Cheap sources for educational institutions

[gwyn%brl-vld at sri-unix.UUCP]

From:      Doug Gwyn (VLD/VMB) <gwyn at brl-vld>

Companies who market packaged systems are not generally eager to have
their systems mucked about with, since then they can no longer
economically support the result.  Worse, such alterations may spread
to other owners of the package, with no audit trail to help the OEM
track the results of such changes.  Most such companies make source
available at a price high enough to ensure that only those who have
a legitimate need will acquire it.  This is all straightforward
economics, perfectly understandable from the point of view of the
support organization.

You seem to think that educational institutions rate special favors
in what they pay for computer systems and software.  Although some
vendors may offer good deals for their own ulterior motives, there
is no reason I can see to treat schools differently from any other
business in this regard.  Most of the lab equipment, etc., I used as
a grad student was bought at list price or obtained secondhand, and
none of the equipment users thought that that was unfair.

If you think you have something to offer the package vendor in
return for access to sources, make them an offer.  I have known
people who have obtained equipment and software in return for
feeding back specified enhancements to the supplier.

If you acquired a system without checking whether you would get
all that you needed for the application you had in mind, then you
deserve the consequences and should not blame others for your
mistake.