H
Heavner, Lou \[FRS/AUS\]
Ahhh it is always good to find others who are familiar with one of my favorite philosophers, Frederic Bastiat.
I wouldn't suggest that suppliers never leave their customers high and dry. It has happened and it will happen again. It was a much more common with older systems which really weren't designed with consideration for the changes that would follow in the technology market. Technology doesn't stand still and it is still hard for vendors to compete on new projects while supporting legacy systems without facing some product disconnects. Each vendor has their own strategy and track record. All I am saying is
that vendors are much more acutely aware of the problems of technology obsolescence today and in the highly competitive industry of automation they
are more reluctant to abandon their installed base. As Curt W pointed out, the vendors may not be able to control their destiny if MS decides for them to pull the plug on certain technology. The world is what it is. However, IMHO, the value of something like OPC far outweighs the risk of it being abandoned. I can't say why I believe that and I certainly can't guarantee
it. And in the event that it ever was abandoned, the cost might be high and painful for some, but somebody will come up with a solution. I'll put my faith in the entrepreneurs out there to keep the world from coming to an end. End users aren't stupid. They have dealt with product obsolescence in the past including the mother of them all (Y2K) and continue to buy from MS and other suppliers that have arguably "screwed" them. There must be a reason. I am sympathetic to integrators who probably bear a larger burden
in this respect. But that is the cost of doing business in this market space and heaven knows there are a lot of integrators out there making a
living.
Speaking only for myself,
Lou Heavner
Consultant
Advanced Applied Technologies Team
Emerson Process Management
Phone: (512) 834-7262
Fax: (512) 832-3199
e-Mail: [email protected]
I wouldn't suggest that suppliers never leave their customers high and dry. It has happened and it will happen again. It was a much more common with older systems which really weren't designed with consideration for the changes that would follow in the technology market. Technology doesn't stand still and it is still hard for vendors to compete on new projects while supporting legacy systems without facing some product disconnects. Each vendor has their own strategy and track record. All I am saying is
that vendors are much more acutely aware of the problems of technology obsolescence today and in the highly competitive industry of automation they
are more reluctant to abandon their installed base. As Curt W pointed out, the vendors may not be able to control their destiny if MS decides for them to pull the plug on certain technology. The world is what it is. However, IMHO, the value of something like OPC far outweighs the risk of it being abandoned. I can't say why I believe that and I certainly can't guarantee
it. And in the event that it ever was abandoned, the cost might be high and painful for some, but somebody will come up with a solution. I'll put my faith in the entrepreneurs out there to keep the world from coming to an end. End users aren't stupid. They have dealt with product obsolescence in the past including the mother of them all (Y2K) and continue to buy from MS and other suppliers that have arguably "screwed" them. There must be a reason. I am sympathetic to integrators who probably bear a larger burden
in this respect. But that is the cost of doing business in this market space and heaven knows there are a lot of integrators out there making a
living.
Speaking only for myself,
Lou Heavner
Consultant
Advanced Applied Technologies Team
Emerson Process Management
Phone: (512) 834-7262
Fax: (512) 832-3199
e-Mail: [email protected]