tyson@AI.SRI.COM (Mabry Tyson) (05/11/89)
In article <11586@cgl.ucsf.EDU>, al@zeno.mmwb.ucsf.ed writes: > >For Sale: Symbolics 3640 ... >Software: > > - Full system software > - TCP/IP Silngle system software license > >Price: $15,000 Potential buyers should realize that Symbolics charges $10K (I've heard it is $1.5K for universities) as a software license transfer fee (SOFTWARE-LIC-TRN). One should make sure that cost is factored into the price. The purchaser also must sign a Program License Agreement and a PLAS (for each software license). If the software is transferred and the fee is not paid, the seller may have his licenses invalidated. (Contact Symbolics for details.) Symbolics has in the past sold used systems (their own). Whether they will sell used systems for third parties is unknown to me. Some of us consider this to be an onerous fee, but Symbolics is the only game in town for this software. It certainly decreases the value of any Symbolics hardware you may have. My opinion is that Symbolics is hurting themselves by effectively blocking the second-hand market for their equipment. When potential purchasers are faced with their only option being to purchase expensive new equipment, then they are further encouraged to turn to other vendors. Sometimes we purchasers can afford the latest, best equipment and sometimes we have to settle for second best (whether it be a used Symbolics or another vendor's).