🚀 go-pugleaf

I work for a local company that's about to expand it's production facilities
next year (12/93 time frame).  They are a DEC shop currently running VMS, and
given the size of the expansion a large hardware upgrade is planned (currently
using several uVAX 3900's).  Anyways, I suggested looking into Alpha boxes
for deployment next year.  This usage is 24hr/day 365days/year, and the plant
is VERY dependant on these machines being up & running reliably.  Anyways, our
DEC sales rep seriously downplayed using Alphaboxes & AlphaVMS in such an 
enviroment.  He reasons were, "while the hardware's ok, the software will
not be ready/stable for such a production enviroment".  I was very surprised
by such a response given DEC's claims that VAX/VMS -> ALPHA/VMS ports are
supposed to be fairly trival and that our application is over a year after
commerical release.  Our software base includes (please, no flames for this):
Fortran, C, COBOL, FMS, DECNet (end nodes & routers), WPS, DTR, SNA, Ingres,
DECWindows, TCP/IP, and Pathworks.  Our rep, instead is pushing for 4000-100's
to later '(2-3) years' be replaced with alpha boxes.  

The question (preferabbly to DEC product mangers & marketing types), Am I 
being to agressive in migrating to Alpha a year from now (given my application)
or is my sales rep trying to boost sales now AND later???

I'm sure this one should generate some interesting debate..

					Thanks Much,
					       GACE
					       (acciai_g@csgrad.cs.vt.edu)