5/1/1982 anger is the mother of this programIn response to Softalk's March Open Discussion, I would like to comment on the greatest irony facing the computer market today. In the industry's attempt to protect itself from malicious copying of precious software or from casual piracy, publishers have actually opened the door for their own bankruptcy. I can only state my present dilemma. In calling various software companies in an attempt to review various software packages for medical and dental office administration, I was bluntly informed of this fact: if I did not put up (pay) literally hundreds and often thousands of dollars just to look at their software, I could just continue looking. In other words, if I did not care to purchase their software sight unseen, then I just cannot purchase it all.
Correct me if I am wrong, but the old saying still stands even in the computer market, "Let the buyer beware," even to ask to possibly order software business packages for review from your local computer store, you will get the same answer that you received from the software dealer, "If you don't promise to buy, then don't look." The laugh is on them, however, since I cannot "review," various software packages for my business, I have now decided to write my own software to meet the medical market's needs and to do it so well that I truly hope to become one of their biggest competitors. In fact, I am so mad, at this point, that I am considering selling my business package for as little as $10 plus the price of the diskette to prove that you cannot expect the buyer to purchase software sight unseen. What would have been my present vendor will now be my current competition. I do hope this letter is published, as I would hope to bring to light this industry absurdity. Maybe in this age of the computer, the saying should be, "Let the protector beware." It is absurd for these software dealers actually to think that everyone is out to get them. Patricia L. Adler, Boulder, CO - V2N9 Comments are closed.
|