Re: Designer/2000 & Developer/2000

In article <dbmooreD5nG9J.4sq_at_netcom.com>, dbmoore_at_netcom.com (Dennis Moore) wrote:

> (2) We have ***NOT*** changed non-Windows pricing (i.e. Mac, Unix,
 VMS). While
> we may make some tuning adjustments on those platforms, we don't expect
 to have
> free runtimes on all platforms. We build the product on Windows and then port
> to those other platforms, which is a very difficult and expensive process (if
> you don't believe me, then ask Sybase's PowerBuilder why their Mac and Motif
> ports are over two years late ;-). On Unix and VMS, we also support character
> mode deployment, and again this is expensive and time consuming. With Windows
> now not only our fastest growing but also our largest single platform
 (in terms
> of units and revenues), we have to take a "Windows first" attitude but without
> negatively affecting our huge Unix and VMS installed base.
 

> -- Dennis Moore, Oracle Corp.

                   "Once Again Mac Users Get the Shaft"

  I think this is a cruel and unusual policy and I really hope you reconsider it. Just because you build the product on Windows and then port it, it's not fair to simply yank out the "porting cost" as extraneous to the product development. You know all along that you're building cross-platform tools. Perhaps If you restructured your development process to focus on that from the start, it wouldn't be so expensive.   You're giving up a huge amount of money by not charging for Windows runtimes. Surely the amount you'll get out of the other platforms is not worth the bad will it promotes. I already have to wait months to start using "the way cool really great stop using 4.0 now" Forms 4.5 for Mac. Now you want me to pay extra for it? While Windows users get it earlier and cheaper? They get 2 pluses and I get 2 minuses. This all leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Mike Kranzdorf                   mikek_at_krt.com