Informix Corp is attempting a change of image. The company is seeking to change the industry’s perception of it as a low-end Unix DBMS supplier by the introduction of an IBM MVS version of Informix as a loss leader. Informix reckons that even if it makes few sales of the IBM mainframe version, the development costs will be worthwhile because of the change in perception it will engender. In the UK the company is actively seeking staff with DEC VMS backgrounds to help them sell the VMS version of Informix, adding that selling to traditional DEC and IBM users is very different from selling into the Unix market. Informix acknowledges that its main rival as it clambers out of the low-end Unix morass is Oracle Corp, but says that it is now only one year behind Oracle in profit terms – Oracle did $15.6m net for the year ended May 31. Informix claims an advantage in selling to the IBM mainframe world because its applications development environment, Informix 4GL, as well as its MVS version, can use DB2 data. Informix also intends to support the IBM OS/2 and VM environments in the near future.