One of the goals of the CREN software acquisition effort is to
protect its members from the rampant greed of monopolists.  For those
considering doing business with a company that operates in the style of
L-Soft, the following advice may be helpful.
 
 
1.      Look at Schedule "C" of the CREN/L-Soft Agreement.  That schedule
states the prices L-Soft was proposing to charge CREN members before the
Listproc acquisition was announced.  At that point in time, the CREN
transition plan from NJE to IP was presumably hostage to an IP version of
LISTSERV.
 
2.      Be wary of prices to be set later when they have "more experience".
 For example, if a maintenance price is to be set later, and you're
committed at that time, you may be subject to the rules described in item
number 1.
 
3.      Get a complete definition of what a perpetual license means that
distinguishes between a new release and a new product.  For example,
remember LISTSERV VM-TCP/IP is a new product requiring a new license, not
an upgrade from LISTSERV VM-NJE.
 
4.      Remember that dropping CREN membership will result in your removal
from the BITNET routing tables.
 
5.      In the next few weeks there may be some CREN announcements that
will help you get an even better deal.  Watch BITNEWS.
 
 
Kenneth M. King
  Executive Director, CREN