[SLA-SF] [Fwd: EOSi library automation system]

[Linda Yamamoto]

Hi,

I'm forwarding this on behalf of an SLA-PAM colleague. Please respond to 
Liz <bryson at cfht.hawaii.edu> directly off list. She is going to have a 
conference call with Tony Sadaat soon, although she's not expecting any 
breakthroughs.

Thanks in advance,
Linda


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: EOSi library automation system
Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 15:16:32 -1000
From: Liz Bryson <bryson at cfht.hawaii.edu>
Reply-To: Liz Bryson <bryson at cfht.hawaii.edu>
To: PAMNET at listserv.nd.edu

Dear Colleagues,

Approximately twenty years ago, I purchased card catalog software from a
company called Datatrek.
Subsequently, this company was bought by EOS International.
In retrospect, I should have probably done business with Inmagic, but
for whatever reasons
at the time, I am still with EOS.

I've never been as enamored with EOS as I had been with Datatrek.  The
customer service,
software updates and their ease of use  have all been of dubious
distinction; however, as you all know,
it takes a LOT to convert to running a new software system.

Nevertheless, over the past three or so years (I'm sorry, but exact
dates fail me here), EOSi decided
that their license policy and pricing needed revision.  According to a
recent email from their Director of client services :
"Basically all of our customers are expected to pay an annual fee that
covers the right to continue use of the software, maintenance, and support.
This is a very standard policy in the software industry ".  In the past,
we were offered the option of paying for the maintenance
and software enhancements separately, and  I did not have a problem with
this arrangement.  The major change, however, is the requirement
that I also pay for the USE of the software.  In fact, the penalty for
not paying, is that they literally LOCK ME OUT of my card
catalog.  This has proven to be especially problematic because they
haven't remembered (not once ) to invoice me for their services.
Thus, in order to "unlock" and gain access to the card catalog, I must
contact a myriad of customer service representatives,
and finally after much ado about nothing, I am sent a very long serial
number that is imported into the database "key".

My question is this:  Is EOSi's card catalog payment procedure standard
protocol?
Are any of you "locked out" of your database even if you haven't paid
for its (annual) use ?
What other options, if any, would you recommed?

Thank you for taking time to respond.
Liz Bryson

**************************************************


-- 
Linda Yamamoto
Head Librarian & Bibliographer
Mathematical & Computer Sciences Library
Stanford University
650.723.0864
650.725.8998 fax