Patrick: It's quite possible to have an informed opinion, state it, then need time to gather material for a detailed response. Let's give Winn that much.
Folks: I also don't think Winn's background is that important. He can be in the field and be an idiot, or he can be out of the field and be a laser beam of clarity. Credentials are way overrated. The argument means everything. I will be reading Winn's documentable sources. I will ignore everything he says of the form "throught my work I can tell you that B Tree is a sucky little scam outfit that can't tell an embedded chip from a buffalo chip ... blah blah blah ..." [looking back at the board, I can see he's already started]
Winn is certainly off to a terrible start. CK already noted this, but it bears repeating: Winn wrote: "BMY didn't get duped, first it's a work assessment, not a contract yet. Secondly, it's about factory automation work, nothing to do with Y2K problems, but TPRO just hyped it that way."
The press release says
<<< Topro, Inc., d.b.a. TAVA Technologies, Inc., (Nasdaq:
TPRO - news) a leading provider of automation and information technology solutions to industry,
today announced that it has signed an agreement with Bristol-Meyers Squibb Company (NYSE:
BMY - news) to provide Year 2000 tools and compliance support for all Non-Information
Technology systems at approximately 125 sites worldwide.
The initial stage of services is a pilot plant project at the Bristol- Meyers Squibb multi-building
facility in New Brunswick, NJ. The pilot plant project has begun and is scheduled for completion
by February of 1998. The intent of Bristol-Meyers Squibb is to roll-out the worldwide program,
covering all sites, shortly thereafter. The worldwide roll-out is already in the planning stage. The
engagement program includes TAVA's Plant Y2K One(TM) CD-ROM based tools, database
access and Millennium services.
''We are pleased to have this opportunity to work with Bristol-Meyers Squibb. We believe that
their approach to Year 2000 compliance, which contains a strong element of self-execution
supported by the Plant Y2K One(TM) tools, is a great way to move quickly through the critical
assessment stage,'' said John Jenkins, CEO of Topro, Inc.
James Ham, vice-president, Information Management at Bristol-Meyers Squibb stated, ''We
believe we are a leader in addressing year 2000 compliance throughout our organization. Our
relationship with TAVA is an important step in addressing our Non-Information Technology
systems around the world.'' >>>
There is no doubt this announcement, surely approved by both TPRO and BMY, is about y2k and only y2k. So for Winn to be correct, both TPRO and BMY must be lying. It would also be the first reported instance of a company reporting an agreement for y2k services when those services are not for y2k. If Winn acknwledges his error here, we should read other stuff he has to say. Otherwise, hit NEXT.
Wade |
