These are my comments. If you don't agree, don't blame HP3K marketing,
'cause
I am a "Lab Guy"!
-----
There is basically no way to write a response to this thread that will
convince
any of the "die-hards" that:

a) User Based Pricing is acceptable (essentially a religous discussion)
-or-
b) This particular price increase makes sense

Dave gave an explanation, it helped for some of you, and had no (positive)
effect on others.

To any of you who are more open minded, I suggest that you re-read all the
responses, because one person was on the right track (I am not going to
say who).

If anyone thinks they know of a signficant new-customer deal that would go
to the HP3K if "...only the price were lower...", I suspect that data would
be useful to marketing. Otherwise, it is a theory.

I do agree with Wirt's comment:

"If the price of MPE should get too far out of line...then the HP3000 will
be in severe trouble. ... There must be reasonable, competitive prices
on the front side if the HP3000 is to attract new users and new
applications development."

I think Dave Snow agrees too, that is why he lowered the price of HP3K
hardware and adjusted the UBP pricing model.