>Last I checked, HP Direct was selling remarketed 3000/917lx systems (with only
>24Mb of memory however) WITH FOS *AND* TurboImage for about $7000. This is an
>8-user license machine;
 
In addition to this pricing, developers are able to sign up as an
Independent Software Vendor (ISV) with HP.  While there is a cost involved
(you have to be on support, both software (at least RC) and hardware
(next-day is enough) you then qualify for 40 percent discounts, even with
remarketed products from FRD.  When I was still at Lund Performance
Solutions last year, I purchased an additional system that way.  Even if you
upgrade the memory (an absolute requirement) you are still way under the
$7,000 mark.  There are some hoops you have to jump through, but nothing
impossible.  As part of this program, you also get enrolled in the VALID
database, the absolute best way to keep up-to-date (except maybe for the
TCU's) on the latest going's on at HP.  This is also what I have considered
being a good "HP Citizen".  While at LPS, I make some fairly outrageous
requests of various people at HP, up to and including Lew Platt when he
still had a real job :-) .  To me, this is a fair way to have some
involvement in the expensive proposition of getting HP to provide
third-party support.  I do have to say, though, that there have been many
times I have been disappointed with the end result, but them's the breaks.
 
In addition to the discounts, you get other things from HP as an ISV, some
useful, some worthless.  A very useful item is the VABPREP program which
pretty much guarantees you access to pre-release versions of the OS, some
access to individuals at the Technology Access Center (these folks have been
*especially* helpful to me, specifically Mike Yawn) and more overall
attention from senior management at CSY.
 
Some will disagree with me about some of these issues (Stan, for example)
for good reason.  Stan has many years of access to top dogs at HP and really
has entre' because of relationships developed over the years.  I'm sure that
others such as Alfredo, Dave Merit (are you still alive?), and so on also
have this access.  Being in the relative backwaters of Oregon, and never
having been an HP employee, I didn't have these relationships going in.
 
Another issue some have against elements of this program is that for
participation in VABPREP you must sign non-disclosure agreements.  This
isn't very realistic for people like Stan and Alfredo who have spent many
years of extremely tedious (to me, anyway) activity in debug and like tools
actually figuring out what the OS is doing, not to mention maybe even
participating in the actual design of significant elements of MPE.
 
So, while this program isn't tailor-made for everybody, it worked extremely
well for me.  I should mention that there are some fairly worthless things
you get.  For example, you can get marketing assistance from HP for your
products.  If you have sushi to sell, you may be in good luck. :-)  You can
also get access to some HP mailing lists, which in my experience have been
some of the crappiest around.
 
If I didn't say it before, I want to say that I believe that third-party
vendors have both "rights" and "responsibilities", as does HP vis-a-vis
relationships with developers.  While I have had lots of history of some
less-than-thrilling experiences I think that it's a pretty darn adequate
program for my needs.
 
For developers involved in the 9000 side, the PA-RISC Developers Program is
even better. It is different though.  There is a $600 per year fee to enroll
but fewer hoops to jump through.  You also get much higher discounts (up to
55 percent).
 
I always wondered when HP would establish a single program for all it's
ISV's but in the interim, I use each program to my greatest advantage.  Not
a bad tool for a small ISV (by HP's standards) to have in it's Toolbox.
 
> Why not a 1 or 2 user license version of the same box??? Maybe $3000? $4000?
>
> That's in the high-end-PC/low-end-workstation price range; wouldn't take any
>special drivers or modifications other than setting the license level. Sounds
>like a no-brainer. What could it cost HP to offer this?
>
>  Then we need to take a look at s/w costs; compilers in the $4k range won't
>do. A developers package of software tools would be a big help.
>
>  The only remaining problem is support costs. Small developers are gonna need
>a support program that's cheaper than the current ~$400 per month for PICS.
>Maybe a pay-per-call, or even just electronic access via WWW or e-mail with 24
>hour response (also electronically) for a greatly reduced fee. Make S/W
>updates/patches available on the 'net perhaps (almost $0 cost for distribution
>of media) so developers could easily and cheaply maintain the latest 'n
>greatest OS release (to hopefully stay ahead of their customers).
>
>
I agree that these costs are pretty high.  Maybe the thinking behind it is
that if there was no (or slight) contribution on the part of the ISV in
getting in these programs people who aren't serious about contributing to
the community would get in and take resources which are already scarce.
 
Another possible line of thinking may be that ISV's tend to place much
harder demands on HP's support resources than do "typical" users.  Imagine
the kind of question Stan or Alfredo might have to ask.
 
I'm not justifying HP's position, just trying to understand it.
 
Bill
---
Bill Lancaster
Lancaster Consulting
(541)926-1542 (phone)
(541)917-0807 (fax)
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