----------
From:   Jeff Kell
Sent:   Saturday, July 20, 1996 11:53 PM
To:     Multiple recipients of list HP3000-L
Subject:        Re: HP Software Support Contract Question
 
While we're speaking of software support (ahem) and "right to use"...
 
Suppose you purchased "right to use" Basic/V umpteen years ago.  It is
still supported, HP still takes support dollars for it, and isn't about
to do anything for it other than keep it running.  If you drop support,
what happens?  No more Basic on your subsys tape.  But I don't think
there are any SL/XL/NL dependencies here, so no harm done.
 
If you "drop support" essentially saying you are "content with the product
as it stands" can you still use it?  Perpetually?
 
Dropping support means you won't get the necessary files on future subsys
tapes.  Not a problem *unless* there are SL/NL/XL dependent routines which
 
<<< SNIP! >>
 
Jeff,
 
We had a good one some years ago...we were using Cooperative Services
(the first HP3000 middleware component) and support just halted.  It all
of a sudden, disappeared from the price list with no notice, no call, no
nothing.
 
We paid support for it - and it just went away!
 
HP has said to me (I won;t mention names), but what you said is true,
as long as sufficent dollars are coming in on a product, HP will maintain
it.  If the dollars are not sufficient, then it will go the way of Information
Access (which was just taken off the price list and will be supported
until July of 1998 - because the *have* to).
 
HP seems to be getting out of the software business and letting the
third parties take over.  In some cases - it's a blessing (because HP
has never done PC software very well at all - the third parties have
always been superior), and sometimes it's a curse because there
are things which HP does very well.  Running NS for the PC?  Go to
WRQ for it now - and you get the 3000 Connection (which has been
superior for years).  Info Access?  If HP had maintained it the way it
should have been maintained, it could have given Cognos a run for
its money.
 
Go figure!
 
Best,
Joe Geiser