Ken responds:
 
>On 29 August 1996 Duane Percox wrote:
>
>>Have you been disturbed by the fact that HP support revenue we pay is
>>not really directed to CSY (except for image/sql) for continued r&d on
>>the core functionality of MPE/iX.
><snip>
>
>What makes you think the IMAGE/SQL support revenue is filtered out to CSY? Do
>you have any evidence to support this comment? Have you asked HP about their
>Fund Accounting capabilities?
 
I believe this is a reasonable assumption given how they advertized the
additional costs and where the resources have been that worked (and continue
to work on Image/SQL). Of course I might be wrong. If so I would gladly
like to know.
 
>
>>Simple funding model
>>--------------------
>>Add $50 to every HP 3000 annual support contract and give this $$
>>to csy for continued r&d on the platform.
>>If there are 50,000 supported systems then this will generate a
>>tidy sum of 2.5 million $$ per year.
>
>We have already had $140 added to our software support contract by HP for 1997.
>Paying more for less is a good way to move customers away from the HP3000 and
>HP. The list of supported products just shows a lump sum monthly payment. Your
>simple funding model for HP is way beyond their accounting system
procedures and
>capabilities.
 
So - this simple model is way beyond the accounting system of an almost
40 billon $$ company? If so then I think they have bigger problems than the
HP3000 to worry about!
 
My HP software support contract details my individual costs and then
summarizes by the monthly amount. I can see that I am paying an extra
$30 per month for Image/SQL, which is a yearly amount of $360. I would
assume I would get a similar line item to refer to the
'keep the r&d going' item showing a monthly amount which will be summed
into my monthly and then annual totals. BTW - my s/w contract has decreased
this year from last.
 
Ken - are you concerned that paying additional support dollars won't result
in additional features? Maybe that HP is taking our $$ without supporting
the 3k? This is a valid concern, especially in the area of languages, which
you/Jeanette/Frank/me and others have been concerned about. However, I feel
the Image/SQL $$ I pay are well worth it and I would gladly follow this
model for additinal core MPE functionality.
 
Duane Percox  (QSS)
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