Re: [cobalt-users] Restore CD

["Graham Wright" <graham.wright@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kris Dahl" <krislists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <cobalt-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, August 07, 2000 12:31 PM
Subject: Re: [cobalt-users] Restore CD


> on 8/7/00 6:18 AM, Graham Wright at graham.wright@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > I recently bought my first RaQ3 to try it out in our environment. The
lack
> > of an OS restoration CD is a very big negative in my mind and reflects
badly
> > on Cobalt. All other hardware vendors that we purchase from include the
base
> > OS and it's rather tacky that Cobalt have chosen not to do so.
>
> To continue the comparison with 'all other hardware vendors' how much
would
> similarly configured system cost you?  Say a Microsoft solution that Mr.
du
> Toit was comparing with earlier.  To think that you are paying for that
> restoration CD in the cost of that machine is niave and foolish.  It like
> you're not paying for Office 2000 Small Business when you buy a Dell
> Dimension--you know that Microsoft isn't giving that to Dell for free.
> There is *always* a cost and there is *never* such a thing as 'free'.

I did not say that the OS was free, or should be free. When a customer
purchases a Cobalt system they are paying for the hardware, R&D and support
costs, so why would Cobalt not spend the $0.65 it costs to master a CD and
include it in the box?

I'm sure that none of us beleive that Office 2000 or the Windows OS is free,
and we know they are included in the price that Dell charge us for the
Dimension. When I buy that PC I also receive a copy of the OS and installed
applications (at least I do from Gateway and Micron who I use) in case I
need them in the event of a problem. Why should Cobalt take a different
approach and inconvieince customers who need to rebuild a machine for the
sake of a $0.65 CD?

> Cobalt is trying reduce costs and I for one appreciate it.  Many of their
> customers--ISP's etc--have racks filled with Raqs.  They don't want to pay
> even $25 per Raq for a restore CD.  They'd rather buy one or two and save

Absolutely correct- there is no reason for customers to pay $99, $25, or
even $10 for a CD that costs under $1.00 to produce and should have been
included in the box. Since you touched on cost reduction I am guessing that
the printed manual that comes with every box costs more than the CD, and a
PDF verson of that manual could have been included on the CD, eliminating
the paper copy.

> the costs overall.  Most people never need it.  In fact I have only needed
> to use it once on any Cobalt machine (it happened to by a Qube2).  That is
> an excellent percentage.  I will give you that we had the foresight to
> purchase one in advance--after all it was my job to be prepared for most
any
> situation.  I know my client appreciated our foresight and that he saved
> about $99 on a Qube2.
>
> > We had another 15 systems on order from CDW but I'm going to cancel
those
> > and start investigating alternate systems. Since we were going to use
them
> > for a test lab the 1U form factor is the appealing thing for us rather
than
> > the extra features for ISP's.
>
> See you are even Cobalt's target market!  YOu're the one they are trying
to
> save money!  I've got a simple formula.  Say Cobalt amortizes the cost of
> maintaining the restore CD's over ever Raq and it works out to be $25 per.

But Cobalt have to maintain the Restore CD in any case so the assocaited
costs arealready factored into their business plan. It's the fact that they
have chosen to make it a revenue generating optional item that bothers me.

> 15 x $25 = $375
>
> You only need one, and they are saving you more than $250 bucks by
offering
> it as an option.  Use that saved money to go get a keg an a whole lot of
> pizza for your technicians!  They'll thank you for it, and we'll all be in
a
> better mood.

I think I made my point above - there is no way that the ability to restore
the base OS should be an optional cost item. It should be included in the
box.

As an aside I have ordered the Restore CD from Cobalt to get the first box
up and running again, but that's the last of this companies money they will
receive. If any Cobalt staff are lurking on this list you might want to
reconsider your decision not to include a CD in the box with the hardware.

Best regards,
Graham