I can tell you that I read a story about someone reading a EULA, AUP, etc
agreement with a clause that read "If you are the first to call xxx-xxx-xxxx
you will get a free $300 since you took the time to read this". Turns out
the company honestly gave out $300.
Since then I anticipate it hasn't been done, though =)
Josh Luthman
Office: XXX-XXX-XXXX
Direct: XXX-XXX-XXXX
XXXX Wayne St
Suite XXXX
Troy, OH XXXXX
Those who don't understand UNIX are condemned to reinvent it, poorly.
--- Henry Spencer
On Mon, Nov 10, 2008 at 4:34 PM, Henrik Størner <user-ce4a2c883f75@xymon.invalid> wrote:
In <user-6d29701db3cf@xymon.invalid> "Ralph
Mitchell" <user-00a5e44c48c0@xymon.invalid> writes:
I think there's a certain amount of "who can we sue if it breaks"
mentality. If a company contracts to pay $$$$ for a product, that gives
them a big stick to beat the supplier with in the event that something
goes
wrong, to either fix the product or get their money back. If the product
is
free, worked on by a couple of guys in their spare time, there's no
contract
and no comeback if it breaks.
Hey, I'll give people their money back if they're not satisfied! All
$0.00 of it!
The funny thing about this argument is
a) all software licenses I've seen have enough disclaimers in them that
any lawyer would have no problem fending off a lawsuit. So the
"we'll sue you if this doesn't get fixed" threat is meaningless.
(Can anyone point to a succesful lawsuit where a software vendor
had to pay for deficiencies in their product? I don't know of any).
b) the free software either pays off immediately, or it is junked. If
it pays off you win; if not, you've lost nothing but a couple of
days work by your techs - no big loss.
The economics seem simple enough to me. Maybe that's why I'm a techie, not
a manager :-)
Regards,
Henrik