rca@cs.brown.edu (Ronald C.F. Antony) (05/02/91)
In article <hewett.672573170@legolas> Andy.Hewett@arbi.informatik.uni-oldenburg.de (Andy Hewett) writes: >There is NO discount for teaching or research or for anything. >The only exception is if we are prepared to buy 20 or more >(15% discount was the sum mentioned in an informal discussion). >Of course, if I was buying 20 lampshades then there would also be some >room for bargaining. As far as I know, this has to do less with NeXT than with the German Wettbewerbsrecht, i.e. laws similar to the U.S. anti-trust laws etc. It is legally not possible to give discounts to different sorts of customers on the basis of their differences. There exist still some discounts, but most of them use some legal twists. (i.e. setting up purchasing accounts, or you have to stat the intention to buy a certain number of systems, get a quantity discount and then cancel the rest of your order etc.) So although there are maybe also problems with the distributors, the main problem is in German laws. Ronald ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." G.B. Shaw | rca@cs.brown.edu or antony@browncog.bitnet
fischer@iesd.auc.dk (Lars P. Fischer) (05/08/91)
>>>>> Andy.Hewett@arbi.informatik.uni-oldenburg.de (Andy Hewett) writes: Andy> There is NO discount for teaching or research or for anything. >>>>> rca@cs.brown.edu (Ronald C.F. Antony) said: Ronald> As far as I know, this has to do less with NeXT than with the German Ronald> Wettbewerbsrecht, i.e. laws similar to the U.S. anti-trust laws etc. Ronald> It is legally not possible to give discounts to different sorts of Ronald> customers on the basis of their differences. [...] Ronald> So although there are maybe also problems with the distributors, the Ronald> main problem is in German laws. Now, I'm not in any way an expert in matters of law, but I do know that: - Giving edu discounts is *not* illegal in Denmark - I can buy Sun, Apple, you-name-it, with edu discount in Denmark. - I can *not* buy NeXT with edu discount in Denmark - I Apple gives edu discount in the UK - NeXT does *not* give edu discount in the UK As a matter of fact, NeXT does not give edu discount anywhere in Europe, and I find it hard to believe that the reason for this is a problem with German law. This is a serious problem. I would very much like to get a NeXT and I know of several persons in this department alone that are seriously considering a NeXT. But, with the current discount policy, a NeXT is much more expensive than a SparcStation SLC, Mac IIfx, 486PC, etc, and with no signs of improvements in the horizon, people are going elsewhere. This is a real shame. The home Unix market is being born as this is being written, and NeXT is neglecting a very serious chance to become the de-facto standard in this market. NeXT, are you listening?? Don't throw the baby out with the..... /Lars -- Lars Fischer, fischer@iesd.auc.dk | It takes an uncommon mind to think of CS Dept., Univ. of Aalborg, DENMARK. | these things. -- Calvin
mike@netmbx.UUCP (Michael Wesemann) (05/09/91)
>Ronald> As far as I know, this has to do less with NeXT than with the German >Ronald> Wettbewerbsrecht, i.e. laws similar to the U.S. anti-trust laws etc. No, that's not true! For example, HP give nearly 40% discount for Universities and other educational Instituts. Mike -- ***** Michael Wesemann, Schillerstrasse 73, 1000 Berlin 12 ***** ***** Tel: 030/3124199 Fax: 030/8305520 BTX: 0303124199-0001 ***** ***** mike@netmbx.in-berlin.de wesemann@venus.rz-berlin.mpg.de *****
hemmann@gmdzi.gmd.de (Thomas Hemmann) (05/09/91)
Yes, edu discounts are _not_ forbidden in Germany. I know definitively that Apple and SUN give discounts on their machines (not all). Why should NeXT do not?? Thomas Hemmann
dhg@sinix.UUCP (David Griffith) (05/21/91)
In article <FISCHER.91May7224243@jane.iesd.auc.dk> fischer@iesd.auc.dk (Lars P. Fischer) writes: >Now, I'm not in any way an expert in matters of law, but I do know >that: > - Giving edu discounts is *not* illegal in Denmark > - I can buy Sun, Apple, you-name-it, with edu discount in Denmark. > - I can *not* buy NeXT with edu discount in Denmark > - I Apple gives edu discount in the UK > - NeXT does *not* give edu discount in the UK >As a matter of fact, NeXT does not give edu discount anywhere in >Europe, and I find it hard to believe that the reason for this is a >problem with German law. > ><stuff deleted> > >This is a real shame. The home Unix market is being born as this is >being written, and NeXT is neglecting a very serious chance to become >the de-facto standard in this market. NeXT, are you listening?? Don't >throw the baby out with the..... And yet NeXT in the UK *do* give a 30% developer discount. Odd. Dave Griffiths
SAMcinty@exua.exeter.ac.uk (Scott McIntyre) (05/22/91)
dhg@sinix.UUCP (David Griffith) writes: > > And yet NeXT in the UK *do* give a 30% developer discount. Odd. > > Dave Griffiths Not so much odd as grossly unfair. The developers price would be lovely if it weren't for the nearly 1000 quid that you need to spend on a week long training session, which almost makes it not worth it, well, for students it DOES make it not worth it. As far as I know, there are no laws in the Uk saying that NeXT can't give equal discounts as they do at least in Switzerland, which is something like 20%...I understand about shipping and insurance, but it seems grossly unfair and unjustified to make UK residents, whom WANT to spend money, pay 2.5% ABOVE retail cost.... Sigh. Scott -- mcintyre@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk Scott A. McIntyre SAMcinty@uk.ac.exeter.exua Cornwall House S_MCINTYRE@uk.ac.lut.hicom St. Germans Road mcintyre.s@uk.ac.exeter Exeter, Devon, UK