Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!mcdphx!hrc!gtephx!pfluegerm
From: pfluegerm@...!asuvax!gtephx (Mike Pflueger)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: Re: Cost Of System Software
Keywords: System 7.0, System Software
Message-ID: <1991Apr30.171133.26801@...!asuvax!gtephx>
Date: 30 Apr 91 17:11:33 GMT
References: <52131@apple.Apple.COM>
Organization: AG Communication Systems - Phoenix, AZ
Lines: 79

In article <52131@apple.Apple.COM>, bjones@Apple.COM (Bruce Jones) writes:


 [good arguments regarding how System software should be priced deleted]

> Should it always be free?  We never, will, but suppose for argument's sake,
> Apple decided to make A/UX the standard System Software.  40 Meg of software
> and a stack of manuals several feet high.  Should it still be free?  If it's
> free should Apple offer the free telephone support that millions of new
> Mac owners have demanded?  Should it put all the manuals on an FTP server?
> Should it defy AT&T license agreements and let users copy it from dealers?
...
> about 10 Meg.  Who should pay for the development costs?  (Please
> don't forget development costs.  I've been working on 7.0 for three years, and
> had a great time, but I couldn't and wouldn't have done it for free.)  Should
> the people who were clamoring for the features pay for them?  Should new Mac
> users pay for them?  (That would NOT help bring down the cost of Macintosh
> hardware.)  Should Apple employees pay for them with pay cuts?  Should
> Apple shareholders pay for them?  Who pays for Microsoft's system software
> development costs?  Hardware manufacturers?  The Microsoft applications groups?
> End users who buy the shrink wrapped software?
...
> be priced, and who should pay for the development.  Some discussion on these
> topics would be very interesting.


Bruce brings up some very good points.

I'd like to add a few comments from a user perspective, and as someone who
is also in the hardware and software development business.  Please don't
take any of this as a flame, it's just my viewpoint for discussion.

I think the root of the user concern is the perception (implication?) that
when one buys a Mac, system software has traditionally been "free".  We paid
for the development costs AND a reasonable amount of support when we paid for
the hardware.

Put simply, users have come to expect it.  And now the rules appear to be
changing.

Apple also made the choice that they're in the business to sell HARDWARE when
they spun off Claris - "free", good, and regular system upgrades HELP SELL
HARDWARE AND KEEP THE MAC A VIABLE PLATFORM.  It also allows after market
developers to provide additional products and services which in turn also
sells more Macs. THIS IS WHAT MADE APPLE FROM THE BEGINNING - THE REALIZATION
THAT THE HARDWARE IS NOTHING IF YOU DON'T HAVE LOTS OF GOOD SOFTWARE TO RUN
ON IT.

Thus I think it is to Apple's advantage to provide "free" upgrades.

I don't think the expectation has been (or IS) free manuals or distribution.
We've come to expect that if we want copies of manuals and disks from Apple,
we should pay for their production and distribution costs - but not for the
software itself which has been distributed freely.

And we all know that one way or another, these upgrades aren't "free".
The end user obviously pays for the development.  Either we pay for them
up front with higher priced hardware, or we pay explicitly for each version
of the software (and thus lower hardware prices).

Certainly licensing fees must be paid from somewhere.  But this doesn't mean
that AU/X COULDN'T be distributed like other system software has been -
certainly it would sell LOTS of Macs if it was.

So I think some people feel that they are having the rug pulled out from
under them when they hear - JUST BEFORE THE RELEASE - that all these
new features they've been hearing about are gonna cost some more.

I upgraded from a Plus to a IIsi about 5 months ago - in anticipation of
7.0 - and I know that I'll be somewhat upset if I don't get a "free" copy
of at least the software.  Since 7.0 was originally announced as scheduled
to be released much earlier, maybe I should even get a "free" copy of the
manuals.

-- 
Mike Pflueger @ AG Communication Systems (formerly GTE Comm. Sys.), Phoenix, AZ
  UUCP: {...!ames!ncar!noao!asuvax | uunet!hrc | att}!gtephx!pfluegerm
  Work: 602-582-7049        FAX: 602-582-7624     Home: 602-439-1978
Packet: WD8KPZ @ KB7TV.AZ.USA.NA  Internet: gtephx!pfluegerm@asuvax.eas.asu.edu