HP announces its OpenMPE relationship

First notice calls for more surveying of homesteaders’ needs

With 14 months left until it stops selling HP 3000s, HP started the clock on its planning for customers who will play with the systems after HP leaves the field.

HP made its first announcement about its intent to work with the OpenMPE homesteading movement, reporting that its first steps will be to gather information on what customers need who choose to stay on HP 3000s.

Dave Wilde, HP’s 3000 Business Manager, released a message over the Internet’s 3000 newsgroup in mid-June that reports HP now has a working relationship with OpenMPE, Inc. The initial message asked for more details from customers who choose not to migrate from HP 3000s.

“Hewlett-Packard would like to acknowledge its working relationship with OpenMPE, Inc.,” Wilde stated in his message. “We are working closely with the OpenMPE Board of Directors to better understand the needs and concerns of the community they represent. HP is pleased to have such a partner as we try to determine potential steps to address e3000 customer needs in both the 2003-2006 and beyond 2006 timeframes.”

The timing on substantial HP announcements for homesteading customers, who don’t want to move away from the platform, will leave some advocates upset. But Wilde said he feels some near-term dissatisfaction with the progress on homesteading is the price to pay for better decisions.

“I’d rather take the heat for a period of time here while we’re figuring out a good set of answers that’s sustainable,” he said, “then roll those out. I’d rather make sure we understand the needs, and address them as quickly as we can, rather than rushing into things that make people happy now, but lead to disappointment later.”

Wilde said that HP feels it’s making progress on its migration plans, so it can turn toward resolving the questions its homesteading customers have.

“It feels like we’re getting some traction,” he said, “and we’ll be able to make some of these decisions that people in the OpenMPE and Interex community have been asking about: how can I run MPE systems longer, and what kinds of things might be in place for me?”

HP’s message added that it recognizes OpenMPE’s work with Interex, as well as other homesteading advocates, and indicated a deliberate process of studying the homesteading movement is underway. HP encouraged its homesteading customers to take an online survey at the OpenMPE Web site (www.openmpe.org).

“OpenMPE has been working with HP, Interex, and others to create a survey to better understand the nature and needs of this community. HP joins OpenMPE in asking that customers who anticipate running MPE beyond 2006 take the time to complete the survey. The information compiled [will help] OpenMPE and HP evaluate possible directions for moving forward.”

The survey results gathered during the next seven days covered plans for more than 1,600 HP 3000s. More than 90 percent of the surveyed machines were of 9x9 vintage or older. Thirty percent of the survey respondents wanted help from HP on planning their homesteading immediately, and another 27 percent need the help within six months. Close to 400 companies responded to the survey, conducted during a period when many IT managers take vacations.

“We thank each and every company that took the time to make sure their voices are heard,” said OpenMPE board chairman Jon Backus. “We look forward to using the results to better serve the community going forward.”

The Interex user group added its endorsement of OpenMPE Inc. one week after HP’s announcement.

“For 28 years Interex has continued to support the e3000 community,” said executive director Ron Evans, “and it is pleased that OpenMPE is joining in at this crucial juncture. Now with the endorsement and committed support of HP, we feel strongly that OpenMPE is well-positioned to assist e3000 users dealing with the end of life issues of migration and homesteading. Interex looks forward to working closely with OpenMPE in furtherance of the users’ successful transitioning. Interex is committed to supporting MPE through EOL, and will continue to provide a forum for our members thereafter.”

Wilde said that the full range of HP decisions on how it can assist homesteading won’t be available by the HP World conference in late September.

“There are a lot of questions out there,” he said. “I suspect there will be questions that will involve waiting to see how some things turn out. We’ll announce some things and see how they go, and those will determine other decisions that have to be made.

“Sometimes the best way to help a segment of the customers is to make sure the rest of the environment is taken care of, so we can then focus in that [homesteading area]. In a family, sometimes the parents take time to make sure they have a good relationship, so it doesn’t mean spending all the time with the kids. I think there’s an analogy here, trying to take care of the big issues that could be distracting. I hope people will measure us in terms of the long-term answer, rather than the short-term answer.”