We have since created Suprtool/Open where Suprtool now can run on nearly any Linux/Unix based server.
We started business in 1977 with our first Qedit version for Hewlett-Packard's 3000 line of computers, followed shortly by our first release of Suprtool. Since then we have upgraded our product line every year to keep it in line with customer expectations of functionality and HP compatibility.What Has Been Happening at Robelle
HP stopped selling the HP 3000 and no longer support it, but Robelle continues support for MPE, as well as HP-UX (including the Eloquence database and the AMXW migration platform). We now have Suprtool/Open to protect your Suprtool investment on almost any platform.
Suprtool and Qedit:
still enhancing, always backward compatible
Homesteading: we will support MPE as long as neededMigrating: same powerful commands on HP-UX
|
The Company
The Products
Reach Robelle By Mail, Phone or Email |
We had been watching the market prospects for MPE decline for years, although the 3000 continued to be one of the easiest IT platforms to develop for and operate. Starting in January 2001, we set as our goal to be "the best HP 3000 vendor possible", even if that meant that we would grow smaller over the years. In anticipation, we began cutting back on expenses and simplifying our in-house procedures.
We outsourced technical support and hosting of our servers to Allegro Consultants (www.allegro.com). This gives our customers access to a highly-qualified group, with backup for vacations and holidays. And the Robelle R&D team is still available for tricky questions. A side benefit of this permanent relationship was that it gave Robelle access to the skills of senior people at Allegro, especially Stan Sieler, Steve Cooper, and Donna Hofmeister. This has been extremely valuable with our own tricky technical problems!
Therefore, we converted the financial portion of our homegrown IT systems from MPE to a standard accounting package on Windows. This unexpectedly ugly and time-consuming migration gave us a much more sympathetic attitude toward customers' migration woes! We would also like to try migrating one of our in-house applications from MPE to HP-UX with Eloquence, but we would have to justify the time/expense as a learning experience, since it makes more sense financially to leave the applications on MPE for another 5 years.
Ten years before HP killed the 3000, we had ported our products to HP-UX, so we are ready to support migrating customers. But we still have a warm spot in our hearts for the HP 3000 and we intend to support it as long as customers are willing to pay us.
On "Sales and Admin" is Tammy Roscoe in B.C., also known as the Energizer Bunny. Tammy handles sales questions, product delivery, invoicing, receivables, and lots more.
On "Suprtool and Qedit" is Neil Armstrong, who has been doing most of the R&D for Suprtool since Suprtool started to have progress messages. Neil also does much of the back end technical support and co-ordinates Qedit and Qedit for Windows development. He ported all the Robelle software to C and did the port to x86 Linux and has been steadily porting Suprtool to other platforms and is still adding new features.
After working closely with Bob for some years in the Anguilla office, Neil has returned to the Niagara Region and spends his spare time training for triathlons and learning new technologies.
Our "Leader" is Bob Green, founder of Robelle and sole owner. Bob tackles challenging programming projects for Qedit and Suprtool, dreams up marketing ideas, writes papers, reviews and approves legal issues, leads the band, generates our web site and manages our relationships with other vendors, customers and suppliers.
Bob works out of an office on the island of Anguilla in the Caribbean. He keeps in touch with the team in Canada and our worldwide customer base via email, instant messaging, and some use of the telephone.
Robelle is well prepared for whatever the future brings and we would like to thank all the customers who have supported us through our restructuring.