Re: Cost of Ada support

[Kilgallen@SpamCop.net (Larry Kilgallen)]

In article <3CA0FEDF.BF6F2C55@raytheon.com>, Mark Johnson <mark_h_johnson@raytheon.com> writes:
> Adam Tissa wrote:
>> 
>> "Steve Doiel" <nospam_steved94@attbi.com> wrote:
>> 
>> >"Larry Kilgallen" <Kilgallen@SpamCop.net> wrote in message
>> >> > I would strongly suggest you contact sales@gnat.com to get the actual
>> >> > cost of ACT support for GNAT.  "Six figures per seat" is inaccurate
>> >> > almost to the point of libel.
>> 
>> Sorry,  I should have said that the minimum cost is six figures per
>> year.
>> [snip]
> Not true. As Larry said before, I suggest you call ACT for pricing. I am
> renewing annual support for well less that $100K US for support of
> 50-100 software developers. I would more likely believe the $12k figure
> you quote is for all 10 developers (not per developer).
> 
>> For someone who just needs a license for one or two programmers, the
>> effective cost is the cost for 10 seats.
> Agreed. That is part of the pricing they chose to implement. They
> explained the reasoning to me - perhaps you can ask to get the same
> answer...

There was a quoting error above -- it was not I who said to call ACT.

I see nothing wrong with calling ACT, but for an explanation of that
reasoning no confidential phone discussion is required.  Answering a
question at a recent Boston lecture, Robert Dewar said their pricing
model is based on experience that supporting a single developer on
the average is more expensive than supporting ten developers, since
that single developer has nobody local from whom they can get advice.

> If you need the support and its worth say 8 weeks of labor to
> pay for it, go ahead and do so. If not, ask questions on c.l.a or go to
> another vendor.

I think even those of us who do not use their compiler feel it is a
priority for ACT to stay in business.

And Robert Dewar has pointed out that if someone else wants to get
into the business of lower-priced GNAT support for smaller numbers
of users it is perfectly legal for them to do so.