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From: arun@cwruecmp.UUCP (Arun Lakhotia)
Newsgroups: net.nlang.india
Subject: Re: Marketing s/w on micro in India
Message-ID: <1361@cwruecmp.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 23-Dec-85 02:22:23 EST
Article-I.D.: cwruecmp.1361
Posted: Mon Dec 23 02:22:23 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 25-Dec-85 02:34:20 EST
References: <1357@cwruecmp.UUCP> <1601@Shasta.ARPA>
Organization: CWRU Dept. Computer Eng., Cleveland, OH
Lines: 94

I would like to bring forward some very interesting happenings in the
Indian Micro-industry with a generalized story

Refer Sriram's reply to "Marketing s/w on ....."

SOME CLARIFICATIONS 
 I should have used the word "respect' rather than "reputation" of sofware.
 
> I will be happy if you can elaborate on what exactly you mean by software
> piracy in India.
	I never said "piracy"

THE STORY
	Sriram has mentioned something that is very "typical" of the
present market scenario for selling computers in India. Srirams father
is not the first (and the last) who have been trapped by the
manufacturers.
> 
> I am also aware that my father who has recently being buying software has
> had to pay exorbitant prices for it just because it is a seller's market in
> India now.  (He was buying software for hardware purchased from the same
> Indian company).
> 
The following is a generalization of events in which I was present
in person (not a hearsay).

	This is how things happen.

	You think of computerizing your department/company or
whatever. Before long you will have a hoarde of marketing chaps
swarming around you. They would be from companies selling Sinclair
ZX/?? compatibles to ICL 2904 (mainframe). Each trying to convince
that his machine is more than sufficient for your needs.

	You get a lot of brochures. And the catch phrases like field
upgradable, upward compatible, flexible, user-friendly,
multi-processor, relational dbms, ??? Mips, 8MHz, 6Mhz, ADA, C, COBOL
(The list is unending). (Invariably the person making the decision is
not really aware of anything beyond CPU or memory).

	You start enjoying the game. You throw what cliche you learn
from X at Y, and vice versa.

	Then you ask for a quotation. People quote. Every one offers N
number of configurations and some software which goes free with it.
They come back and say they can offer you better. You give out X's quote
to Y and Y's quote to X. They keep cutting their prices and adding
software. 

	Invariably the deciding factor is the cost of the machine. And
the chap with the minimum (after 3-4 changes to its original quote)
gets the order.

	You get your computer. You get to know each other. You realize
that this machine needs some more software to work, in addition to
"just a mere touch of a key" as claimed by the company rep. And that
the specific software you need has to be got from the manufacture. 

Why from the manufacturer alone?
	Because you don't know what base O/S it is. It has been
tampered so much (the prompts only) that you would hardly know it is CP/M.
The programmers you have has had  6 months crash course from some XYZ
Institute of Computer Science, they can't help much.

	You realize that you want a way to print your datafiles
straight from the disk. You have been using 'TYPE' with a ^P to print
and it is too cumbersome.

	You call the company who sold you the machine.

	Its his chance. "My god" he says, "thats a big work. But of
course he would contact his R & D to get your problem solved. You've
got to pay for that." "How much?" "Rs. 5000/-"

	And the story goes on
-----

	Sriram, it would be interesting to know more about the deal
your father made. Like what machine, O/S, What all software that
came free? (I bet there were at least 2 compilers if it is a micro). A
complete detail could prove the point.

	Weren't the manuals photo-copies of some US firm?

	And of course, the s/w for which he had to pay so much. Isn't
it one of the standard packages available in the US market. (Most
likely it is). If it isn't  how about some idea of its functionality.

	More important, Why was it necessary to go back to the
manufacturer for the software? Any specific reasons (or constraints).

-----

arun