Well, if we thought that 2022 was a whirlwind – that saw much of business come back together and saw i-UG really step up to the mark in trying to keep the information flowing – then 2023 is going to need a whole new weather warning!

2022 was a great year. We had some great conferences, and we started a lot of initiatives that we hope to realise as we go through 2023.

2023 sees i-UG migrate to the new web site, roll out the new Logo and generally update the image we are projecting.  This is not just an exercise in polishing up our image, it is part of a new approach to Marketing, led by Steve Cast, to make sure that we get information presented well and that conferences run slicker and are easier to navigate and to manage.  We already saw some of this in 2022 with the use of the Sched marketing and conference management software, which we have now adopted and has proved to work really well.

With the house in order, we can now deliver the 2023 i-UG i-Power Conference with confidence.  Sited at the Park Inn by Radisson in Northampton again, we are looking forward to utilising this tried and tested venue to press on with the Efficiency theme for 2023.

You will see many references to ‘Savings’ and ‘Sustainability’ as well as the other key messages and information on Security, Storage and Succession.

This last point, succession, is getting more and more important and has seen i-UG invest in equipment, software, curriculums, and a wide range of Education.  The i-UG Education programme is launched, and you will see some of this offered up to the large Student contingent that will be attending the Conference this year.

All the usual topics will also be covered, not least the fantastic evolvements to the hardware, operating system and the DB2 database.  2023 sees workshop Labs and educational presentations on all of these matters. 

And we’ll have some fun with both antique computing and state-of-the art Open Source games… the latter running exclusively on IBM i, yes, really!  Have a go and be amazed at just what we can do on IBM i these days, quickly, efficiently … and for FREE!

Please come and chat with any of the Exhibitors or Organizers if you would like to take any of these topics further, and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Let’s enjoy the conference and have some fun too.

Mike Ryan

Chairman