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From: lars@spectrum.CMC.COM (Lars Poulsen)
Newsgroups: alt.security,alt.folklore.computers,comp.society.futures
Subject: Re: Feedback on Computer Crime
Message-ID: <1990Aug17.170439.20396@spectrum.CMC.COM>
Date: 17 Aug 90 17:04:39 GMT
References: <9735+C9@xds13.ferranti.com> <3990@servax0.essex.ac.uk> <1990Aug16.212327.7799@santra.uucp>
Organization: Rockwell CMC
Lines: 43
Followups-To: comp.society.futures,trial.misc.legal.software

In article <3990@servax0.essex.ac.uk>
   braum@essex.ac.uk (Branscombe M P C) writes:
>>the differences between commercial software and free/shareware are -
>>backup services. guarantees. fixing bugs in the code 5 years later.
>>teaching you how to use the product. updates

In article <1990Aug16.212327.7799@santra.uucp>
   hsu@hutcs.hut.fi (Heikki Suonsivu) writes:
>True, these are the reasons why I avoid commercial software by all means,
>as no commercial institution I have worked with has been able to provide
>working producs, backup services ...
>
>This might be a bit colored view, business software isn't really my field,
>I'm quite developer-oriented. I admit it is somewhat different in the world
>of Lotuses and ms-dos.

I am a firm believer in white bicycles and free software, but the above
argument shoots itself in the foot. The reason there is professional,
mass supported quality off-the-shelf software in the MS-DOS world is
probably *PRECISELY* because that culture has been disconnected from the
"free" "user-supported" "hacker" culture.

Look at the difference between VMS and SUN. VMS comes with a software
support contract that maximizes your performance, and provides an
escalation mechanism if your system does not work. SUN tries to mimic
this, but the telephone support center takes up to 3 days to return your
call.

The availability of self-help and floating-around software that enables
you (with lots of work) to come up with your own workarounds undercuts
the ability of the vendor to make support profitable. This is a classic
example of how a free market system is less efficient than a well-run
monopoly.

The counter argument of course is that monopolies are usually not
well-run.

Since this has nothing to do with security or computer folklore, I have
redirected followups away from alt.security and alt.folklore.computers.

-- 
/ Lars Poulsen, SMTS Software Engineer
  CMC Rockwell  lars@CMC.COM