Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!pt.cs.cmu.edu!MATHOM.GANDALF.CS.CMU.EDU!lindsay
From: lindsay@MATHOM.GANDALF.CS.CMU.EDU (Donald Lindsay)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Yet Another Upgrade Anecdote
Message-ID: <9184@pt.cs.cmu.edu>
Date: 7 May 90 15:48:29 GMT
References: <43777@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> <1161.263f4987@gp.govt.nz> <23254.26434102@ccavax.camb.com> <1990May6.133250.18193@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> <36057@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <0093650D.EC790200@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU>
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, CS/RI
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Followup-To:alt.folklore.computers

In article <0093650D.EC790200@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU> sysmgr@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU
	 (Doug Mohney) writes:
>>However, if you look at the whole picture you'll see
>>that there is nothing stupid or deceitful about this, it just makes good
>>business sense...
>
>Stupid? Ethically proper? NO. The name of the game is to maximize profits.
>The Ethical thing to do would be to drop prices and product more units...
>but if you have a limited market....you get into gouging people.

I think it's time to move the "screwdriver upgrade" thread to
"alt.folklore.computers", which is perennially discussing that.

It's also time to move the "ethics" thread to comp.misc or alt.flame.

A parting shot: this practice is only "gouging" if you have the
incorrect idea that production cost and sale price are closely
related.  I refer you to the cocaine industry for a counterrexample.
-- 
Don		D.C.Lindsay 	Carnegie Mellon Computer Science