Shrinkwrap run amok

["Peter G. Mohn" <pmohn@IVWNET.COM>]

Dear LM_Net,

In the 1980s, the producers of computer software used a similar technique to get 
people to buy their product before being able to preview it.  If you opened the 
package - you bought the product.  They even wouldn't librarians purchase items on 
30 day approval.  They assumed the librarians would just copy the product and 
return the original software (as if we didn't have of a code of ethics).  In 
Oregon, at every library and technology conference librarians would let the 
publishers know we woould not buy their products without first being able to 
preview it.  And we didn't buy any software from these companies.

Finally, K-12 Micromedia offered a 30 day approval on software.  Their sales shot 
through the roof.  And at every conference librarians would ask why other producers 
didn't have a 30 day approval like K-12 Micromedia.  Within a year all educational 
software companies were offering some sort of preview option on their software and 
their sales dramatically increased over the previous year.

If you want to make a change in corporate behavior, then hit them in the pocket 
book.  Don't buy any product from a company that limits your ability to preview 
items for the library.  And let the company know that you would like to purchase 
their product, but you won't until they change their preview policies.  And if 
enough librarians around the country won't buy their products (sales go down), then 
we'll see a change in this "new" marketing concept.

Peter G. Mohn, LMS
Snohomish Freshman Campus
Snohomish, WA
pmohn@ivwnet.com

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