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Path: sserve!manuel!munnari.oz.au!spool.mu.edu!caen!kuhub.cc.ukans.edu!ccsvax.sfasu.edu!menudo.uh.edu!lobster!nuchat!steve From: steve@nuchat.sccsi.com (Steve Nuchia) Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd Subject: Re: Funding 4.4BSD Development Message-ID: <1992Jun27.230044.19177@nuchat.sccsi.com> Date: 27 Jun 92 23:00:44 GMT Article-I.D.: nuchat.1992Jun27.230044.19177 References: <79@ampr.ab.ca> <1992Jun26.002442.19231@henson.cc.wwu.edu> <Jun.26.19.58.40.1992.26516@pilot.njin.net> Organization: South Coast Computing Services, Inc. Houston Lines: 34 In article <Jun.26.19.58.40.1992.26516@pilot.njin.net> pfaffman@pilot.njin.net (Jay Pfaffman) writes: >Yes. I wonder how much more or less BSDI would take in if their code >*were* freely distributable. I'd give them $100 or so & maybe even It costs nearly that much to process an order and, that much again to answer a support call, at a "real" company. BSDI's cost structure is still lean and mean, but it is not possible to have that last long. I think $1000 is "just right" for the technical and support component of their release, and their annual support charge is reasonable. I rankle at the whole idea of annual support charges, but theirs are inline with the industry. Even though the price is right, I am having to give very deep thought to whether or not I want to fool with them, due to the legal and political components of the package. I cannot risk my business by playing games with licensed software, so I must take precautions with it, and those cost money and time. If BSDI would commit, in writing, to making their code publicly redistributable I would cheerfully pay them for a handful of support contracts at prices like the ones they are getting now. I would have no hesitation about making their software a cornerstone of my business plan for the next few years. I think they would end up making more money that way. As it stands, I may do some business with them but I will not be enthusiastic about it. That doesn't mean I think they're evil, or even that I think they are making a bad business decision. -- Steve Nuchia South Coast Computing Services, Inc. (713) 661-3301