After only about a year working at Briteskies in the IBM i community, I've learned a few things:
I've spoken with more IT contacts than I can count who tell me that their CEO or other higher-up wants to spend hundreds of thousands (or even millions) of dollars moving onto a new ERP platform. I often ask if they’re experiencing any issues with the IBM i and they report that the IBM i has successfully supported their business for decades. There’s no reason to move over.
As a relatively new and eager member of the IBM i fan club, I've been trying to find a way to illustrate how wrong the prevailing notion of "the IBM i is dead" actually is. So, with the help of John Rockwell's ALL400s.com, I got to work identifying household items that were made by companies who run IBM i and posting them on my LinkedIn. The responses have been overwhelming.
As Alex Woodie wrote in his article for IT Jungle about my posts, it can be hard to find any coverage of IBM i in mainstream or even tech-specific news. IBM i doesn't have a performance or adoption problem; it has a visibility problem. That's why I decided to start my LinkedIn posts to highlight both the major brands that run on the platform and all of the everyday items people use that were made because of the i.
It has been great to connect with others in the IBM i community through this experiment and to hear from so many others who are tired of IBM i being the butt of the joke. Dawn May, IBM i consultant and President of COMMON North America, even proposed the use of #IBMiEverywhere so others can share their stories.
I think Alex's article best sums up why this social media project has hit a nerve with so many in the industry.
In the end, sharing unofficial lists of companies that run on IBM i seems to be a good way to boost morale for the IT soldiers in the trenches, who hear a lot of FUD and may be questioning their choice of platform. As it turns out, there are a lot of great companies that continue to rely on the box, which continues to run business software reliability, securely, and efficiently decade after decade.
They may not be shouting their IBM i success from the rooftops. But sometimes actions speak louder than words."
Popular opinions aren’t always correct or accurate. I hope that this project will show C-suite executives (and others in the IT department) that more prominent companies are still using what many consider to be “outdated” or “unsophisticated” technology. There are better solutions than moving to an entirely new system, such as utilizing a managed service provider—ahem, Briteskies—to sustain the platform.
Over the weekend, I spoke to a few of my friends in IT, and they all told me #IBMi is dead.
To prove them wrong, I plan to take pictures of items in my house made with IBM i for the next week.
Check it out!
Day #2 of household brands that run thanks to the #IBM i.
My dishwasher is made by Fisher & Paykel Appliances, who use an #ibmi.
I want to thank John Rockwell and the ALL400s LLC's list, who's confirmed these companies and 50,000+ (!) others are using IBM i.
Day #3 of household brands that run thanks to the IBM i.
My shoes are made by Nike, who use an #IBMi.
Day #4 of household brands that run thanks to the IBM i.
My hood is made by Broan-NuTone, who use an #IBMi.
This is an exceptional company as they are Briteskies clients for their Adobe Commerce website!
#IBMiEverywhere
Day #5 of household brands that run thanks to the IBM i.
My Kleenex, which Kimberly-Clark makes, uses an #IBMi.
#IBMiEverywhere
Day #6 of household brands that run thanks to the IBM i!
My instant coffee is made by Nestlé, which uses an #IBMi.
Yes, the containers to the left of the #Tasterschoice are coffee grounds. The one labeled "No Wake Up" is decaf, courtesy of my very funny wife :)
#IMBiEverywhere
Day #7 of household brands that run thanks to the IBM i.
My Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials labels use an #IBMi.
#IBMiEverywhere
This series was only supposed to go on for a week, but I've seen such an overwhelming response that I figured we'll continue! Glad you're all enjoying :)
Day #8 of household brands that run thanks to the IBM i!
My Williams-Sonoma, Inc., West Elm light fixture uses an #IBMi.
#IBMiEverywhere
Day #9 of household brands that run thanks to the IBM i!
My laundry basket (one of many!) is made by Rubbermaid Home Products, who uses an #IBMi.
#IBMiEverywhere
Day #10 of household brands that run thanks to the IBM i!
PILOT Corporation runs an #IBMi - and if you don't have at least one of their pens in your drawer...then what on earth are you using instead? :)
Thanks to Marianne Hatcher for sending this picture!
Feel free to DM me pictures of your favorite products from companies that run an IBM i.
#IBMiEverywhere
Let's keep the momentum going and continue to show to the naysayers that the IBM i is alive and kicking!
Want to learn more about how to keep your IBM i system relevant to today's world? Check out our IBM i homepage.
No Comments Yet
Let us know what you think