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IIUG Insider (Issue #4)
June 28, 2002

Other Issues

Highlights: Free Workshops, 4Js Download, White Paper, IUC Conference Update, LUG Corner, SIG Corner, Membership Drive, Upcoming Webcasts, Informix in the News

Welcome to the International Informix Users Group (IIUG) Insider! It contains timely and relevant information for the IBM Informix community.

Contents:

  1. IBM Offers Free Faculty Workshops
  2. 4Js Download from IIUG.org
  3. Download WP3 in pdf from IIUG.org
  4. IUC 2002 -- Tutorials & Breakout Sessions Announced
  5. LUG Corner: Summary of Successes for the First Half of 2002
  6. SIG Corner: 2002, A Banner Year for Special Interest Groups
  7. IIUG Membership Referral Program
  8. WebSphere App Server & Informix Dynamic Servers Webcast: 11 July
  9. Computerworld and Network World on IBM-Informix
  10. Useful Links
  11. Closing and Credits

IBM Offers Free Faculty Workshops

The IBM Scholars Program is sponsoring two free workshops in July featuring several sessions about open technologies, such as Web Services, Linux and Eclipse, and a demo and presentation about WebSphere Studio. Attendees will also gain information regarding faculty resources, such as the Scholars Program, DeveloperWorks and recruiting opportunities for students.

The workshops will be held July 16 at IBM's offices in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and July 18 at the Davidson Executive Conference Center at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

"As a strong believer and supporter of standards-based and open source technologies, IBM welcomes the opportunity to see how we might help your students better understand the impact and power that open source technologies bring to our future", said IBM University Relations Program Manager Connie Hanlon.

See http://www.ibm.com/university/stoplockin-workshop for additional workshop details and to register online.

4Js Download from IIUG.org

IIUG and 4Js (http://www.4js.com) are providing IIUG members a free evaluation copy of the 4Js Business Development Suite, the most current version of what Informix Software re-sold as D4GL. BDS provides I4GL style development with extended deployments on Windows, Web and mobile devices

The download is immediately available within the IIUG Member Area. Please note that the software may not be transferred, sold or used to run production applications.

Please note that the software may not be transferred, sold or used to run production applications. It is available for the following operating systems: AIX, Windows NT / 2K, Linux, Solaris Sparc and SCO.

Download WP3 in pdf from IIUG.org

Speaking of downloads, remember that the latest edition, version 3, of IBM’s Informix product portfolio white paper is available for download as an Adobe Acrobat file from the IIUG Member area.

For feedback, please write to President@IIUG.org.

IUC 2002 -- Tutorials & Breakout Sessions Announced

IBM has now formally announced the tutorial sessions and breakout sessions for this year's Informix User Conference (IUC), to be held 9-13 September, 2002, in Anaheim, California, USA.

Over 100 Informix breakout sessions (75% of which are new!!) run throughout the conference, and cover the following tracks: Application Development and Data Access; Database Design and Administration; Integrated Solutions with Informix and DB2; Roadmaps and ATE’s; and U2 Product Family. For more information on the IUC breakout sessions, including schedules and abstracts, check out http://www.ibm.com/services/learning/conf/us/dm/db2_agenda_sessions.pdf.

Special tutorial sessions will be presented on Sunday, 8 September, 2002, the day before the conference officially kicks off. These are either half-day (3 hours) or full-day (6 hours) intensive training sessions, developed and presented by IBM Informix Education Services & Training. Pricing is currently set at US$225 each for the half-day tutorials, and US$345 each for the full-day tutorials. Please note that fees and registration for tutorials are separate from Conference fees and registration.

For a listing of currently scheduled tutorials, check out http://www.iiug.org/calendar/conference_corner.html#IUC.

Registration for the tutorials will soon be available at http://www.ibm.com/services/learning/conf/us/dm/preconf_im.html.

PLEASE GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK!: You can help us by taking our one question Quick Survey regarding your plans for the IUC (even if you don't plan to make it this year) by visiting http://www.iiug.org/cgi-bin/fglccgi?survey3

LUG Corner: Summary of Successes for the First Half of 2002

There have been nearly 40 meetings of Informix Local User Groups (LUGs) during the first half of 2002. The IIUG Board of Directors has been working closely with individuals from various locales to strengthen existing LUGs, reactivate inactive LUGs and form new LUGs. There are now some 50 groups listed on our web site. Many thanks to the LUG leaders, IBM employee liaisons and the Informix User Group Program Manager, Dawn Shannon, for helping these initiatives to succeed. Look for the momentum to continue.

For more information and to see if there is a group meeting near you, visit http://www.iiug.org and look under Community and Local User Groups.

Also, check the calendar of events periodically to see when and if an event is coming up in your area.

SIG Corner: 2002, A Banner Year for Special Interest Groups

There is a virtual community that lives and thrives on the IIUG web site. It is the Email discussion lists or Special Interest Groups (SIGs). There are 20 individual lists with over 1500 individuals who subscribe to at least one of the lists generating over 3000 email messages on a monthly basis.

Lists have been most recently added for SAP, PeopleSoft and IBM Informix Partners. Check these out at http://www.iiug.org under Resources, Discussion Groups, Other Discussion Groups. You must be an active IIUG member to participate.

To subscribe, log into the member area and click on the "E-mail Discussion Lists" button.

Enhancements to the lists are forthcoming. In addition to sending and receiving the discussion messages via email, the messages will be available for viewing and searching on the web site directly from the member area. Once available, subscribers will be emailed with the information...stay tuned.

IIUG Membership Referral Program

IIUG is announcing its first membership referral drive. We will be awarding one point to each current member for each referral who joins between now and 9 September, 2002. Referral points can be redeemed for the IIUG gifts listed below.

To participate, send an e-mail to your Informix friends whom are not IIUG members and ask them to simply enter your e-mail address in the "Referred by IIUG Member" field. Each time a new member joins, you will receive one point and a confirmation e-mail when they accept their membership.

After the program ends, we will notify you of the current member point count and you may select your gift. The gifts are NOT cumulative. For example, if you received 10 points, you could only select ANY ONE gift at the 5 or 10 point level. All IIUG gifts will be sent out by the end of October.

The following gifts will be awarded for the indicated points:

> 5 - IIUG Lapel Pin
> 10 - IIUG pen with retractable pen, pencil and palm stylus or IIUG retractable modem cord
> 20 - IIUG leather travel documents portfolio
> 30 - IIUG long sleeve Denim shirt
> 40 - any two of the above (must be different items)
> 50 - any three of the above (must be different items)

For additional details visit: http://www.iiug.org/referral/

WebSphere App Server & Informix Dynamic Servers Webcast: 11 July

IIUG and IBM will co-host a webcast on 11 July 2002 at 9 AM US Pacific (1700 GMT) focused on WebSphere Application Server & Informix Dynamic Servers. Hosts will be Madhuri Ahuja, of IBM Corp., Data Management Solutions, and Sounia Chaney, IIUG Board member.

The WebSphere App Server and IDS are a winning combination. This presentation we will include an overview of the WebSphere App Server, how to set it up with IDS, and a demonstration of their joint capabilities using the Life Insurance application. Before closing, an open Q&A session will attempt to resolve questions from the audience. For more information on WebSphere products, please visit http://www.ibm.com/software/info1/websphere/index.jsp.

For logistics and additional information on this web cast, please visit http://www.iiug.org/resources/webcasts/webcast_11jul02.html.

Computerworld and Network World on IBM-Informix

A flurry of articles regarding the IBM-Informix acquisition were recently published. The tone is positive and constructive. Here’s a list of them and their corresponding hyperlinks:

IBM's Informix Buy Pays Off
A year later, most customers stay loyal to company's technology.
By John Cox
Network World, 06/24/02
"A year after IBM announced it was paying $1 billion for the Informix software business, the bet seems to be paying off"
http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2002/133460_06-24-2002.html

Informix Users: IBM Mostly Making the Right Moves
By Marc L. Songini
Computerworld, 06/ 03/02
"Nearly a year after it bought Informix Corp.'s database operations, IBM continues to make moves that are keeping members of the installed base it inherited, though not without some concerns about issues such as marketing and technical support..."
http://www.computerworld.com/databasetopics/data/story/0,10801,71658,00.html

More Informix Upgrades in the Works
By Marc L. Songini
Computerworld, 06/03/02
"Looking to demonstrate its commitment to the Informix user base, IBM has made a series of enhancements to the product line that it acquired 11 months ago and said it has more upgrades on the way. ..."
http://www.computerworld.com/databasetopics/data/story/0,10801,71634,00.html

IBM Beefs Up Database Management Line
By Marc L. Songini
Computerworld, 06/10/02
"IBM last week announced plans to ship 20 new or upgraded database management tools in a bid to bolster its competitive position in that market where the company is still a relative newcomer. ..."
http://www.computerworld.com/databasetopics/data/story/0,10801,71763,00.html

Have you found an article regarding IBM/Informix products? Please share it by sending the link to Info@IIUG.org.

Useful Links

Closing and Credits

The International Informix Users Group (IIUG) is an organization designed to enhance communications between IBM and its worldwide user community. IIUG now approaches 14,000 members and enjoys the support and commitment of IBM's Data Management division. Key programs include local user groups and special interest groups, which we promote and assist from launch through growth.

Sources: IIUG Board of Directors
Editors: Fred Hubbard and David Smith, IIUG Board of Directors

For comments, please send an email to ug@iiug.org.