RE: GEAC providing Source Code - for a price...

[jlang@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Jeff, Dan et al,

I would think those hefty annual Maintenance Agreement fees would be
adequate to maintain GEAC's revenue stream in  the event of sagging sales
to new customers. I do think their policy, while technically within their
rights, is coercive and counter productive.

As I have said before (Y2K Support), the way to best and fastest way get
their (JBA/GEAC) attention is to complain loudly and publicly, and I
believe it is within the guidelines of this forum to do  so.

In a former life I worked for a major AS/400 software company. The "squeaky
wheel"  method always worked for our customers, and they were not shy about
ganging up on us. Our annual users conference at times became a free for
all, with our management receiving heaps of abuse when we failed to live up
to our customers expectations. I think Jeff has the right idea, but I do
have some concerns about his equating the Teamsters with our Founding
Fathers  ;^) ...

Jeff Lang
IS Manager
General Fasteners Company
Livonia, MI



                                                                                
                 
                    Dan Thomas                                                  
                 
                    <DThomas@lpw-mdi.co        To:     
"'JBAUSERS-L@midrange.com'"               
                    m>                         <JBAUSERS-L@midrange.com>        
                 
                    Sent by:                   cc:                              
                 
                    owner-jbausers-l@mi        Subject:     RE: GEAC providing 
Source Code - for 
                    drange.com                 a price...                       
                 
                                                                                
                 
                                                                                
                 
                    06/30/00 10:59 AM                                           
                 
                    Please respond to                                           
                 
                    JBAUSERS-L                                                  
                 
                                                                                
                 
                                                                                
                 



I've thought about this and probably one reason I haven't been more vocal
on
the mail list is that my company does have rights to source code in our
contract and have received it for V3.5.2 SP3.  I'm not saying this is "the
American way", but this is business and not civil rights.

I agree that this no source code policy will significantly impair their
ability to sell new customers and that alone may do more to change their
position than some users complaining on a mail list.  I would never buy ERP
software without source code, nor would I stay on a system where it was
taken away after the fact.  My dollars would express my opinion.

We should also recognize the fact that Geac needs revenue to stay in the
JBA
business and there is no way they'll do that strictly on license fees from
new sales.  I'm guessing their typical consulting fees from a new sale are
less than their competition.  I still say they need to make themselves
attractive so that people will want to use them for services.

Dan Thomas
Sr. VP Information Systems
MDI
4500 Progress Blvd.
Louisville, KY  40218-5058
Phone (502) 454-9013 ext. 120
www.mdiweb.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff_Klipa/Harvard@harvardind.com
[mailto:Jeff_Klipa/Harvard@harvardind.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2000 4:12 PM
To: JBAUSERS-L@midrange.com
Subject: GEAC providing Source Code - for a price...


I am forwarding an anonymous post that I received...

Between you and me and a lamppost; we've been told it would cost $7M for
the
source ... I wouldn't exactly call that "movement".  This won't change
until
the Geac sales team gets enough ammo to say it's impossible to sell
software
given the source-related constraints management has been putting down.
Did you know that 3.5.2b SP2 still comes with source; it's just SP3 that
doesn't.  Care to guess which PTF level we're upgrading to?
Anonymously Yours...

I will always protect the identity of my sources if they choose not to be
identified...

But why is it that I seem to be the only one saying anything "Out-loud" -
publicly to the list...?  (With a few welcome exceptions...)  I keep
getting lots of private posts like this one...  What is it that is stopping
you from sharing this kind of information with the list and sending it with
your name on it...?  Why is everyone so afraid to speak out...?  Does the
1st Amendment to the Constitution not apply to all people...?  Do you all
lack the courage of your convictions...?

We all have to speak with one voice...!  I have visions of the American
Revolution or the Teamsters Union...  They only reached their goals and
dreams by becoming a unified force against their evil oppressors...  These
were passionate people who fought and died for what they believed in...!  I
do not want to end up like Patrick Henry or Jimmy Hoffa but I will continue
to speak out about this evil action until my dying breath (or until we get
our Source Code...!).  Why am I being propped up as the voice of the Source
Code issue...?  I am not the only one affected by this issue...  The lives
of countless IT professionals will be adversely affected by this Draconian
policy...

For those of you who have a contract provision for Source Code, I
congratulate you...  It's time for some of the rest of you to put your
names on the line too...  Thanks to those of you who already have...  But
even if you are lucky enough to be getting your Source Code, what good will
it do you if GEAC cannot sell their package to new customers without
including Source Code...  What if this package dies on the vine due to lack
of sales...  We should all be fighting to keep our Source Code...

Thank you...

PS - I've had two different anonymous sources tell me that the GEAC price
for Source Code will be between $7M and $10M...


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