Share, the user group for IBM Corp mainframe users, reckons that no-one can afford to ignore the downsizing phenomenon any more, and wants to dedicate itself to such concepts as open systems and integration. According to Computerwoche, president of Share Europe Dieter Erwin stated at the group’s spring conference, The days of pure Blue are long gone. Share represents the interests of IBM users and tries to bring its influence directly to bear on the company. And more than anything else, it is demanding client-server systems. However in Erwin’s opinion, While it’s talked about a lot, not enough is being done. Nonetheless he feels the poor economic situation has really speeded up the move towards more openness. This applies not just to the technical side, but also to information policies. But IBM still needs a radical rethink of its ideas, especially with regard to price-performance issues, which users are examining ever more critically. Erwin even questions whether there is room for the mainframe in this scenario – If the mainframe’s price-performance relationship is the same in five years as it is now, it doesn’t stand a chance.
