Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!tektronix!ogcvax!omsvax!hplabs!sri-unix!gwyn@brl-vld From: gwyn%brl-vld@sri-unix.UUCP Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards Subject: Re: Cheap sources for educational institutions Message-ID: <12901@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Sun, 23-Oct-83 20:00:39 EDT Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.12901 Posted: Sun Oct 23 20:00:39 1983 Date-Received: Thu, 27-Oct-83 02:22:00 EDT Lines: 29 From: Doug Gwyn (VLD/VMB) Companies who market packaged systems are not generally eager to have their systems mucked about with, since then they can no longer economically support the result. Worse, such alterations may spread to other owners of the package, with no audit trail to help the OEM track the results of such changes. Most such companies make source available at a price high enough to ensure that only those who have a legitimate need will acquire it. This is all straightforward economics, perfectly understandable from the point of view of the support organization. You seem to think that educational institutions rate special favors in what they pay for computer systems and software. Although some vendors may offer good deals for their own ulterior motives, there is no reason I can see to treat schools differently from any other business in this regard. Most of the lab equipment, etc., I used as a grad student was bought at list price or obtained secondhand, and none of the equipment users thought that that was unfair. If you think you have something to offer the package vendor in return for access to sources, make them an offer. I have known people who have obtained equipment and software in return for feeding back specified enhancements to the supplier. If you acquired a system without checking whether you would get all that you needed for the application you had in mind, then you deserve the consequences and should not blame others for your mistake.