dab@cbnewsm.att.com (david.a.berk) (07/14/90)
I originally purchased INFORMIX-SQL, INFORMIX-ESQL/C about 5 years ago for an AT&T 7300. I paid maintenance over 2.5 years on the 7300 for both of those products. When the 7300 was discontinued out of the graciousness of their hearts I was allowed to upgrade to a AT&T 6386 16MHZ. (Of course, I had to pay the going difference between the price of the product on both platforms new.) Today, I am contemplating selling my 6386 and putting together a new machine (a 25 MHZ / 32 K cache 386 motherboard). Now I know that my AT&T UNIX will run on this platform as will all of my other applications, INFORMIX included. I happened to speak with an INFORMIX sales rep today who tells me that in order for me to be legal according to my licensing agreement, I would have to upgrade from the 16/20 MHZ class to the 25/33 MHZ class. But guess what ? According to the sales rep, products purchased over 3 years ago have no value and to remain legal I would have to purchase a brand new ISQL, SQL and SE for $4385.00!!!!!!!!! What the @#$@%& have I been paying for their valueless maintenance/upgrade fee for all of these years for (I could write another 5 screens about the quality of informix tech support, but I'll save it for another article). Since when does software depreciate. Let's face it, these days as technology improves people are not going to be discarding entire machines but swapping out motherboards. And we all know that if I kept my mouth shut and just continued using the 16MHZ version it would work just fine on a 25 MHZ machine. Why ? Because the 16/25 MHZ version are the same identical executables. Are there really executive/management at informix that think their kidding somebody. Hey informix, why are you constantly pissing people off with these self defeating policies? Why not handle this product like you are handling all the other 4.0 products with 16 user limit and unlimited users versions ? Why not make people think that when they purchase a product of informix that they are getting a quality product/investment that is not going to devaluate over time (provided, of course they keep the maintenance, which would be a reasonable price) and upgrade with them as technology moves forward ???!!!??? Why is it that with INFORMIX I constantly feel they are trying to squeeze every last penny out of the consumer! (e.g. Making separate products instead of just one integrated application development system). I used to have maintenance on INFORMIX/4GL that I owned but I dropped it when the Rapid Development/Interactive Debugger was announced. I cannot afford to buy/maintain 14 different products for my applications. These days I just use ISQL/ESQLC and write my menu/forms using a product called Vermont Views. No Royalties, FREE Support and and excellent product (shrowded source code included and I can compile my application royalty free on any UNIX platform. For other platforms I need just purchase the product). Let's face it the screen/forms in I4GL are very limited and to this day you still cannot have a vertical menu !!!! I wonder how soon before I start looking for a different database ... David Berk (201) 564-3294 ****** Disclaimer ****** The opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect the opinion of my employer.
dab@cbnewsm.att.com (david.a.berk) (07/14/90)
I forgot one thing. As a reward to AT&T and people using AT&T UNIX informix makes the (16 & 20)/(25 & 33) MHZ price differentiation. There is only one 386 UNIX version of informix products for SCO, Interactive, .. , etc. So AT&T gets a super kick in the groin. Dave Berk (201) 564-3294 ***** Discalaimer ***** The opinions expressed are my own not AT&T's.
paul@unhtel.uucp (Paul S. Sawyer) (07/16/90)
In article <1990Jul13.224218.25945@cbnewsm.att.com> dab@cbnewsm.att.com (david.a.berk) writes: > >Hey informix, why are you constantly pissing people off with these self >defeating policies? Be thankful you don't have a minicomputer. When AT&T changed a few boards in my 3B5, making it a 3B15, the list price of I4GL went to about $24000, double that of the 3B5 (and 10 times what I originally paid for it). We did not add ports or otherwise add anything but speed. My boss was quite reluctant to make this "upgrade", but I didn't want to rewrite all my applications, either.... -- Paul S. Sawyer uunet!unh!unhtel!paul paul@unhtel.UUCP UNH Telecommunications attmail!psawyer p_sawyer@UNHH.BITNET Durham, NH 03824-3523 VOX: +1 603 862 3262 FAX: +1 603 862 2030