>
> There are certainly packages out there that are less and offer the same.
> I got that email from Mr. GeneJockeyII awhile back, and it was going for
> $1000 (a lot less than the others; hmm..., how'd that happen?), and I
> think it's only for the Mac. I need to get a demo of it, though.
> Anybody know of one, or any other packages that are even less?
>
CJ, sounds like you're getting a bit excited by now - the above paragraph
is a bit garbled. However, if you are looking for a demo of GeneJockey,
then Biosoft will be only too happy to send you one.
(http://www.cityscape.co.uk/biosoft/)
You also wrote in another message...
>
> For a response, read the thread further back. You haven't read down to
> my explanation on what you said (and Tim Cutts' response, as well); this
> thread's a little bit longer than you think.
>
Hell, I've been with this thread since the beginning and as far as I can
tell, your response to the harsh economic realities of most peoples
arguments have been along the lines of 'Well I just don't think they should
charge so much'.
In addition, the GeneJockey programs are cheaper for precisely the economic
reasons that Susan so elegantly presented to you. Phil Taylor (Mr
GeneJockey) wrote the programs whilst employed as a scientist within a
Government funded laboratory. Now he may have written them within his own
time, using his own resources but he never had to worry during that time
about where his wages were coming from (well no more than the rest of us,
eh Phil?). So he can "afford" to sell at a lower price.
Taking other peoples code, particularly specific-purpose academic-derived
code and adding fancy interfaces is not a simple lego-like process (do you
have lego in the US). If your only income from that process is going to
come from sales then you have to cover your total costs.
and then, after some more holier-than-thou pontificating you wrote...
>
> And
> some genius realized that it's good advertising as well as good sales
> sense to lower the prices for academics; if they are satisfied, they'll
> recommend it to their friends, loved ones, dog, the general public, etc.
> Wish that genius worked at Intelligenetics or Hitachi, or any company
> dealing in lab equipment, for that matter!
>
Now think back to what Susan and I have tried to suggest to you. How much
do you need that software? How many people can supply it to you? Is your
mother likely to buy a copy if you get it for any less and recommend it to
her? And now try to separate the two terms 'market value' and 'worth'. The
price they charge is its market value. Now is it *worth* that much to you?
If it is then buy it. If it isn't, well....
Andy Law
------------------
( Andy.Law at bbsrc.ac.uk )
( Big Nose in Edinburgh )
