i also got the 'about to expire' call a few months ago Dennis Saputelli
Harry Selfridge wrote: > > At 11:55 PM 8/7/03 +0100, you wrote: > >Duane, Harry > > > >Its not nonsense, its for real. > > > >I was made the same offer from the UK VAR but was informed that the > >maintenance cover WAS optional, it covered major releases and 'priority' > >telephone support. SP, add-ons would always be free for current major > >release only. > > > >But, my understanding, is that it is very misunderstood. After all the > >backlash against ATS it is still actually around in principle under a > >different name & guise and now 'optional'. > > > >I brought this up around April this year on this list, but it seems that > >no-one had an issue with this at the time, and quite OK about it, unlike > >the ATS revolt. > >SNIP > >John A. Ross > SNIP > > John - > > The phrase from the salesman that peaked my attention, and raised my > hackles, was "your license is about to expire". There is no annual license > requirement for Protel. Regarding ATS, below is the message that was sent > to me from Altium on 26 September 2002 - it is consistent with the slide > that you reference in your posting: > > Quote - > As a result of listening to extensive customer feedback, we would like to > inform you that the Altium Total Support (ATS) maintenance program has been > discontinued, and all published Service Packs for Protel products will be > made freely available to all Protel customers. > > We have taken this step to reaffirm the core values of our company - that > of providing easy access for all engineers, designers and developers to the > best possible design technologies - and to preserve the key benefits and > advantages that you have enjoyed as a Protel designer. > > Service packs not only address issues with the software, they also include > enhanced features and functionality, ensuring you get the most out of your > Protel design system. Forcing customers to pay for product fixes and > technology updates does not fit with the spirit in which Altium was > founded, nor is it in harmony with the Protel product development philosophy. > > Options will be available for Protel customers that wish to have direct > phone support and/or to annualize the cost of upgrades. The availability of > these options will not disadvantage customers who wish to maintain their > products on an upgrade-by-upgrade basis. All current ATS members will > continue to receive all benefits entitled to them. If you would like any > further information on these changes, please don't hesitate to contact your > local Altium Sales and Support Center. > > A press release regarding the changes is available at > http://www.protel.com/news.htm. For information on the latest Protel > service packs available for download visit: > http://www.protel.com/resources/downloads/. > > If you would like more product information on Protel or would like to > download the Protel DXP Trial Version visit http://www.protel.com. > > Best regards, > > Phil Loughhead > Protel Product Manager > Altium Limited > > - End Quote -- Dennis Saputelli ========= send only plain text please! - no HTML ========== _______________________________________________________________________ Integrated Controls, Inc. www.integratedcontrolsinc.com 2851 21st Street tel: 415-647-0480 San Francisco, CA 94110 fax: 415-647-3003 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To post a message: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * To leave this list visit: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/leave.html * * Contact the list manager: * mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * Forum Guidelines Rules: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/forumrules.html * * Browse or Search previous postings: * http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
