on 9/22/04 3:42 AM, James Rice at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > As someone who spends a good portion of each day, talking clueless users > through various support issues I can agree that this is probably the > primary reason or withdrawing access for older verisons. There are > exceptions. Borland/Imprise has made all of the older DOS compilers > available through thr "Borland Museum". Membership and registration is > required as well as a no support/non-commercial use click-wrap license, > but they are there for all to download and use. Lineo released all of > the GEM and CP/M programs and soucr code available for hobbyist use > only. There are a few examples of companies taking a different approach > for older product.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If there was a way to test and verify the solidity of the success of this particular endeavor, it would then be a benchmark against which most other companies could measure their successes in releasing old versions of programs, etc. at a profit. In other words, if it's an obvious winner, if Borland's efforts show up on the plus side of the balance and goodwill sheets, then there's no reason why others can't, using the register-and-pay-for-access formula, provide older versions of softwares using the public chat-room format on their site to provide users' support, not the companies'. Linux has been really good at that, providing volunteer programming and some support. Those of us that want this stuff are going to need to be the salespersons. And it would take a hard push. It means showing the success of lists like this, and sites like Borland's in providing solid, free, support through a forum-like access site. Someone here would need to gather the hard data for the quantities of people on these combined lists using the wares, wanting the wares and willingness to pay a fee-for-access to have wares not yet purchased. Speaking to these companies through their wallets is the only effective way of seeing these programs for older computers return to the open market. Jeff G -- System6 is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... 123Inkjets.com <http://lowendmac.com/ad/123inkjets.html> Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> System 6 Heaven <http://www.euronet.nl/users/mvdk/system_6_heaven.html> System6 info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/system6.html> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/system6%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
