I would expect that at some point in the future, probably some months after
its release, the general 'free CD to anyone who asks' will end. I can't see
us doing it for the rest of time. But I expect that if some existing
customer requests it we'll send it anyway - we have a lot of personal
intiative and leeway. We've had the form up and have been accepting
requests since early this year already.
We do sell the software on media. Floppies are loaded by hand and not
mass duped - we don't ship enough of them to mass dupe them. If we did
that we'd end up with a load of outdated floppies because we change the
code too quickly. As it is right now we only run off a couple of thousand
CDs at a time. We want to provide the freshest product to the end user -
so when new manuals come out, PMconsole revs, or a new ComOS is released
we want that on CD and shipping with product ASAP. A high massed produced
stock of CDs would mean throwing them away, or delaying the shipment of the
latest software.
Each product we ship ships with a CD-ROM of all of our software. For most
of our customers upgrades are not a problem as they continue to buy our
products. For others the free upgrade path is the FTP site.
Note that 'free software upgrades' applies to the platforms we support. And
releasing a binary that runs on that platform is a legitimate upgrade path.
So RADIUS 2.0 binaries available for free on the FTP site are a free upgrade
for our users. We're offering the CD for free to registered users just
because we're nice - it is a service above and beyond what we *have* to do.
It is something we are doing to provide a better service to our customers.
>Now, if I remember right some months ago there was some kind of debate
>concerning a 32-bit version of PM-console for Windows. I don't know
There was a version in devlopment, but AFAIK that is on hold now. We
made some major decision about PMconsole. There will be one more version
in the current design to bring it up to date, and that will be followed
but a new, redesigned, reengineered PMconsole a while later. I don't know
how much I can say, so I won't give any details on the plans.
>about everyone else, but I dumped Win 3.1 last November, and PMConsole
>for Win16 made WinNT3.51 and NT4 CRAWL, then if I left it open for a
Have you tried PMWIN 1.1? 1.0 did have more problems, but 1.1 seems to
work well.
>I remember something about "if we release a Win32 PMconsole it will
>cost extra, or something along those lines. Since it would be a NEW
No, I don't think anyone here ever said that. I would hope not. We never
charged our existing customers for PMconsole for Windows when it first
shipped for example, why would a new version of the existing product be
different?
>I'm not bent, just mearly modified.
You sounded bent - and note that your post now has others griping about
the same erroneous info - that the CD is going to cost money... I just
hope people see the other posts stating it is free before this snowballs
into a FUD rumor.
>I know I know.. It was a joke. Lighten up will ya.
I didn't read as a joke for me. I've had people seriously say things like
that, and since the entire tone of your post was upset I didn't see levity
in it.
I suppose I'm a bit frazzled too. Ever since I started talking about the
PM-3 I've been getting hit from all directions - here, private email, USEnet -
with questions, misinformed allegations, various accusations, and more...
And at the same time I've been called out internally for going too far at
times with what I'm giving out. So at the same time I'm doing what I can
to get the most information out to the public to answer yoru questions, I'm
getting people telling me I'm trying to avoid questions or hide something...
I really do love my job, and I love working for Livingston like you wouldn't
believe - no one makes me work the hours I do, I do it because I enjoy what
I do and I will push myself to the limit to do the best I can for both the
customers and the company - but sometimes it gets under your skin. I just
wish people would understand that there are some things I just can't talk
about - not without repercusions - and that I am doing everything I can.
One drawback to throwing yourself into your work is that you can take things
personally. I do it a lot - while it may mean I'll push myself even more to
take care of an issue, it also means I can be overly sensitive when I feel
like I'm doing everything I can and I'm still catching flak...
-MZ
-- Livingston Enterprises - Chair, Department of Interstitial Affairs Phone: 800-458-9966 510-426-0770 FAX: 510-426-8951 megazone@livingston.com For support requests: support@livingston.com <http://www.livingston.com/> Snail mail: 6920 Koll Center Parkway #220, Pleasanton, CA 94566 See me in person: Internet Expo, Boston, MA, October 16-17, Booth 422 ;-)