Netgear now touting open source WRT-compatible wireless router

[Jon 'maddog' Hall]

>Oh, but it gets better.  If that Cisco box hasn't been on a  
>maintenance contract, you have to have it tested and recertified by  
>an authorized VAR before you can buy a new maintenance contract on it  
>so you can then buy the IOS image.

Thanks for bringing back really horrible memories (sigh).

When I was at Bell Labs we bought some equipment from Digital that was
off contract.  At first we could not get it put back on contract, but I
convinced them to let us put new software on it, test it, and put it on
contract.  It was *not* easy, but later it became policy for them, once
they separated support from new equipment sales.

Otherwise what would keep a person from not having a maintenance
contract, allowing the system to break, and then getting a contract when
it does break?  At least CISCO gave you a path for putting it back on
maintenance or buying used equipment and getting a maintenance contract
for it.

They could have just said:  "Buy a new unit and keep it on maintenance."

Of course they would lose a lot of business that way......

Warmest regards,

md
-- 
Jon "maddog" Hall
Executive Director           Linux International(R)
email: maddog at li.org         80 Amherst St. 
Voice: +1.603.672.4557       Amherst, N.H. 03031-3032 U.S.A.
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Board Member: Uniforum Association
Board Member Emeritus: USENIX Association (2000-2006)

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