Re: How Ada is failing socially

[warren@eecs.cs.pdx.edu (Warren Harrison)]

In article <SRCTRAN.91Jun24191603@world.std.com> srctran@world.std.com (Gregory Aharonian) writes:
>
>     I just received in the mail today the Summer '91 issue of "The Connection"
>a directory of software development tools and products distributed by
>"Programmers Connection (North Canton, OH) 800-336-1166)". They distribute
>pretty much any programming tool for PCs, Suns, Macs and Vaxes, though most of
>their products are for PCs.

Programmer's Connection has traditionally focused on the MS-DOS marketplace.
They have only recently started listing UNIX/VMS tools, and even then, mostly
from their MS-DOS tool suppliers. I don't think Ada is too popular in the
MS-DOS market (anybody out there doing significant Ada development under
MS-DOS?).

Another reason you'll find few Ada tools (so far) in the catalog is based
on pricing. The Connection (as well as most other such suppliers) insists on
approximately a 50% discount off the retail price - most vendors used to
doing direct sales, haven't set their prices to accomodate a 50% discount,
so they are understandably reluctant to use dealers. The rule of thumb
you have to use if you want this kind of distribution channel is figure
out what you need out of the product to make a profit, and double it so
you can quote a list price that will still make you a profit after a 50%
cut (you can sell it for less, but the *list price* has to be up there -
consider all the "special offers" Borland, Microsoft, etc. make - they
still make a profit at that price, but at 50% of that price, which is what
the distrbutors want, they go belly up in no time). As the Ada market
matures (actually as the companies learn the mass market game), we can
expect to see more Ada toolsets being listed in distributor catalogs.


==========================================================================
Warren Harrison                                          warren@cs.pdx.edu
Center for Software Quality Research                          503/725-3108
Portland State University/CMPS