Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!mit-eddie!ll-xn!ames!think!barmar
From: barmar@think.COM (Barry Margolin)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: sampling software (was: lotus chairman makes 26 million)
Message-ID: <20619@think.UUCP>
Date: 10 May 88 07:14:25 GMT
References: <9160@cisunx.UUCP> <1801@uhccux.UUCP> <807@netxcom.UUCP> <9360@cisunx.UUCP> <810@netxcom.UUCP> <9463@cisunx.UUCP> <319@mipseast.mips.COM> <818@netxcom.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@think.UUCP
Reply-To: barmar@kulla.think.com.UUCP (Barry Margolin)
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge, MA
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In article <818@netxcom.UUCP> ewiles@netxcom.UUCP (Edwin Wiles) writes:
>An interesting idea!  I wonder what software would cost, if instead of
>receiving a shrink wraped package,  you simply went to the dealer with
>your own disks and copied what you wanted!  (Paying for it of course...)
>You would receive all the documentation as usual, but would provide your
>own disks and copying service.  Would that reduce the price any?  The
>company would no longer have to pay for shrink wraping and packaging.  Only
>for documentation duplication.  That should be a significant savings...

It probably wouldn't cost significantly less.  How much of the $100 to
$500 cost of a typical program do you think reflects the cost of the
materials?  Remember, the manufacturer is probably getting pretty
hefty quantity discounts.  If the disk and shrink-wrap account for
more than $10 I would be very surprised.

Also, the dealer would probably charge you for the service.  All that
copying results in wear and tear on his equipment, and he would need
to recover those costs.

Barry Margolin
Thinking Machines Corp.

barmar@think.com
uunet!think!barmar