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From: cook@pinocchio.Encore.COM (Dale C. Cook)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.encore
Subject: is there interest ... NP/1
Summary: Yes, but...
Message-ID: <10513@encore.Encore.COM>
Date: 1 Dec 89 14:48:14 GMT
Sender: news@Encore.COM
Reply-To: cook@encore.com
Followup-To: comp.sys.encore
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Organization: Santa's Helpers, Woodville Division, AFLCIO
Lines: 59

[clp@beartrk.beartrack.com (Charlie Pilzer) recently posted that: 
|
[Largely accurate discussion of the many machines, operating systems
and systems now supported by Encore.]
|
|As for existing PowerNode (and I guess NP/1) installations, getting rev locked
|isn't all that terrible if you are a commercial/production client.  In the
|case of research or education institutions, it could be a problem.  The
|machines themselves will be supported for a number of years.  There are
|existing contracts that must be fulfilled (some of them are government).
|There may be no hardware upgrades but current equipment will be maintained.
|I think the same goes for software.  No new releases but there will be bug fixes.
|
Gould has an excellent reputation for supporting every product ever made
and from everything I've heard the new management has no plans to change
that.  Also note that Ken Fisher, CEO, recently preannounced (what the
hey is that?) a major new machine, dubbed Seahawk, in the real-time,
Concept, MPX arena.
|
|THe saddest part of the Gould story wasn't the buyout.
|  That's pretty positive.
|No, it was watching a company fall apart.  Many of the best people in Gould
|operations were laid off or got nervous and left.  Morale became terrible as
|the survivors just waited for another axe to fall.  Development teams and
|projects were dismantled.  And this happened before Encore bought the remnants
|of Gould.
|
And a major positive thing is watching the new teams from Massachusetts and
Florida get together and make plans to go forward together building on the
strengths each brings to the table.  Yes, a lot of good people were lost.
But, yes, there remain a lot of good people dedicated to turning the new
Encore around and making excellent product.

|I don't know what's going to happen now.  Encore has been loosing money since
|acquiring Gould/CSD. It must turn around or there will be no support for any
|of the machines.  Hard business decisions were made and the costs were not
|negligable.

There's a very cautious optimism bubbling up about this quarter and down
right bullishness for next year.  Ken's a pretty seasoned businessman
and quite a lot of us believe he will get the financials back on track
and lead us to bigger and better things.

|a given vendor decrease.  Encore may wind up loosing customers as the
|customers decommission their PowerNodes.
|
(Obviously) we will do everything in our power to keep ALL of our
customers!  Sometimes those powers are limited by resources and
require your patience.
|
|Charlie Pilzer
|clp@beartrk.beartrack.com

        - Dale (N1US)   Encore Computer Corporation, Marlborough, Mass.

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