CC: And what was the final reason for retiring?

FS: My IBM responsibilities allowed very little time for me to spend with user groups, business partners or even individual customers. Because IBM had decided years earlier to promote the IBM Company as a whole rather than promoting individual systems, there was little or no publicity for IBM i. The job of promoting this wonderful system fell to user groups, business partners and existing customers. I felt that I could help with this promotion after I retired.

CC: Do you miss anything from your IBM time?

FS: I miss many of the people. I do try to stay in touch with many people who are still in IBM, but it becomes more difficult from the outside. CC: What are you doing now?

FS: I am now working with several business partners, user groups and customers around the world, which is exactly what I wanted to do. I also have more free time. My wife likes to tease me about my free time by pointing out that before I retired I worked seven days a week, and now I only work six days a week.

CC: How do you see the future of “AS/400”?

FS: IBM i has a great future as a fundamental part of IBM Power Systems. Any concerns that this system may soon disappear are unfounded. The AS/400 left us ten years ago to join the S/36 and the S/38 in the museum of outstanding business systems. Today, we need to support and promote Power Systems.

CC: What will IBM i enthusiasts face in the future?

FS: Enthusiasts who work in an IBM i shop need to become advocates and start promoting the IBM i as the best, most modern system for business. If no one promotes the IBM i in their own shop and explains the benefits that this system provides to their business, it is likely that the system will be replaced. I am always amazed to hear IBM i enthusiasts complain about their management’s plans to replace an older iSeries with a “modern” Windows or Unix system. Remember, IBM is not going to promote any particular system. If a customer wants Windows, Unix and even a mainframe, IBM will happily sell it to them. IBM i enthusiasts need to promote their own systems or risk losing them.

CC: What will be the challenges for the “COMMONs” worldwide?

FS: COMMON’s challenges all involve recruiting new members. I see two very important activities that will go a long way towards helping any country COMMON recruit new members. The first is embracing all of Power Systems and not just IBM i. The second is a YIPs (Young i Professionals) program. YIPs programs represent the future of COMMON.

CC: How did you like the CEC (COMMON Europe Conference) 2010 in Stratford upon Avon?

FS: During the past year I have had the privilege to attend the COMMON US Conference, the COMMON Europe Conference and the Intermediate System Users Conference (iSUC) in Japan. These are always wonderful conferences, especially when I can spend some time with the people attending the conference and not have to rush off due to some other commitment. The enthusiasm that I find at these conferences is contagious. CEC has always been special for me because of the many people from different countries that come together to share ideas and discuss the latest technologies in business computing. Over the years Europe has been the largest market for the systems that we developed back in Rochester.

CC: What do you think about “iManifest”? Can you tell me something about this?

FS: The iManifest initiative was originally started in Japan by a group of business partners shortly after Power Systems was announced. They recognized that IBM was not going to promote individual systems such as the IBM i, so they decided to do their own promotions. The effort has been phenomenally successful in Japan as a very important way to promote IBM i. Some of us are now trying to start similar efforts in other countries.

CC: What do you see in the future of technology? A few years ago you mentioned how “strange it is, to save data to rusty disks” and that this will be changed in the future. Now we are able to use SSD. What else do you think will change – not only in the IBM i world?

FS: Predicting hardware technologies is fairly easy. Hardware is constantly moving to cheaper and denser implementations, and this will continue well into the future. It is far more difficult to predict software technologies, primarily because we keep changing the way in which we use our systems. Ten years ago, we were all interacting with our computers in more or less the same way. We used a display, a keyboard and a mouse. Look at what has happened to user interfaces in those last ten years. There are new user interfaces and new user devices appearing almost every day. Keyboards and mice are rapidly becoming extinct. Now, think about how we will be interacting with computers ten years in the future. There is no shortage of new ideas for how we can work with our computers. Future technology innovations are not just limited to user interfaces and devices. Our business systems will also see major innovations. For example, one of the hottest topics in the computer industry today is cloud computing. Yet cloud computing is being held back for many businesses because of a lack of adequate security. We need to invent some form of security that absolutely guarantees data stored in the cloud is totally secure. Only then will the potential of cloud computing be fully realized. I could go on and on about future technologies that we should expect to see, but you get the picture. As I often tell young people in IT schools around the world, in many ways technology innovation is just beginning and they are at the forefront of that innovation.

CC: You are familiar with IBM Academic Initiative. What do you think about this program?

FS: I am a huge fan of the IBM Academic Initiative. It has been very successful for the schools and for the students who are participating in the program. As the demand for IT skills grows worldwide, companies have found the participating schools to be the best source for finding those skills. Students who possess modern IT skills can significantly expand their job and career opportunities. We always want to see more schools and more students involved in the Academic Initiative, but growth takes time. The program continues to demonstrate how to attract young people to Power Systems.

CC: What car is currently “on work” in your garage?

FS: I have several projects currently in my garage waiting for me. There is a Porsche rebuild that needs to be completed, a Pontiac Firebird that still needs some work, and a 1941 Studebaker pickup truck that my wife owns and wants restored. I wish I could say I was spending a lot of time working on these vehicles, but I have been fairly busy doing other things. Fortunately all of these projects will be waiting for me when I finally decide to retire.

CC: Do you still race?

FS: No, I decided it was time for me to take on the role of “chief mechanic” for my family and give up the driving. The youngest generation in our family is almost old enough to do some cart racing, so this looks like my next challenge.

CC: You are a Formula 1 Fan – what do you think about this season?

FS: I do enjoy watching Formula 1, and I very much enjoyed this season. I have had the chance to attend a few Formula 1 races in Europe and Asia over the last few seasons, and I am looking forward to Formula 1 coming back to the US. The new circuit being built near Austin, Texas looks to be a good venue for the US Grand Prix in 2012.

 

Thank you for the interview, Frank! ..