President's Message from Peter Maher

By now I hope all of you have received your JAM '99 brochures. As you can see the committee has done a superb job in bringing the best possible speakers here for you our members. I also can tell you that the topics are the most up to date (in fact some changed from my letter in June.) Now that you have your brochure I suggest you take a good look at it and get your registration in ASAP. If you have any questions feel free to call me anytime.

Board Elections

In accordance with the bylaws I am giving notice that our annual elections will be held at the October meeting. Any current member may vote in the elections (you must however be in attendance.)

Additionally I would like all of you to think about placing your name on the ballot. I have been told by a few of our current board members that they will not be returning next year. This opens up a few spots and I heartily urge you to consider running. The work of the board is NOT hard or time consuming and actually, dare I say it, it can be fun! With a full board the work is distributed evenly and no one person is overwhelmed. We do ask you to attend approximately 3-4 board meetings during the year and we even provide the food. So give it some thought and if you are interested or have questions call me.

September Meeting

This month we welcome back Mary McConnell of IBM. This month Mary will be giving us the skinny on the August announcements. This includes Dedicated Domino Server, DB2 Enhancements, additional PCI support, High Performance Disks, Web sphere and JAVA. The meeting will be held in College Park at the Holiday Inn. Come out and meet your fellow AS/400 Users and share war/horror stories about Y2K.

Looking forward and yes I am to October when world famous COMMON raconteur and speaker Andrew Borts will grace our little town with his unique brand of...oh forget it Andrew I can't really write all this stuff you said to...

So folks put October 19th on your calendar you won't regret it!

Project Management A Titanic Perspective

This course analyzes parts of the most controversial sea disasters of our time in terms of a modern project, pointing out the unique failures that parallel projects in today's business world. As a bonus, Titanic Trivia contests could be aced from information being analyzed. .

Andrew Borts Bio is as follows:

When Andrew asked his father to read his book about FORTRAN IV 22 years ago, he complied and wondered why Andrew was giving up Loony Tunes! Now 20 years later, Andrew has published in News/400, Computerworld, and Insider magazine on such wide ranging topics as Computer Viruses, tips and techniques using the AS/400 as well as publishing a "program of the month". His opinion articles in Computerworld have attempted to shed light in the general computing world about the strengths of the AS/400, Computer User Groups vs. the Internet, and recently Computer Consulting. Andrew is the manager of CUDS, the social event where Common attendees can talk about AS/400 information in a social setting. Andrew is a computer consultant for Systematic Control, Inc. in South Florida.

July Winners the following WAM members won prizes in our monthly drawing:

Midrange Computing Gift Certificate: Art Heine, Reza Majidy, Tom Jones
News/400 Certificate: KB Soni
News/400 Coffee Mug: Jane Reeve
AS/400 Ops Nav video: Ross Massey
Domino for AS/400 CD: David Zhang

-Peter

Mary McConnell of I B M

August Announcements

• Dedicated Domino Server on the AS/400
• DB2 Enhancements
• PCI Support Enhancements
• High Performance Disks
• WEB Sphere
• JAVA

• 18:00 Attitude Adjustment
• 18:30 Dinner
• 19:15 Speaker
• 20:15 Q & A
• 20:30 Adjournment

$25.00/non-member

WAM Contacts:

President: Peter Maher 703/834-3706 F) 703/834-3707 1stplace@crosslink.net
Vice President: John Blum 410/265-1300 F) - - jblum@bcpl.net
Vice President: Pam Johnson 703/978-5212 F) 703/978-5360 pjohnson@i-t-works-inc.com
Secretary: Don Rima 703/742-3744 F) 703/742-0448 dr2@cssas400.com
Treasurer: K B Soni 301/590-7121 F) 301/590-0213 kbsoni@aol.com
Past President: Jack Fugiel 301/489-1103 F) 301/474-1609 fugielj@wdni.com
Newsletter Editor: Tom Jones 301/515-4438 F) - - twjones@erols.com
At Large: Mark Grimley 703/264-0643 F) 703/264-1753 mgrimley@compuserve.com
At Large: Ross Massey 410/672-3783 F) 410/799-9066 rmassey@dpsolutions.com
Associate Director: Paul Lambert 410/381-6396 F) - pg_lambert@prodigy.com
Associate Director: John Rodrigues 703/519-1569 F) 703/683-5100 majobo@aol.com

"Some Like IT Hot"

Oct. 3-7, San Antonio, Texas

Looking for a really hot IT conference? Well, look no further. COMMON’s Fall ‘99 Conference and Expo, Oct. 3-7, in San Antonio, Texas, is so hot, IT sizzles.

You’ll find everything you’re looking for from cutting-edge education on the latest technologies to unparalleled networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities. COMMON’s Fall Conference features more than 900 education hours, including nearly 200 brand-new sessions. COMMON has many outstanding speakers. A sampling of award-winning speakers presenting in San Antonio include Joe DiCecco, Tom Hadley, Laura Knapp, Charlie Massoglia, Randall Munson, Rares Pateanu and Bob Tipton.

Of course, another invaluable benefit of attending is the opportunity to share knowledge with peers and get real solutions from users who’ve already dealt with the same issues you’re dealing with. Plus, you can get your technical questions answered by key developers and experts from IBM and other leading firms. These informal get-togethers often provide a tangible and immediate return on your investment.

For an overview of what awaits you in San Antonio, read on.

Opening Session

Paul Gillin, vice president, editorial, at Search Hitech.com, will kick off the conference at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 3. Gillin will demonstrate how information technology has finally arrived as a key factor maybe the key factor in business success. Gillin will talk about how to look for the small changes in technology that can trigger big changes in business. He'll also discuss the real world of the Internet, the little-known but highly successful applications of Internet technology that are yielding big benefits for corporations. Previously, Gillin was editor of Computerworld magazine.

AS/400 Opening Session and Soundoff

On Monday, Oct. 4, start the morning with a fresh cup of wit served up by the "AS/400 Minister for Propaganda and Public Enlightenment" Malcolm Haines. The AS/400 community has long valued Haines' unique approach to marketing. In San Antonio, you'll hear his discussion of IBM's AS/400 strategy; how that strategy will be supported through strong product enhancement; and how the unique strengths of AS/400 will be effectively marketed.

Are there AS/400 product issues shared by you and your colleagues? Something you believe IBM should invest in? Then don’t miss AS/400 Soundoff your opportunity to share your views with IBM executives and development leaders.

Focusing on Lotus A Special Session with Harold Bailey Jr.

Tuesday, Oct. 5, will be "Lotus Day," featuring special sessions and labs with a Lotus focus. Harold Bailey Jr., vice president of IBM/Lotus Marketing Integration, will provide the keynote address. Across Lotus and IBM, Bailey is responsible for the business development and delivery of Domino and other Lotus products in the AS/400 and S/390 environments.

COMMON Business Meeting

At this meeting, COMMON’s Board of Directors provides a report to the membership on the organization's activities. Attend this informative meeting to hear updates on COMMON's strategic plans and supporting projects.

Meeting of the Members (MOM)

This meeting gives you the opportunity to address the Board of Directors and communicate with them regarding the conference and COMMON. Members of the Board review COMMON activities and answer questions. It’s a great opportunity to talk with COMMON's leadership team and help enhance the organization.

COMMON Education Foundation Silent Auction

The COMMON Education Foundation will hold its second Silent Auction Sunday through Thursday in San Antonio. Descriptions of items available, as well as information on how to place bids on-site, will be located in Registration at the COMMON Education Foundation counter on Day 0 and in the Grand Ballroom foyer, third floor, Marriott Rivercenter, on Days 1-4. Bidding will begin prior to the conference on COMMON’s Web site. Results will be announced at the Closing Celebration on Thursday. Funds raised help advance the Foundation’s efforts to foster the growth and development of professionals who will support the IT industry in the future.

Closing Celebration

At COMMON conferences, good-byes are fun! Return home with happy memories, increased knowledge, and the names and phone numbers of people who share your interest in AS/400 and related technologies and who just may have the answer you need the next time you're stumped.

Don’t miss the Closing Celebration on Thursday, Oct. 7. It’s a great opportunity to ask that last question, collect a few more business cards and make plans for meeting someone at the Spring 2000 Conference in San Diego.

COMMON Expo

The Expo takes place Sunday through Tuesday, Oct. 3-5, in Exhibit Hall C of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. Offering more than 225 exhibits by over 150 companies including IBM and Lotus, the COMMON Expo gives you direct, hands-on access to the IT industry’s most comprehensive collection of midrange products and services.

The Expo opens at noon on Sunday, Oct. 3, prior to the beginning of sessions, to give you an opportunity to visit exhibitors at your leisure. The Expo will close at 3 p.m. for Opening Session and will reopen at 5 p.m. Following Opening Session, be sure to visit the Expo and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and refreshments at the "Welcome to COMMON" Reception in the exhibit hall.

Your conference registration bag will contain a complimentary Expo lunch coupon good for either Monday or Tuesday. Take advantage of this time to visit exhibitors while enjoying a free lunch. The coupon is good only at food counters in the Expo.

Be Our Guest!

The new Guest Pass for San Antonio allows guests to attend Opening Session, CUDS, MOM, the COMMON Business Meeting, the Expo Welcome Reception and the Closing Celebration. The pass also includes admission to the Expo on Monday and Tuesday. A continental breakfast will be provided daily in Conference Room 12, third floor of the Marriott Rivercenter. This room is also available for guests to meet during the conference.

You can reserve your Guest Pass on your conference registration form. The pass is $95 if purchased by Sept. 10, $120 if purchased after Sept. 10 or on-site. Another option is to purchase an Expo-only Pass on-site for $20 per day, which gives access to the Expo on Monday and Tuesday only. The Expo-only Pass cannot be reserved in advance.

San Antonio - So Cool, It’s Hot!

San Antonio is a fascinating blend of old and new, history and hipness, folklore and fun. The River Walk showcases some of the finest hotels, dining, shopping and entertainment available anywhere. And the River Walk's hotels are just a short walk from the convention center. For more information, visit http://www.sanantoniocvb.com or http://www.heartofsanantonio.com.

Register Online Today and Save!

For the Fall ’99 Conference and Expo, COMMON is once again offering a $100 discount for registering online at www.common.org.For the Fall ’99 Conference and Expo, COMMON is once again offering a $100 discount for registering online at www.common.org.’

Individual standard registration - $995

Want more detail? You can view, download and print session grids and other conference information from COMMON’s Web site. The information is updated weekly until the week of the conference.

See you in San Antonio!