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Technology Stocks : Enterprise Informatics -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: jackhach who wrote (3693)	5/19/1999 2:02:00 AM
From: bob zagorin	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 13797

IMHO, Mike's perspective is welcome but sould be tempered by our knowledge that he has been selling against Altris for years in the field just as anyone else should take our perspecive with a grain of salt because we are long the stock.

To: jackhach who wrote (3693)	5/19/1999 3:02:00 AM
From: Michael Watkins	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 13797

Jack, >> Not sure what's happening with the DG imaging business unit or their relationship with StaffWare. << That's kind of funny Mike. My conversation with the director of DG Imaging about 6 or 7 weeks ago -- indicated thet DG was antcipating selling EB out of the box by no later then July. I'm sure you know the director over there. Altris's Alan Turner and Roger Ericson have been in regular contact with him. I quote: "The company (Altris) has become much more responsive since Roger took over." I'm not sure what you are insinuating. Well, actually I am sure, but not concerned as my track record is all in print. Please re-read my comments "Not sure what's happening with the DG imaging business unit or their relationship with StaffWare." - I said I am "Not sure". How plain can I get? If you look back through every post I've ever put up on Silicon Investor I guarantee you that you will not find anything that I've knowingly posted to be misleading in either direction. I simply stated that I do not know where things stand. I think its a good thing for you to check out. (As for who the current director of DG's IBU is, I don't even know. I would hazard a guess his initials start with "MF" after "BZ" left. Beyond the mere existance of the IBU you should really check into their business run rate and future plans. I had heard vague rumours that things were not accelerating there. I do not know the details and facts may be quite different. I certainly would expect that IBU is not a major focus of DG given the restructuring that company is doing. Also check to see where the medical imaging group fits in, they were not even using Altris product. Maybe they are now, maybe not. Bottom line is DG is a non issue in my market (too bad, I wish they were as we had a nice alliance with them for a time here locally and that would be profitable for both of us) and I have not kept up with what they are doing. You should if you believe they account for major pieces of business as I honestly must question their commitment to the DM market. Ask for details and hard numbers. ) >> To my knowledge there is no formal relationship between Staffware and Altris(or anyone else for that matter). <<< How about: QSP, SAIC, SDRC, Staffware, Spescom, to name just a few; go to each of their sites and see that they are listed as EB distributors as well as a likely development/integration partner. I should have written my statement more precisely. I was commenting on relationships between Staffware and other companies (including Altris). I was commenting more on Staffware than Altris. Staffware, not having a DM product as part of their line up, is pretty much DM vendor neutral. They are trying to build relationships with all the players (certainly those players that do not hold workflow software in their product lines!), some more than others. Perhaps a definition of a formal relationship should also include "meaningful" relationship. I.e., if I ask a StaffWare rep about a good DM product, who will they send me to? Links on web sites and some shared customers really do not go that far. Its what the sales people on the street and the VARS work with, have positive experiences with, and will recommend again - thats what matters. Frankly, the independent workflow vendors don't much care from what I can tell. I expect to see some consolidation in that field (perhaps acquisitions by companies lacking this component - such as DOCS/HUMC or others). I'm happy not to post if that's what you and others would like. However, I think I may have something to offer (balance), and frankly, you have no need to be concerned that I am biased against Altris for any business or investment reasons. I have never, not once, seen Altris in a competition nor am I likely to in the four major cities my firm operates in. I would like to dispel any suggestion that I have any other agenda other than my own professional interest in following the DM and KM industry as thoroughly as possible. Who knows what the future might hold for me. Honestly, I doubt a relationship with Altris given where they are now, but I can't predict the future far out and I like to keep an eye on everything. I don't recall when I first posted on the ALTS thread but I do recall the gist of one of my comments which still stands true today - they will find it hard to build their sales channel through VARS until it is very clear that they are a going concern and media attention is focussed only on positive achievements and not a precarious position. The aura will continue to limit them in attracting new sales partners. It takes a VAR significant time and resource to get up to speed on these technologies and you just won't find an existing, performing, VAR make a switch unless the value proposition is truly compelling (both in the technology and solution deliverable to the client and also to the VAR's business). I just don't see how they can do that in the current climate, and it will take more than a few or even 50 deals to overcome that. I haven't spent much time thinking about the Spescom deal (have to chat to one of my partners who is from S.A.) but perhaps they are on to something by "buying" implementation capability in this manner. It seems to me that relationships like that, and potentially DG or other "OEMs" may be part of the key. If you truly believe I am being purposefully negative, then just say so and I'll be gone. Given the rough road that Tanna led ALTS down, I can't blame anyone for trying to look on the positive side. I simply trying to put some perspective into the discussion. Cheerleading and bashing are both bad things. I don't think I do either. Cheers Michael