Re: SAL, Auto_Text_IO release

["Randy Brukardt" <randy@rrsoftware.com>]

"Stephen Leake" <stephen_leake@acm.org> wrote in message
news:u3bdw6njw.fsf@acm.org...
> > Stephen, I'm not discussing nature or size of my business on
> > usenet. The point I made in another post was, that entry-costs of
> > $15000 are quite a hindrance in bootstrapping any business in Ada
> > software (development) _gradually_.
>
> Well, ok. I'm still in the dark. I can't imagine trying to start an
> actual profit making business on less that $15k. But I guess that's
> why I'm working for the government :).

Probably. ;-)

RR Software was started on an investment of $1500. Admittedly, that wasn't
enough, but what did we know? That money was earmarked for advertising (else
no one would know about our products). These days, I'd concentrate on the
web (cheaper and as effective), but of course that wasn't possible in
1981-2.

If you think a start-up business can afford $15K a year, I think you're
really out of touch. Start-ups generally have little free money, and it is
used for essentials: equipment, utilities, rent, marketing, and so on. The
people are generally paid out of profits (thus "sweat equity", because the
people rarely earn early on what they would in a typical job). If there are
no profits, then there is no pay! So the cost of essentials is kept to a
minimum. I doubt that many would invest $15K a year when there are many
cheaper alternatives out there.

                                    Randy.