At 11:24 AM 6/6/2002 +0200, Rene Tschaggelar wrote: >Complaining is one thing and acting another. >While I tend to think the ATS period of 2k$ to be a bit short >with one year, I also have to calculate what this investment >brings.
Note that the Protel web site now gives US$1495 as the "value" of the one year maintenance included with a current purchase of P99SE. So I don't expect ATS to be US$2000, in spite of earlier indications to that effect from Protel. 15% would be $1200, and 15% is fairly standard. It will probably be worth it *if* tool productivity continues to improve and serious bugs become an endangered species. Since I would not be surprised to see the full regular price of DXP move to $9995 within a year of release, $1495 would be right on the money. I am concerned, however, about the loss of the low end market. Protel was not the cheapest CAD system around, but it was priced so that most any serious designer could afford it. Accel Tango lost its original customer base by "upgrading" itself out of reach of many of them. By the time of acquisition by Protel, Accel was losing money, I understand. Coincidence? Definitely, as the tool improves, as it addresses more completely the needs of major users, the value increases; but an upgrade path should be maintained that would allow new startup or even hobby users to become familiar with the package at a price they can afford. I've written in the past that software piracy may, under many or even most conditions, not actually harm the company whose product is illegally used, it may even help. Piracy of software is not like piracy of hard goods, where theft represents real and direct loss; instead, an illegal user of software is not depriving the company of revenue *unless* he or she would have otherwise paid for the program. What is the company which sells the most pirated software? What is the largest and most profitable software company? I think the two are the same, and that this, also, is not a coincidence. My point is not that piracy should be allowed, but that piracy opens a path for a user who might otherwise not become familiar with the program; when he matures to the point where he will buy software, what software will he buy? A program with which he is familiar, or a program that requires him to relearn most everything? There may not be a lot of money, short-term, in the low-end market, but the long term picture may be different. For similar reasons, many software companies give huge academic discounts, to encourage students to use the software..... * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To post a message: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * To leave this list visit: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/leave.html * * Contact the list manager: * mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * Forum Guidelines Rules: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/forumrules.html * * Browse or Search previous postings: * http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
