I think the bottom line is that the group of software engineers on the
mailing lists are not important to RealSoftware.
Dana in marketing has been given the job of telling the world that
RealSoftware made a business decision to anger a very skilled group of
people. This group of people produced commercial plugins for RB and
provided technical support to all who asked. The forums provide much less
support. Many questions go unanswered on the forums.
In addition, the press in the new group will be much less positive towards
RealSoftware, since RealSoftware has lost all moderation ability. That will
cause Google searches to come up with a lot more reasons NOT to purchase
this software.
In addition, RealSoftware will no longer know the mood of this group of
developers that use their product unless they also subscribe to the new
mailing list.
RealSoftware has made a business decision. I suspect they will find this
decision was one that has and will have implications they don't like. It is
typical of marketeers to anger what they consider a small subset of the
customer base to "reach a larger audience."
Note that marketeers don't sell product. They just try to reach a larger
audience. Marketeers can kill a company if given free reign. I have seen
it. Anyone remember CP/M? Shughart? Xerox computers? IBM PC AT? (the
decision by marketeers to kill the AT before the microchannel architecture
was fully in production cost them plenty.) Aldus? Apple Computer before
Jobs brought them back from the dead? Farther afield: what shape is
Chevrolet or Ford in now?
There is an engineering term: if it isn't broke, don't fix it. Perhaps
RS mail server being overloaded due to an automated bounce is the reason for
this, but it does remind me of the principal behind the passage of the
excise tax to fix the deficit for the Spanish-American war. A knee jerk
reaction that lasted almost forever. This knee jerk reaction is one that
RealSoftware may have some difficulty recovering from.
I bought 3 licenses with 18 months of update. I'm still in my 90 day
window. This situation and the future implications I draw from it are
making me think very carefully.
wade
Message: 10
Subject: Re: And the winner is...
From: Roger Clary <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 14:30:37 -0500
On Feb 6, 2007, at 1:52 PM, Stefan wrote:
What a valuable resource it has been for me since 1999.
Geoff Perlman 3135
When did Geoff switched to more or less 'silent mode'. The last 2
year, I seldom saw
Geoff posting somthing.
;I don't know that answer, but his voice clearly needs to be heard now.
;"We understand your dismay, but continue to value your business and;
;will continue to seek ways to improve your RB experience."
;
;There you go, Geoff. All written for you.
;Roger M. Clary
;Class One Software
;http://www.classonesoftware.com <http://www.classonesoftware.com/>
;[EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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