed might indicate,
610918 - ref SDS 6 line 263. I asked Steve what Microsoft is doing to
610919 - convert personal computers into an:
610921 - ..
610922 - Operating System for People and Organizations
610923 -
610924 -
610925 - Steve said everything Microsoft does is intended to convert
610926 - computer power into better personal productivity by providing
610927 - greater access to information across platforms and through
610928 - dynamic linking so people can use information from different
610929 - applications.
610931 - ..
610932 - I asked how this has increased his productivity the past year
610933 - or so? For example, are his remarks for the event today set
610934 - out in a Microsoft program he can show us is linked to event
610935 - objectives and to sources provided by Microsoft's automated
610936 - business systems? Can we see this or get a copy?
610937 -
610938 - [A similar issue arose the next day at an IBM event,
610939 - ref SDS 13 line 160.]
610941 - ..
610942 - Steve said he did not have time to assemble hand out materials
610943 - for the event today, but we can get a copy from the event
610944 - sponsor.
610946 - ..
610947 - I asked how Microsoft's products will enable him to apply the
610948 - results of the event today, and create controllable action
610949 - items from important information he learns today (I did not
610950 - mention the ISO 10006 criteria)? Steve said he has to catch a
610951 - plane for another event when he leaves.
610952 -
610953 -
610955 - ..
610956 - Too Busy - Cannot See the Forest
610957 -
610958 - I asked if Microsoft has a specific unit similar to that formed to
610959 - make NT work with DEC's Alpha computer, to develop, test and use
610960 - automation that improves management productivity of people like
610961 - him, Pauline and others at the event today?
610962 -
610963 - He said Microsoft does not have this kind of unit that he is
610964 - aware of. After his remarks, I wanted to make further
610965 - inquiry, but he was too busy with others and then had to
610966 - rush off to another matter.
610967 -
610968 -
610969 -
610970 -
6110 -
SUBJECTS
Java, Internet
6303 -
630401 - ..
630402 - Chuck - Oracle
630403 -
630404 - Rdb is a software database program that was developed and marketed by
630405 - DEC. It was purchased by Oracle, perhaps a year ago. This event was
630406 - to report progress integrating Rdb into Oracle's existing business,
630407 - specifically its Oracle 7 database product.
630409 - ..
630410 - Rdb 7.0 supports VMS.
630412 - ..
630413 - Rdb will continue to support DEC's existing VMS computers and the new
630414 - Alpha. Oracle will soon release a version of Rdb for Unix and in
630415 - about a year, they will release a version of Rdb for Windows NT.
630416 -
630418 - ..
630419 - I believe Chuck mentioned a technology at Sun called:
630421 - ..
630422 - JAVA
630423 -
630424 - ...he did not elaborate on what it does or how it improves
630425 - earnings. [Later turned out this is used on the Internet to allow
630426 - users to select applications to use on-line.]
630427 -
630429 - ..
630430 - Following Chuck's presentation, I gave him a copy of the NWO... paper
630431 - to read on the trip back to New Hampshire.
630432 -
630433 -
630434 -
630435 -
6305 -
Distribution. . . . See "CONTACTS"