On Thursday 13 April 2006 14:22, Support wrote: [CC the OP as they seem to be not subscribed]
Strange... I cannot find this company listed on the Distributor's page at all. Not even remotely similar names... Perhaps they are listed under a different name? If so, I'll remove them forthwith. OTOH, I remember a company recently (last year IIRC) which had the exact same deal. Their name escapes me ATM (I'll check my archives in a minute), but I think we removed them. If we didn't, then it is probably that they have simply changed names, and put up a redirect to the new name. Ah. It was Manay Software... Their site seems to be taken off (there's a page there, but it does nothing). However, as I said, Think All doesn't appear to be in our listing (I couldn't even find their URL in the list), so there is little we can do. I suspect that it is the same company under a different name. > > I agree. As a Community Distributor I am concerned about our reputation. I > visited this site and it is as this gentleman describes. They list OOo at > $99, offer it as part of a free four CD set and bill only a $2.95 shipping > charge. However, if you read their Terms of Use they state that only two of > the CDs are actually free and the other two are offered on a 10 day trial. > If the buyer does not contact the company at the end of the ten days with > intent to return the two CDs he will be charged $24.95 for each one. But > that's not all. By requesting the CDs the buyer joins a CD of the month > type of membership where he will receive a set of 4 CDs each month on a ten > day trial with the same terms. > > Most, if not all of the software is Open Source, including OpenOffice.org > 2.0.2, The GIMP 2, Firefox, TuxPaint, VirtualDub, Audacity, Blender and > Nvu. > > These terms are not disclosed to the buyer before the sale. In fact, I did > not find them anywhere on the site except in the Terms of Use, which most > people do not read. Instead, they advertise the products as free with a > shipping fee. > > I know you the OpenOffice.org community cannot prevent them from > distributing open source software but if this company is a Community > Distributor you can remove them from the list. They do not telll people > that it is open source, in fact they mislead them to think it is normally > expensive software sold retail. That is very unethical. Perhaps the > marketing project can create a web page or other communiqué to warn the > public about such inscrupulous vendors. > > > Rick Savoia > Savoia Computer > www.savoiacomputer.com > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Kartek [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 7:10 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Marketing] Think All > > Gentlemen, > > Your association with the Think All company, disturbs me, I became > associated with your fine product, Open Office 2.02 through them, for that > I am thankful. > > However their marketing, is very deceptive to say the least, what I > thought I was paying for the cd proved to be a ruse and $6.95 quickly > turned into over 49 dollars. Taken I may add out of my bank account > without any notification to me. > > Calling them I got referred to their terms of use which is a lenghty > document to say the least and sure enough hidden well, by verbage and > placement was their right to charge after 10 trial period which never > appears in any of the lanuage advertising the products, nor on the recipt > you recieve after making payment. I will also add it doesn't even show up > inside the package when you recieve the CD'S. > > Bait and switch? perhaps, legal most probably so, stench to high heaven and > my first reaction was to associate all the programs and > authoring/sponsoring agencies in the same cateagory. Still is matter of a > fact although I know that your not responsible for their acts. However, > there is that human tendency to find guild by association. > > It would be my hope, that you would review, investigate their pratices, and > inline with the eithics, and bussiness morality you have always displayed, > make any adjustment you would deem necessary to protect your good name and > those of us who believe in the work you do. > > http://www.thinkall.com/home.htm the pratice these people employed > shadow fine institutions working hard in a very compettive world. > Associations are as important as iron clad customers, and are > intradependant and interdepandant and dilengence required to ensure you > have those that benefit you, and shed perhaps those who shadow or foul your > reputation. > > > Thank you for the fine products, and any considerations and time on this > issue. > > Harry D. Rollins > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Alex Fisher Co-Lead, CD-ROM Project OpenOffice.org Marketing Community Contact Australia/New Zealand http://distribution.openoffice.org/cdrom/
