Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cmcl2!sbcs!sbpmt!altman
From: altman@sbpmt.cs.sunysb.edu (Jeff Altman)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms
Subject: Re: Microsoft Upgrade Policy
Message-ID: <1991Feb14.171838.21357@sbcs.sunysb.edu>
Date: 14 Feb 91 17:18:38 GMT
References: <1991Feb14.023744.14888@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
Sender: usenet@sbcs.sunysb.edu (Usenet poster)
Distribution: usa
Organization: State University of New York at Stony Brook
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In article <1991Feb14.023744.14888@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> dmk8r@plaid.cs.Virginia.EDU (Darrell M. Kienzle) writes:
>
>I am also a very loyal owner of Microsoft Word 5.5, and was told that it
>would cost me $150 to upgrade to Word for Windows.  I now read on this
>newsgroup that any owner of any competing word processor qualifies for a
>special $129 price!
>
[deleted some stuff]
>
>I understand that upgrading software can be expensive, but this is getting
>a little ridiculous.  They have managed to completely alienate a formerly
>very loyal customer, and that never makes good business sense.

Cool down, a bit.
First, of all as a Word for DOS owner you too qualify for the special $129
upgrade offer.  Word for DOS is listed right after WP, WS, MM, and DW.

Now regarding upgrade costs.  Do you feel that you have received the value
of the software you have purchased?  Do you need the additional features?
If not, then don't upgrade!

As far as preferrential treatment goes, do you believe that you should 
always be guarranteed a better price simply because you bought the 
product once before.  You could also think of it this way, now you 
have the opportunity to upgrade from your current Word Processor or
spreadsheet to whichever company has the best one around at the time.
This is because the cost of Ami Pro, WfW, and WPfW are all going to hve
the same price for people that already have one.

If you want incremental upgrades every few months go to WPCorp.  That 
is their policy.  The cost is either a flat fee per year to be put
on a automatic upgrade mailing list, or $10 per incremental release.
And then when there is a major release they hit you for the big bucks.

MS charged $10 for the C6.00a bug fix upgrade.  MS charges $20 for the
latest Windows bug fix upgrade (only if you can't convince them that 
you need it.)   [* I received Excel 2.1D, Win 3.0a, all for free because
I was able to explain to MS Tech Support what the problem was that the 
incremental upgrade fixed.  They usually shipped it OVernight FedEx. *]

What is the problem?


--
- Jeff (jaltman@ccmail.sunysb.edu)