[foxboro] More platform laments

I can't help but wonder if we have a chicken-and-egg issue here: if the 
"we (Invensys) are focusing resources on Windows because new customers are 
buying Windows" thing is really it, or are new customers buying Windows 
I/A because Invensys is focusing its efforts on Windows?

I also don't believe Microsoft is going to really focus on the needs of 
industrial customers.  They blow more smoke than Mt. St. Helens, but they 
can't make Windows be all things to all people -- and we industrial users 
are too small a piece of their pie.  They've seemed to me to leave the 
"industrialization" of Windows largely to ISVs and end-users.


Further, I don't believe Linux and BSD are the only alternatives.  Several 
companies (e.g., QNX) make Unix-ish real-time OSes -- and they really *do* 
focus on industrial customers.  Some of these systems are even used in 
high-reliability environments, like life-support equipment -- an area 
where I don't see much Windows (or Solaris, either).


Foxboro is about the only DCS vendor still doing Unix (well, with the 
exception of Emerson's niche successor to the Westinghouse WPDF), and I 
commend them for it.  I'll be inclined to ride that pony as long as I can 
(though I'd like more security than I currently have on Sun or Windows, 
thank you :).  After that, I'll look at the Windows stuff -- if it's a 
complete, native offering rather than a quick-n-dirty port of the Unix 
stuff, and if it offers comparable functionality to, say, Emerson and 
Honeywell.  That latter bit, however, may prove to be most difficult of 
all.


Corey Clingo
BASF Corp.






"Deo, Terry" <Terry.Deo@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent by: foxboro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
10/25/2004 12:41 PM
Please respond to foxboro

              To:  foxboro 
              cc: 
         Subject:       Re: [foxboro] User Group SA






As president of the user's steering committee I appreciate the positive
comments about the conference.  Any other feedback (positive or
otherwise) is welcomed and will help the committee to make next year's
conference even better.

On the topic of platforms:  I am also a "pry it from my cold dead hands"
Solaris user.  However, I got better understanding of the issue at this
conference.  Several key things give me cause to at least consider the
MS alternative in the future.

1.  First and foremost, I know and trust Alex Johnson.  Alex made the
business model point over and over and I have to say it makes sense.
Not what I wanted to hear but what good is my Foxboro system and
Foxboro's commitment to long term support if Foxboro is out of business?


2.  I thought it was pretty clear that the partnership that Foxboro has
developed with Microsoft is solid and that going forward we will see a
stabilizing of the OS and a focus by MS on the needs of industrial
customers.  Linux and BSD are great options, but I would rather have a
product supported by 2 large companies with a commitment to work
together.

3.  At the feedback and Q&A sessions we, the users, made it clear that
we want the same security, ease of use and engineering/programming tools
on Windows that we enjoy on Sun before we would ever consider switching.
Alex talked about how Foxboro is planning to address these items.

4.  Lastly, the option of looking at other vendors is always one that we
users have.  However, Foxboro is the ONLY vendor that currently offers
UNIX and more importantly still (at least for now) gives the users a
choice.  So where do you go.  As much as I like the Sun/Solaris
platform, the most important thing is a reliable, supported,
maintainable and upgradeable system (as the Foxboro system is now).=20

Regards,
Terry

Terry J. Deo
Process Control Systems Engineer
Infineum USA
Bayway Chemical Plant
Ph. 908-474-6179
Fx. 908-474-7609=20





 
 
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