Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Development
    • Development
    • IT Management
    • Networking

    IBM Partners Blocked from Rational Conference

    By
    Darryl K. Taft
    -
    April 3, 2008
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      When it comes to protecting its base of coveted developer customers, IBM Rational is acting like an insecure suitor by suddenly disinviting potential rivals to its big party, according to a vendor that was asked not to attend.

      At least one vendor, Genuitec, maker of the MyEclipse IDE (integrated development environment) has said an IBM official called its representative and told them Genuitec was not welcome at the Rational Software Development Conference this year. Another company, AccuRev, which markets software configuration management and other solutions that compete with Rational’s products, received a similar call. Both companies attended RSDC last year and exhibited in the event’s exhibit area.

      Indeed, Genuitec had every intention of returning to RSDC, even having picked out and paid for booth space at the event, when they received the call from IBM advising the company to “stay home,” said Todd Williams, vice president of technology and co-founder of Genuitec. RSDC is scheduled for June 1-5 in Orlando, Fla.

      “Steve Lauzon from IBM was very kind to give us a call, thank us for our commitment and contribution to promoting the Eclipse ecosystem, and then remind us that the RSDC is a private conference,” Williams said. “He then asked us to cancel our plans to attend the RSDC conference this year on the basis that we offer highly competitive products to the Rational Application Developer suite.”

      IBM did not mention competition in its response about the criteria for third-party vendors attending RSDC, but said it evaluated attendees based on their ability to support Rational.

      “The mission of the IBM Rational Software Development Conference is to educate and inform IBM customers and partners on IBM’s leading software delivery portfolio and provide thought leadership and best practices in how to effectively deliver software,” said IBM’s Manager of Rational Business Partner Marketing Brett Hansen. “The IBM Rational Software Development Conference is not an industry event- it’s a private conference sponsored and underwritten by IBM for the benefit of our customers and business partners. In the process of evaluating which organizations can exhibit or sponsor our events, IBM carefully evaluates which companies provide complementary offerings that provide value to our customers.”

      Partners feel jilted

      Partners Left Jilted and Confused

      Williams said that since Genuitec attended RSDC last year, “being banned from participation this year was a bit of a surprise. We had a great time at RSDC 2007 talking to WebSphere developers about the type of tools they really wanted to use.”

      Williams said the experience at RSDC last year inspired Genuitec “to work very hard in the intervening months to deliver MyEclipse Blue Edition to the WebSphere community to satisfy those needs. We’ve always looked at MyEclipse Blue as a better way to support the WebSphere customers we share with IBM.

      “Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Rational division is more concerned with how their tools look in comparison, rather than ensuring WebSphere users have a choice of tool sets, so I understand why they are preventing us from exhibiting this year,” Williams continued. “From their perspective, if Rational’s users knew that they had a choice for $149 per seat for MyEclipse Blue Edition versus several thousand dollars per seat for any flavor of RAD, Rational just might have a mutiny on their hands.”

      Williams said Genuitec’s MyEclipse 6.1 Blue Edition provides users with all the features of MyEclipse Workbench Professional Edition, but also includes customized tooling and capabilities for the IBM WebSphere application server.

      “It appears that Rational is being aggressive this year and banning anyone that is remotely competitive with their offerings, even when it goes against the ‘greater good’ of serving other IBM customers,” Williams said.

      Meanwhile, Lorne Cooper, president and CEO of AccuRev, said: “”We integrate with much, and support most, of the IBM Rational product line, but we do overlap with ClearCase. As IBM’s product line gets increasingly broad, it’s hard to have zero overlap, and hopefully they won’t make that a test for future inclusion at RSDC. Today, many of our customers utilize ClearQuest, Rose, and other Rational tools. We understand there might be some sensitivity on the part of some of their sales people, but we hope that for the benefit of their customers, IBM will allow partners like AccuRev to participate.”

      Darryl K. Taft
      Darryl K. Taft covers the development tools and developer-related issues beat from his office in Baltimore. He has more than 10 years of experience in the business and is always looking for the next scoop. Taft is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and was named 'one of the most active middleware reporters in the world' by The Middleware Co. He also has his own card in the 'Who's Who in Enterprise Java' deck.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×