From: peet@locus.com (J. David Peet)
Subject: Re: Deleting Merge from DELL SVR4 (Was: DELL SVR4 - separate /usr and /var filesystem?)
Keywords: dell svr4 filesystem
Organization: Locus Computing Corp, Los Angeles
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 07:59:58 GMT

In article <1992Sep14.140056.7705@godzilla.quotron.com> sandy@godzilla.quotron.com (Sanford Zelkovitz) writes:
>In article <1992Sep12.210327.0649391@locus.com> peet@locus.com (J. David Peet) writes:
>>In article <1992Sep12.144224.13970@tware.com> bash@tware.com (Paul Bash) writes:
>>>In article <BuEvwy.2rt@gator.rn.com> larry@gator.rn.com (Larry Snyder) writes:
>>>>peter@ferranti.com (peter da silva) writes:
>>>>
>>>>>> DELL includes the MERGE along with their product (i.e. it is a "nuts and
>>>>>> bolts complete" release).  
>>>>
>>>>>IF you want Merge. But why would I want Merge?
>>>>
>
>  {  portions deleted ]
>
>>
>>The reason that Merge is bundled with DELL (and Merge/Vpix is available for
>>other UNIX systems) is that a majority of buyers have a minimum requirement
>>that their 386 UNIX system also be able to run DOS programs.  If your UNIX
>>can't run DOS, then many customers go elsewhere.  This is also starting to
>>be true with non-386 UNIX systems and MAC's which have Soft-PC to provide
>>this function.
>
>David, that is really nice; however, why bundle it??? If it is available
>and the need is present, the customer will buy it. If the need is not
>present, the customer just through away his money. Now you see why many
>of the vendors make add-ons like "merge" or "vpix" an option.

Several reasons to bundle any program.
1) Easier to support.  When bundled, installation problems are
   minimized, and the known correct version that matches the rest of
   the system (and has been tested together) is automatically there.
   Selling "Standard" systems can reduce the number of support calls.
   I don't know about Dell in particular, but with many software
   products, just one call to "free" support can cancel out the profit
   the company made selling it.  
2) Cheaper to stock and distribute.  If most systems are going to
   have it anyway, you can reduce your manufacturing, stocking, and
   shipping costs.  Note that the cost for the bundle is usually
   a lot less that if you buy the stuff separately.  For many
   customers this saves them money (a good thing).  You get more
   for less!  As long as the bundle has a reasonably close match
   to what most customers want, then most everyone wins.  
3) Many customers don't want to (or cannot reasonably do) research and
   find out what software products are available and compatable.  The
   bundle can then be thought of as service the bundler provides.
   Buying a standard complete system saves money when you take into
   consideration the time not consumed putting together a system piece
   by piece.  Perhaps resellers don't like bundles for this reason.

When if a bundle has just a few things you don't want, it does not have
to mean that you are paying a lot money for something you don't use.
UNIX comes with a lot of things, and not everyone uses all of it.
A bundle is usually is priced with this in mind.

So with a well run company, the decision of what is in the bundle
is not made with the "let's get people to pay for what they don't need"
attitude.  You see what the most typical system is, or what major
contracts specify, and got for that.  To do otherwise in this
competitive market would be suicide.  This is not to say that all
past decisions on what to bundle are correct or incorrect, but that
bundling is a very valid way of selling software.

-David Peet
Newsgroups: comp.unix.sysv386