Return to BSD News archive
Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!news.mira.net.au!otis.apana.org.au!serval.net.wsu.edu!netnews.nwnet.net!oracle.pnl.gov!osi-east2.es.net!lll-winken.llnl.gov!uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!agate!violet.berkeley.edu!jkh From: jkh@violet.berkeley.edu (Jordan K. Hubbard) Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.misc Subject: Re: BSD CD-ROM : Walnet Creek or Infomagic ? Date: 4 Jan 1995 09:28:48 GMT Organization: University of California, Berkeley Lines: 59 Message-ID: <3edpog$ost@agate.berkeley.edu> References: <3e8t0q$gnp@vishnu.jussieu.fr> <D1uoHw.IBr@indirect.com> <3edfnv$4i5@charnel.ecst.CSUChico.EDU> <3edhq6$f44@epiwrl.entropic.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: violet.berkeley.edu In article <3edhq6$f44@epiwrl.entropic.com>, Ken Hornstein <kenh@entropic.com> wrote: >In article <3edfnv$4i5@charnel.ecst.CSUChico.EDU>, >Shawn Brown <shawnb@ecst.csuchico.edu> wrote: >> >>Well, the difference is a little more than $5. I just bought the Infomagic >>disc for $18. Walnut Creek wants $35-$40? While I have been impressed with >>Walnut Creek and their efforts to advocate the use and distribution of >>free OS's, if they can't compete price-wise, they are going to be SOL with >>a lot of people. > >Errr, exactly where did you get the Infomagic CD-ROM from? I ordered it from >the (mildly spammed) ad on the net, and I paid a bit more than $18! I guess >I'm a sucker *sigh*. I think both Shawn and Ken here are strangers to the concept of "distribution channels" :-) A lot of people still don't seem to have twigged to the fact that when we recomend to people that they "Buy the FreeBSD CDROM from Walnut Creek", we're not necessarily saying: "Buy the FreeBSD CDROM. From Walnut Creek.", we're saying: "Buy the FreeBSD CDROM that's published by Walnut Creek"! Walnut Creek CDROM hardly sells ONLY direct, and if you want to get one of their CDs for a lot less than $35-$40, you simply buy it from one of their distributors! I've seen the FreeBSD CD on sale for $15 in retail shops, and does Walnut Creek know about this? Of course they do. They're *publishers*, and if one of their own distributors wants to sell it a lot cheaper, that's fine. It's the distributor's decision, and Walnut Creek is happy to sell CD either way. Do you want CDs for a lot cheaper than $40 too? Then ask about their low, low thousand-piece rates, like the distributors do! :-) They sell most of their stuff through distributors, in fact, and that's all very normal business practice. So many of you are probably now asking yourselves: "Why buy directly from InfoMagic or Walnut Creek then? Why not get it for less than half price from a retail store?!?" And my answer is: "I don't know! Why don't you?!" :-) Actually, my real answer is that some people simply prefer to buy direct from the source, whatever it costs. They can call on the phone or send email or a FAX and order it in 5 minutes with a credit card number. It's easy, and they like to feel that they can call the tech support line as often as they wish without feeling guilty! :-) I dunno. The fact of the matter is that a lot of people like to buy mail order from WC at these prices and WC will keep selling at those prices. Selling quantity to large distributors is a lot easier and so they're also naturally going to charge differently (plus distribution channels vs direct customer sales operate under slightly different rules). A small but loyal percentage also buys FreeBSD from Walnut Creek just because they know FreeBSD is supported by them. Call them voluntary donation sales, and we appreciate them. Bottom line: If you'd prefer to buy the FreeBSD for $18 from Walnut Creek or InfoMagic, then you're perfectly free to hunt for a store that carries it! You're paying for convenience, and only you can decide if you're getting your money's worth. If you live 50 feet from a store that sells either company's CDs for $20 each or less, then I'd say that your choice is pretty clear! :-) Either way, the prices are far less fixed than you guys seem to believe! Jordan