Informix Users Want More From IBM

Computerworld - IBM is trying to reassure customers who fear that the perception that the Informix database is a dead product will continue to grow and eventually become reality.
IBM bought the Informix technology in 2001 to boost its presence in the distributed database market and better compete against rivals Oracle Corp. and Microsoft Corp.
While seven Informix customers interviewed late last month at the International Informix User Group (IIUG) conference and elsewhere said IBM is responsive to their development needs, some fear a continued lack of visibility will lead to more independent software vendor defections and stronger efforts by IBM's sales force to convince users to replace Informix with DB2.
Ironically, some DB2 users recently criticized IBM for neglecting their product .
The concerns come as Gartner Inc. released a report showing a decline in Informix sales during 2004 and noting that key IBM partners such as Computer Associates International Inc. have said that they won't support future versions of Informix.
Prevailing Perception
"The world has a perception that Informix is dead," said Stuart Litel, president of the IIUG and chief technology officer at Informix reseller Kazer Corp. in Lee's Summit, Mo. He blamed that partly on IBM's postacquisition plan to create a "merged product."
Several users criticized IBM's database sales force as overly DB2-centric. "It's almost like they are satisfied in supporting the Informix product line for the current user base but do not want to risk possible sales of the Informix line affecting their DB2 revenue," said Clifton Bean, a database consultant at a company that he asked not be named.
One database administrator from a hospitality company, who also asked not to be named, runs the flagship Informix Dynamic Server Version 9.4. He said there have been some attempts by salespeople to introduce DB2 into his shop.
Kevyn Schneider, a business intelligence architect and IIUG member, said that after the postacquisition departure of most of the Informix sales force, "I think many in the Informix community feel we are the stepchildren."
Bruce Weed, program director at Informix, said IBM is holding road shows and online events to let customers and developers interact. This year, the company will start to focus on grass-roots marketing among partners to make them "aware of the viability of Informix," he said.