Re: Explain Tier ( was RE: [RE: Tierred pricing ...])

[thomas@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Mike:

Most system vendors sell systems in different sizes. For this discussion, 
'tier' effectively means 'size', or 'capacity'. And it's relevant because 
software is often sold with a price tag that's tied to the size (tier) of the 
box that it will be installed on. Bigger box, more expensive license. The 
enforcement is via API calls in the software that detect the tier. It won't run 
if the tier doesn't match what the software license key is created for.

At issue is whether or not that's fair. It's seen unfair when, for example, 
you've bought some licensed software for tier #1 and it runs just fine; but 
then you need a bigger box (tier #2) because now you're going to add a couple 
new software packages for unrelated purposes --- uh-oh, the original packages 
won't run until you pay for a tier upgrade to them even though you won't get 
anything more for the money except the right to run them on the upgraded box.

(Simplified, glossed-over, but maybe good enough.)

Tom Liotta

On Thu, 08 November 2001, "Wills, Mike N. \(TC\)" wrote:

> I don't really understand AS400 hardware at all. What does Tier mean? Or is
> there a place that can give me the "quick intro" to AS400 hardware. I know
> PCs inside and out, if AS400 hardware could be related back to PCs, that
> would be VERY helpful.

--
Tom Liotta
The PowerTech Group, Inc.
19426 68th Avenue South
Kent, WA 98032
Phone  253-872-7788
Fax  253-872-7904
http://www.400Security.com


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