Re: informix market share

From: M Segel <MSegelNo_at_SPAM.Segel.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 10:55:03 -0600
Message-Id: <438b270d$0$17011$afc38c87@>

RollForward Wizard wrote:

I'll assume OTC is right in his identification!

TIMMY! So you're taking a break from SouthPark? How's your evil twin brother doing these days? (Yeah drop me a line, we should chat... )

>> I am wondering who are those customers who actually bought
>> 110 million dollars worth of new license of Informix. Are they
>> existing customers buying new license as their business grew
>> or totally new customers.
>> 

> Top of the table says "...Based on New License Sales" .
>

Now this data is a tad suspect based on interpretation.

Consider that company X may have upgraded their servers from 8 way boxes to 4 way boxes that have twice the horsepower and half the CPUs.

So that migration nets 4 new and unused licenses. Now Company X may recycle those licenses and deploy a new app on another new 4 way SMP box. So while there are no net new licenses, they are effectively deploying more software.

Also what happens when someone sells an embedded product in their solution, yet doesn't sell an offical IBM support agreement. How are those licenses being counted/reported?

My point is that there are a lot of ways to look at the data and that there are factors that skew the data.

One thing that I will say about IBM. While they have learned a lot about how to manage customer support from Informix, they still have a long way to go. Its a shame to see CP leave this year. There is still a lot of work that still must be done and personally I think that the organization that gets paid to handle level 1 calls is paid way too much money for their services. Those within IBM should know who I am talking about. ;-)

> It's still only 1.4% of the market, and that means it's half of what
> it ever was. Almost a beginning market position. It would take a
> real killer ad campaign and a real marketing blitz at this point to
> get it even into a position worth mentioning. Not everyone can work
> for Walmart, Sears, or Home Depot, and give Informix a pat on the back
> as if it mattered.
>
>

>> Also it is important to note that SQL Server grew by 18% despite
>> not coming out with any new version. In fact in 2004 SS2000 was
>> 4 yrs old. Tells a lot about it, right?
>> 

>

Again those numbers are misleading. Is the product actually in serverice or is it shelfware?

> Ya. Marketing. Windows is THE battleground for DB2 and anyone else
> wanting to
> take the top spot. Interesting that if Informix people could actually
> articulate some of the competitive advantages of Informix over Oracle (
> re: replication, clustering, HA, etc ) into the marketing message, that it
> might stand a chance
> of making a comeback. But IBM can make the same message with DB2, they
> hardly
> need Informix to say that or anything. All that new effort into a 1%
> market cannot possibly be sustained forever.
>

No the battle ground is really still Linux. Or if you're going to fight at the SQL Server level, its going to be Derby as a platform independent database.

>>> Two words describe Informix, "embedded" and "legacy".  One word is being
>>> marketed by IBM, the rest is just pure market reality.  The only place
>>> left to go after embedded is entombed.  Informix is living in a coma,
>>> and the damn thing just never seems to die, somebody take out the
>>> feeding tube!
>>>

Hmmm. The embedded market is still a very large market. Consider Tivo and or other set top devices. You're going to want a database there. Maybe IDS, maybe just Derby.

Cisco Switches anyone?

Loads of possibilities.

>>> Informix will eventually fade into obscurity.  Pity.  All that goodness,
>>> all that greatness, all that hard work, all that 1.4% market share, down
>>> the shitter.
>>>
>>

Maybe, maybe not.
Depends on who's replaced Janet, and how far are certain IBMers willing to go.

Truthfully, Mills has been focusing elsewhere because there are lower hanging fruit and Steve doesn't see the value of the database anymore. It just isn't flashy or sexy.

But hey, what do I know? I'm just one of those guys who watches, listens, learns ...

-G
PS. My im_gumby addy over at hotmail still works. Same on MSN Messenger too.

-- 
We don't like no stinking spammers. If you can read my e-mail addy, then you
should be able to figure out what it will take to send me a reply.

Received on Mon Nov 28 2005 - 10:55:03 CST