"Dobies; Mike" <[log in to unmask]> on 10/24/97 8:05 AM asks:

> Suppose you were in the following hypothetical situation.  Under
> contract support costs you $1200/mth with a 4 hour response time.  If
> you went without support, according to HP RC it would be $420
> 210/hr (2 hour min)
>                                  $240    (travel)
>                                  $350    (for response within 24hours)
>                          total  $1010

     <Snip>

> The thought is, since we will be without a HP3000 within a year(so they
> think) and we haven't made a call within the last six months why should
> we pay 1200/mth when we could do a pay as you go for $1010?

     Mike,

     One of the big costs that you didn't account for is the price of
     materials that may need to be replaced.  Disks, CPU cards or memory
     cards will set you back untold hundreds, if not thousands of
     additional dollars.  And since you're not on support, you'll most
     likely get only "best effort" replacement of said components.  This
     means you could be down for days not hours.  Besides, what rational
     human being would bet their entire business on trying to save a couple
     of bucks??  Take a look at what support will cost for next-day
     service.  It costs less money but doesn't leave you swinging in the
     breeze!

     Just a few sobering thoughts to ponder,

     John Hornberger
     John.Hornberger @gss.gensig.com

     P.S.  I said it, not my company!