jim@jagubox.gsfc.nasa.gov (Jim Jagielski) (03/09/91)
In response to my previous posting concerning my "alarm" at the discovery that
Apple no longer provides the A/UX Update Service agreement, I received several
responses; many, esp. from Apple themselves, were quite nice and polite
explaining that the reason why was "because assuming 2-3 updates a year, it's
cheaper for users to just buy the updates separately and it was an administra-
tive headache." However, I also received 2 very nasty (and serious!) letters
accusing me of attempting to persuade Apple to focus their support of A/UX
towards the government and "big business."
I therefore feel the need to further explain my position... skip the rest of
this message if you want...
Thanks for staying with me :)
Anyway, as far as I can tell, users ALWAYS had the option of buying their
updates as desired or required... the existance of the Update Service Agreement
(USA :) never affected this. As far as it being a "headache," well, all I can
say is that I would guess that the Tech. Answer Line is even MORE of a pain-
in-the-butt, administratively, and IT'S still around... But you ask, if it's
cheaper, than WHY have an USA? Let me explain:
For this discussion, I will, for the present, "ignore" the single user and
instead look at the gov't and business marketplace... after all, this IS a
market that Apple is targeting. I'm NOT saying that Apple should ignore the
"little guy," since I am one also with my home A/UX system, but by-and-far,
the USA would be for gov't and business.
Okay, with that in mind, let's continue. Now in some businesses, purchasing
is very easy... you decide what you want, then tell someone in purchasing and
a week later it's on your desk. However, I would bet that for many businesses
and most certainly with the gov't, this is NOT the case; there is mucho paper-
work: you must find the money :), fill out a form, write out a very detailed
justification ("Do you REALLY need it?"), get many levels of signatures and
approvals, and then go through the purchasing ordeal: bidding, selection, etc..
If you're lucky, you'll get it in 3-4 months and you'll have to spend time
keeping track of your "purchasing request" during that time... This is, believe
it or not, not fun. It's also a pain-in-the-butt and (IMHO) a waste of time...
I want to be doing engineering, not paper chasing. So if during the course of
1 year, 3 updates come out, I have to do the above 3 times, which is NOT a
Good Thing! (I'm not whining or saying "Boy do I have it tough" to obtain
sympathy, but if you feel so inclined, feel free to send my huge sums of cash,
large bill are OK... nothing better than a clear conscious and a happy heart :)
Hopefully, you can now see the need (or if you feel that to strong a word, how
about "strong desire") for the USA. I only have to go through this once a year
and I know I'm covered.
Was it not worth Apple's time? Well, then increase the price to cover the
costs... Of course someone will be standing up right now saying "Look at this,
this bozo WANTS to spend more than he needs, just to save himself a little
time and trouble." Well, in answer, all I can say is "What's wrong with that?"
Do you have an Extended warranty on your car or something? Isn't it, in many
ways, the same thing? You could, of course, not get the warranty and just pay
out of pocket any-time you need a repair or adjustment, or you could get the
warranty and know it'll be taken care of...
Well, what will the result be of Apple deleting the USA... well, it seems to
me that many people simply won't take the time out to get the upgrades... they
may skip every-other-one, or just wait until the really "big" upgrades...
resulting in lost revenues for Apple...
Okay, okay, still not convinced? Are you saying that the above arguments are
good, but having an independent USA still isn't possible? Then I'll offer one
last suggestion... have TWO levels of the Tech. Answer Line.
The 1st is the same as the current one; no difference. The second level offers
all the services of the TAL but includes A/UX Software Upgrades! This 2nd
level, which is more expensive, of course, uses the exact same "administration"
as the TAL, reducing the "headaches" involved. For example, you call up:
"Hello, Apple TAL. Are you User XXXXX? What's the problem? What version are
you running.... Oh! Well that's fixed in version 2.0.3bd. Hold on a second...
HEY CHARLIE! Send user XXXXX the latest version!... I'm back... Thanks...
Bye bye." (I simplify, of course, but I hope you can see what I mean)
Now it's possible that Apple considered all the above (and more) and still
decided to drop it... well, if so, then I'll promise to shut up. But it's also
possible that Apple simply said, "Boy this upgrade thing is a bear, let's drop
it," in which case I believe Apple should reconsider. I would complain just as
loud if I felt that Apple was slighting the single-user...
So in any case, I stand by my statement that it was a "bad move." But if you
feel that "bad" is too strong a word, then I'll accept "most unfortunate" as
a substitute.
There, I'm finished... I'll shut up now :) Promise :)
--
=======================================================================
#include <std/disclaimer.h>
=:^)
Jim Jagielski NASA/GSFC, Code 711.1
jim@jagubox.gsfc.nasa.gov Greenbelt, MD 20771
"Exploding is a perfectly normal medical phenomenon. In many fields of
medicine nowadays, a dose of dynamite can do a world of good."
PS: Oops... will 2.0.1 be out before my current agreement expires in July, '91?
PPS: Did I offend anyone...? Then please use these in whatever places you
desire to change your mind:
:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) ;) ;) ;)
--
=======================================================================
#include <std/disclaimer.h>
=:^)
Jim Jagielski NASA/GSFC, Code 711.1
jim@jagubox.gsfc.nasa.gov Greenbelt, MD 20771
"Exploding is a perfectly normal medical phenomenon. In many fields of
medicine nowadays, a dose of dynamite can do a world of good."