Re: Software escrow

Sorry it took so long for me to get back, but since I'm on vacation, I'm
not checking email quite so often . . . <g>


What I read in these responses about software escrow is:

1) Escrow agents should be completely independent with no conflict of
   interest with either party.  And either party could choose the
   agent.  My company's law firm, for example, could already be doing
   this and I just don't know it.

2) Nothing's normal these days; people charge for some ridiculous
   "services".  Only we can decide if $900/year is worth it.  What
   is being done every year to earn the $900?  On one hand, $900/year
   is not bad for completely customized software.  OTOH, it is if
   the software is completely standard.  (Ours should have, at
   most, one customized .dll, per the vendor.)

3) We need to decide if and why we would need the source in escrow.
   Software company not stable/reputable?  Software irreplaceable
   if software company goes under?

4) How we get the source in/out of escrow is important.

5) One of the reasons for holding the software source code in escrow
   is to protect the customer if the software company goes under.
   If the software company pays the third party legal agency to hold
   the code, isn't the escrow protection vulnerable if the software
   company is unable to pay it's bills?

6) Since the code is not actually compiled on our machine, how do we
   verify the source code in escrow is actually the correct source
   code?


Regarding the surprise of disclosure at the last minute:

1) Many vendors are hoping the emotional commitment to buying will
   prevail over surprise and annoyance.

2) "If" the vendor is trying to screw you over at the initiation
   of the business relationship, can it get any better?  Only I
   can decide if this is the case.


If the vendor had disclosed this at some earlier point, I probably would
not have been upset.  I would just have decided yes or no to escrow and
been done with it.  What really, really irked me about the whole thing
is the surprise new charge.  It was that kind of thing that is causing
us to leave our previous salesforce automation software vendor.

Thanks for all your responses.

-Jeff
Dilgard Frozen Foods, Inc.