From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.4 required=5.0 tests=AC_FROM_MANY_DOTS,BAYES_00 autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,c62a5e526aafd9d4 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2001-09-28 08:45:02 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news1.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!newsfeeds.belnet.be!news.belnet.be!psinet-eu-nl!psiuk-p4!uknet!psiuk-n!news.pace.co.uk!nh.pace.co.uk!not-for-mail From: "Marin David Condic" Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: The Hobby Lobby was Windows CE? Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2001 11:35:49 -0400 Organization: Posted on a server owned by Pace Micro Technology plc Message-ID: <9p25cm$g1r$1@nh.pace.co.uk> References: <9onhgu$9h9$1@nh.pace.co.uk> <3BAF77E6.9BDE9102@adaworks.com> <9onvig$f6n$1@nh.pace.co.uk> <3bb05ee7.10496763@news.demon.co.uk> <5ee5b646.0109251818.5f6dd078@posting.google.com> <3bb1cfbd.18007503@news.demon.co.uk> <5ee5b646.0109271720.7d303e8b@posting.google.com> <3bb434af.3009367@news.demon.co.uk> <9p207h$dq3$1@nh.pace.co.uk> <89+wOKRxsgVW@eisner.encompasserve.org> NNTP-Posting-Host: dhcp-200-133.miami.pace.co.uk X-Trace: nh.pace.co.uk 1001691350 16443 136.170.200.133 (28 Sep 2001 15:35:50 GMT) X-Complaints-To: newsmaster@news.cam.pace.co.uk NNTP-Posting-Date: 28 Sep 2001 15:35:50 GMT X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4522.1200 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4522.1200 Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:13469 Date: 2001-09-28T15:35:50+00:00 List-Id: "Larry Kilgallen" wrote in message news:89+wOKRxsgVW@eisner.encompasserve.org... > > Presumably ACT is presently guaranteed that every boxed set they ship > goes to a genuine customer who pays money. > > In a retail environment they would have to do with "returns" and "credits" > and "shrinkage". I don't know who gets caught holding the bag full of > V.n boxed sets when V.n+1 comes out, but right now ACT does not have > to deal with retailer animosity. > Even if they were just selling it retail over the Internet and not dealing with distributors/retailers, they'd still have all the problems I outlined. (That was my interpretation of the original suggestion.) It obviously gets more complex the instant someone tries to put it on store shelves. > While I think it would be great to see Ada on the shelves, I doubt > that presently it could be done at a profit, especially when you > add in the fees paid to retailers for shelf space. How many here > would be willing to contribute to a fund to cover those costs ? > I don't know about contributing to a fund, but I might be willing to become an investor. :-) There *might* be ways of getting an Ada compiler some exposure in retail outlets and they *might* not cost too much to do. However, figuring out how to do that would require considerably more information than we've got so far (we'd have to talk to a variety of retailers and understand terms/conditions, etc.) and it would take a very creative, and imaginative business plan. > Certainly contributions would _not_ be tax deductible as a charity > contribution. What is the total amount that could be raised > through such donations? If everybody who has posted to comp.lang.ada > in the past year would contribute $1000 US, I don't think the result > would cover a significant campaign. Why would you think in terms of donations? This would be a business venture which would have to justify its existence based on return on investment. If it can't succeed, then the donations are a supreme waste of money. If it *can* succeed, then why wouldn't your hypothetical donators become hypothetical *investors*? Imagine I said "I'll start a business to sell retail Ada. You give me money I can use to bribe the retailers into putting my product on the shelf. If I'm successful, I'll make millions of $$$ and I'll promise to send you a note expressing my undying gratitude. If I fail, you're out the money you gave me and there's no retail Ada on the shelves." How many folks would go for that deal? MDC -- Marin David Condic Senior Software Engineer Pace Micro Technology Americas www.pacemicro.com Enabling the digital revolution e-Mail: marin.condic@pacemicro.com Web: http://www.mcondic.com/