*BSD News Article 25239


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From: fr@compu.com (Fred Rump from home)
Subject: Re: SCO market share
Organization: CompuData Inc.
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 1993 21:00:33 GMT
Message-ID: <1993Dec21.210033.7958@compu.com>
References: <2efuku$4vj@rhombus.cs.jhu.edu> <9312160932.aa05151@fags.stonewall.demon.co.uk> <WAYNE.93Dec17083053@backbone.uucp> <1993Dec19.183412.33@compu.com> <2f4r4h$kki@slab.mtholyoke.edu>
Lines: 36

jbotz@mtholyoke.edu (Jurgen Botz) writes:

>In article <1993Dec19.183412.33@compu.com>,
>Fred Rump from home <fr@compu.com> wrote:
>>Someone already mentioned it.  There must be some teeth to such an
>>arrangement.  What if I don't get what I expect?  What happens if I lose
>>substantial profits and endanger my business?  Real support has an implied
>>redress for these things.  'Someone' can be sued for damages.
>>
>>Obviously the reseller of a $35,000 software package guarantees his software
>>to work on whatever basis he sells it on.  The dollars expect it and get it.

>Uh, please give an example of a software vendor who guarantees that
>their package will work to the level of reimbursing you for business
>lost/costs due to the package not working.  This is not a rhetorical
>question... I'm interested.  I didn't believe that this was practiced
>in the industry, but I'm ready to be told that I'm wrong.

The point is that someone who charges real money for software is typically 
also someone who can get away with it because of size, stability and quality. 
The buyer must still be careful, but he does have something or somebody to go 
after if his business has been placed at risk. Lawsuits don't mean anything 
unless there is a place to sue for redress.  Paying real money also adds
certain implied value to a service. Getting it for free does not.

On the other hand every piece of software has disclaimers from a A to Z 
attached to it. These mean about as much as the paper they are written on when 
it comes time for a jury to decide on damages. Suits of this nature are the 
fear of any ongoing concern because there may be nothing behind them but the 
defense alone could be deadly.  Yet, they occur every day.


Fred



-- 
"Dreifach ist der Schritt der Zeit:	 Fred Rump fr@icdi10.compu.com
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