Hello Meredith and IBM:

We, the undersigned, wish IBM to consider reviving the in-person Technical Disclosure Meetings that were once held in Poughkeepsie.

Both IBM and the ISV community derived great benefit from the face-to-face interactions at the TDMs.

• We, the ISVs, were able to get solid background information on what was REALLY going on with IBM's future plans.
• IBM benefited from hearing our feedback on future z/OS releases and updates to the ancillary products.
• Clear, two-way real-time conversations avoided mistakes and misunderstandings.

The TDMs were not just a way for IBM to educate ISVs about proposed new function in upcoming hardware and operating systems. The TDMs provided a meeting place for all of the major players in the IBM mainframe solution provider ecosystem to spend time with and get to know each other twice a year for several days.

The bonds of friendship and respect formed between ISVs as a result of those meetings created strong alliances, many of which persist to this day. But those alliances have been deteriorating as a result of retirements, new people coming in and worst of all an IBM disclosure process that serves to isolate ISV participants from one another.

We, the veteran ISVs, don't know -- and have no opportunity to get to know -- the younger people coming in and they don't get a chance know us. 35 years ago, we embarked on the "Vendor Council" - a forum wherein information was exchanged and everyone knew everyone. The foundation created by the Vendor Council and it's successor, the Technical Disclosure Meetings is crumbling, and will not last long without periodic renewal.

PS: Signatories, please include your company name in the comments field. Thanks!

PPS: iPetition will ask you for a contribution. THIS IS OPTIONAL, and will not affect the outcome of the petition. Sincerely, Bob Shimizu - Partner, Cole Software