THE WELCH COMPANY
440 Davis Court #1602
San Francisco, CA 94111-2496
415 781 5700


S U M M A R Y


DIARY: August 30, 1992 00:57 AM Sunday; Rod Welch

Create Single User SDS initialization system.

1...Summary/Objective
2...This is mainly a marketing strategy, so we can differentiate in
....Other Schemes


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CONTACTS 

SUBJECTS
User interface, front end, 047024
Single User Version
System configuration
Marketing plan
Start New Summary

0807 -    ..
0808 - Summary/Objective
0809 -
080901 - Began work on modifying code to make single user version.
080902 -
080903 - This relates to SDS initialization, starting new Summaries, and
080904 - pricing policy.
080905 -
080911 -
080912 -
0810 -
0811 -
0812 - Objective
0813 -
081301 - This is mainly a marketing strategy, so we can differentiate in
081302 - pricing the product between a single and multi-user versions.  Want to
081303 - give customer a choice to try SDS without incurring great expense, and
081304 - build incentive to migrate to full program.
081305 -
081306 -    One thing we will need to support this concept is a method to
081307 -    convert the User ID of a single User from the default "00000" to a
081308 -    particular assignment within the Multi-user ID scheme adopted in an
081309 -    organization.  The data base itself can be easily converted, but
081310 -    the links within records all need to be updated.
081311 -
081312 -    The run-time variable feature might be helpful on this type of
081313 -    matter, except we have to keep in mind, SDS records can and often
081314 -    do have links to records from a variety of Users.  Run-time
081315 -    variable methodology cannot possibly accomodate that condition,
081316 -    because it cannot distinguish between what is the original User ID
081317 -    and merely a link to someone else.
081318 -
081319 -        [On 921008 reviewed multi-user environment again. ref SDS 4
081320 -        0001
081321 - ..
081322 - The marketing concept requires clear and significant
081323 - distinctions in capability in order to justify price differentials to
081324 - the customer.
081325 -
081326 - The current primary program is a Multi-User program that includes
081327 - Executive Services and Coordination.  Each User can access the data
081328 - base for all other users listed in the initialization screen. This is
081329 - helpful to an executive in getting his record entered by others, and
081330 - in examining and supporting the work of subordinates and colleagues.
081331 -
081332 -    There can be many situations where managers would prefer to mask
081333 -    the User's on the system, making each User autonomous.
081334 -
081335 -    Other Schemes
081336 -
081337 -    We could also create another interface between the initialization
081338 -    screen and the SDS Schedule where the User ID and password are
081339 -    entered.
081340 -
081341 -    We could have a combination, where if no ID is manually entered in
081342 -    the initialization screen, as presently designed, then the program
081343 -    requires this information to be entered separately.  This gives the
081344 -    customer a choice of whether to opt for security or efficiency in
081345 -    entering the program.  An executive for example may not need to
081346 -    manually enter the User ID and password for his subordinates, from
081347 -    his machine, but this might be needed on each individual user's
081348 -    machine.  There are a lot of possibilities here which seem helpful
081349 -    and doable.
081350 -
081351 -    We need some experience in the field to discover the best baseline
081352 -    scheme, and the most common customer preferences off of that base-
081353 -    line.
081354 -
081355 - Single Users will have all of the capability of mulit-user versions,
081356 - except they can have only a single User ID, and will omit Executive
081357 - Services and Coordination.
081358 -
081359 -    This lets us sell to individuals at a low price of $75, while
081360 -    selling at a higher price to business of $450, for added value to
081361 -    a business of improved coordination and shared knowledge.
081362 -
081363 - Executive Services version can be sold at say $650.
081364 -
081365 - We can sell the single user version to businesses at a reduced rate
081366 - for PC's that need to support only on User ID.
081367 -
081368 -    A "Responsible Manager" can configure the Single User program to
081369 -    access a particular User ID.
081370 -
081371 -    We can sell a single User version to businesses, that includes
081372 -    Coordination feature for an additional $100 per User.
081373 -
081374 -
081375 - Single Users will have to enter their name once.
081376 -
081377 -    This is a bit awkward, because the User's name has to be entered
081378 -    with the Insert key on in order to avoid wordwrap from executing
081379 -    when the data entry gets to the right side of the screen.
081380 -
081381 -    It is only a one time operation though.
081382 -
081383 -       I suspect we can create an Editing operation to run at
081384 -       installation, for User's to accomodate this feature.
081385 -
081386 -
081387 -
081388 -
082108 -
082109 -
082110 -
0822 -