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From: dwp@willett.pgh.pa.us (Doug Philips)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.forth
Subject: Re: Prices of Forth systems
Message-ID: <1600.UUL1.3#5129@willett.pgh.pa.us>
Date: 24 Aug 90 05:06:01 GMT
Organization: String, Scotch tape, and Paperclips.  (in Pgh, PA)
Lines: 60


In <9008230646.AA00497@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, wmb@MITCH.ENG.SUN.COM writes:

> I can't afford to advertise, at the low prices I charge.

> No kidding; the cheapest advertising vehicle is Forth Dimensions, at
> a few hundred dollars per issue.  At $50 (the price of my Forthmacs
> product for Atari ST and Macintosh), I make about $30, which isn't very
> good money considering the time it takes to fill the order.  I would
> have to sell 10 copies from the ad in order to just break even.  I tried
> it once and the response wasn't *nearly* that good.

I was afraid you would say that.  Hmm, I wonder if we couldn't get FD
to sponsor one of those popular "grab bag" type pages, or two.  The kind
where they put 9 small boxes per page.   Not a whole lot of room, but it
should be cheap.  I only every see ONE Forth system in other magazines,
even in the cheap sections.  Just a thought.

> The vendors of inexpensive Forth systems have either
> a) Gone out of business
> b) or, run "shoestring" businesses like me, and can't afford to advertise
> 
So, how does one find out about the shoe-strings if they don't advertise?
If FIG is supposed to be promoting Forth, and FD is FIG's publication...
Maybe the "Reference" section could contain a list of Forth vendors.
Just names, addresses and phone numbers.  Could require "small fee" maybe?
Just another idea.

> > I think this last point (which I moved down from further up in your original
> > message) is important.  If I were buying a Forth system to support or
> > develop a commerical venture, I would probably buy a commercial Forth
> > system just for the piece of mind, and I would probably have the cash to
> > afford it.  As a hobbyist I can't afford that, and I don't need or want
> > it anyway.
> 
> A very important point indeed!
> 
> What you have basically hit on is the fact that a vendor can't make
> enough money selling to hobbyists for it to be worthwhile, unless there
> are other motivations (like in my case, I get a kick out of selling to
> hobbyists.  My wife frequently urges me to stop though, because it really
> isn't worth the time).

My analogy with Power-C from Mix Software (PC C compiler for $20.  Library
source for $10) must be feasible because of the huge client base difference.
They can afford to advertise in Computer Shopper, etc.  I don't have any
answer for this, but it seems like a Catch-22.  If you had the clients
you could afford to advertise, but you can't afford to advertise until
you have the clients.  Sigh.

-Doug

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