[comp.protocols.appletalk] Multilaunch on Servers

kdb@intercon.uu.net (Kurt Baumann) (07/15/89)

In article <Added.YYjD74S00UkTEOM08i@andrew.cmu.edu>, C4898@UMSLVMA.BITNET (Larry Pickett) writes:
> To respond to the question about what do users want for servers
> and multilaunch.  I'd like to be able to purchase one copy of an
> application that would be launched n times. n would be determined by how
> much I paid.  

What do you feel a good per user price is?  Would you be willing to pay the
full price for each user?  Example: A $500 product, would you be willing
to pay $500 per user or some % of that full amount?  This is provided that
you can launch it N simultaneous times.

> I'd like the manuals to be available separately for those
> who needed them.(this can be a real $$ maker folks ask SAS Institute)

We sell our manuals seperatly, but only to those who have purchased a site
or a server license.  I agree with you, you can make money from this as well,
but we would rathe be selling software, not books :-)

> The application should not be copyable from the server
> (ala Dopplemaker [Bolt Consulting-he reads this I believe ]
> which uses a front end application to control the # of
> launches, keep statistics on how many are in use, and protect the actual
> application from theft).

I would be very interested in hearing about any commercial packages that
allow you to do the above...  We might even be interested in using it.

> There may need to be some sort of control on the
> number of manuals purchased at a location by maybe not, since that would be
> a joke for things like MSWord which have several non MS books out that
> describe in detail how to use it.  The headache of keeping n full copies of
> diskettes, manuals and accompanying paperwork is immense when you are talking
> about even a medium sized network (for MS products that's about a three foot
> shelf for 15 copies)

How about the following idea.  You would purchase a 5 user server license
that would come with one disk and 5 manuals.  When if you wanted to add more
users you would purchase manuals and extra "users" at a set price.  The only
complication to this would be a method for adding the extra users to the
server easily.  Perhaps by you sending your original disk back, and a new
one being sent to you.

With our product we do not copy protect our disks as such.  We do however offer
excellent support and frequent updates, which we hope makes the average buyer 
more interested in owning a REAL copy as opposed to a pirated copy of our 
product.  We keep track of our users and only allow those who have sent back 
a registration card to get phone support.

How do you all feel about this?
--
Kurt Baumann

InterCon Systems Corporation
46950 Community Plaza
Suite 101-132
Sterling, VA 22170                      Phone: 703.450.7117