Xref: utzoo comp.databases:1461 comp.misc:3632
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!apctrc!zgel05
From: zgel05@apctrc.UUCP (George E. Lehmann)
Newsgroups: comp.databases,comp.misc
Subject: Re: Empress pricing policy
Message-ID: <558@flyer.apctrc.UUCP>
Date: 30 Sep 88 18:27:03 GMT
References: <1988Sep28.150224.26393@lsuc.uucp>
Reply-To: zgel05@flyer.UUCP (George E. Lehmann)
Organization: Amoco Production Co, Tulsa Research Center
Lines: 33

In article <1988Sep28.150224.26393@lsuc.uucp> dave@lsuc.uucp (David Sherman) writes:
>Empress will only transfer the license if we pay for three years
>of RETROACTIVE maintenance -- pay for maintenance we never received.
>I understand that maintenance and support includes bug fixes and
>upgrades, and I'd be willing to pay a portion of this charge to
>represent the upgrades, but to suggest we pay for maintenance we
>never received seems ludicrous.  The only alternative Empress offers
>is a completely new license for the 3B2.  Either way it will cost
>us about $5,000.

In my other life as a software publisher, we have a similar policy, although
the pricing ratios are substantially different.  We sell a $2,000 package
with annual support/upgrade fees of $149.  Since the program is still
evolving, new updates do far more than fix bugs, and we count the updates as
the major reason for the annual fee.  Therefore, to keep someone from going 'on
the sly' and dropping support for a couple of years and then coming back to
get the latest version for one year's price, we require the same 'retroactive
continuity'.  

On the other hand, I do see your point, and you might suggest to them (if you
haven't already) that you would be willing to meet on some common ground for
the express purpose of obtaining a new license and new binaries (and sources?).
You might consider throwing in a promise to never bother them for support, if
that is your intention, or for only 30 days support, or whatever...

You might also mention (threaten) that if you are going to pay the equivalent
of a new package, that you might just look to other vendors out of spite.
Be sure to climb as high in their company as you can before you let this one
loose.
-- 
George Lehmann,  ...!uunet!apctrc!zgel05
Amoco Production Co., PO BOX 3385, Tulsa, Ok  74102  ph:918-660-4066
Standard Disclaimer: Contents are my responsibility, not AMOCO's.