[AJD] JD Manual scans on CD

Dean VP deanvp at att.net
Sat Mar 5 17:01:30 PST 2005 

Ron:

It is my understanding that JD hired a consultant who recommended the
discontinuance of the Vintage CD's. I can almost see the paragraph that was
written.

"DB 1293 JD has $1400 (at recommended new prices) worth of Parts Catalogs on
it and you are selling it for $75.00. If you discontinue the CD's, look at
how much more money you can make selling CD's per Parts Catalog at a minimum
of $30 each with some higher priced. Paper manuals can be priced even
higher."

I question whether any consideration was given to whether we would be
willing to pay it or could afford to. Or how much extra labor was required
to make custom CD's "to order" rather than sell a standard product that
could be made in volume. Almost reminds me of a "make work" situation. Then
I suppose the legal staff was increased to police the homemade copies that
became prevalent due to JD's extraordinarily high prices. Seems like a
circular effort to me. 

I too am able to distinguish the difference between making a copy for a
friend to use at no cost vs making copies for commercial sale. Maybe that is
called "situational ethics". Don't know for sure. 

But, having spent a career in a business where we had to protect our
intellection property, I sure can understand the manufacturer's point of
view. On a more personal basis in this situation, I have spent the $75 each
to get originals when they were still for sale. It bothers me a bit to see
these unauthorized copies sold for much less than the originals w/o
compensation to the originator and it also degrades the value of my original
investment. Bottom line is I fall on the side of:

"It just isn't right"

Dean A. Van Peursem
Snohomish, WA 98290

I'm a walking storeroom of facts..... I've just lost the key to the
storeroom door 


www.deerelegacy.com

http://members.cox.net/classicweb/email.htm



-----Original Message-----
From: antique-johndeere-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:antique-johndeere-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of
Ronald L. Cook
Sent: Saturday, March 05, 2005 3:43 PM
To: Antique John Deere mailing list
Subject: Re: [AJD] JD Manual scans on CD

Dean,
	If you took a look at my bank account you would certainly say, "Ron 
just isn't good at business".  However, if I had a product that I could 
promote and supply that is in demand, I might raise the price a little. 
  Just a little.  Not enough to upset the newcomers or the old 
customers.  I'll be darned if I would just up and quit the product.  The 
market has shown the demand for the Vintage CD's.  They always go for 
more than Deere sold them for.  Even the copies.  Screwy, isn't it?
	I guess if I had my "druthers", I would like the original hard copy
of 
a manual and a copy on the computer.  There is something I just like 
about flipping back and forth between pages.  Seems easier to find 
things.  Now, printing a copy to take in the shop and not worry about 
the greasy fingerprints, is very handy.  I do that.  I don't have adobe 
ver 7, but I do use ver 6.  It is pretty good.

Ron Cook
Salix, IA


Dean VP wrote:

> Ron:
> 
> JD's pricing sure has created the opportunity. Discontinuing selling the
> Vintage CD's sure did.  
> 
> I tended to prefer the paper manuals until I became familiar with using
the
> CD's. Now I prefer the CD's as I find the section I want, print it out and
> take it to the shop and I don't care if I get the pages all greasy.  Adobe
> Reader ver 6 and 7 sure have improved the access to the data on these
CD's.
> 
> 
> Dean A. Van Peursem
> Snohomish, WA 98290
> 
> I'm a walking storeroom of facts..... I've just lost the key to the
> storeroom door 
> 
> 
> www.deerelegacy.com
> 
> http://members.cox.net/classicweb/email.htm
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: antique-johndeere-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
> [mailto:antique-johndeere-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of
> Ronald L. Cook
> Sent: Saturday, March 05, 2005 10:34 AM
> To: Antique John Deere mailing list
> Subject: Re: [AJD] JD Manual scans on CD
> 
> I think Deere's pricing has caused it.  Somehow it seems to always end 
> up that the big buck people get the best no matter what the hobby is 
> because they can afford it.  Deere no longer caters to the masses.  They 
> want the doctors, lawyers, and indian chiefs with expo class stuff.  My 
> personal tastes are against that "expo" class.  I just can't see a "wet 
> look, chrome stacked, armor-all tires" tractor making sense and really 
> do not like them.  I have watched people trying to start their beautiful 
> open fan-shafted Model A and it was apparent they had never been 
> involved with any kind of engine, let alone a tractor.  They just paid 
> for a trophey winning restoration.  Made me bust out laughing.  I am not 
> trying to insult anyone here.  Just stating my opinion.  However, I am 
> probably a minority.  The "working class" tractors probably do not cost 
> as much to end up with.  It is just economics. To me, buying a CD copy 
> for cheap is not much different than borrowing someone's manual to use 
> and probably better than IT manuals.  I do prefer Deere's paper manuals 
> and original if I can get them but really see nothing wrong with 
> offering a substitute.  It will not be as good a quality and will seek 
> its own level and trying to work from some thing stored on a computer 
> will for sure drive you nuts.
> 
> Ron Cook
> Salix, IA
> 
> Dean VP wrote:
> 
> 
>>Well, I wondered how long it was going to take before someone tried this.
>>Seller on eBay has scanned JD's Paper manuals and is now selling them on
>>eBay. Seller has 4 different scanned CD's on now. 
>>
>>Look at eBay auction:  3879451357
>>
>>Then click on "All Items for sale by this seller"
>>
>>I have mixed emotions about this. At one time I was told that JD's paper
>>manuals are not copyrighted. If that is true then I see no reason why this
>>is illegal unless JD already has the same manual on CD this is
> 
> copyrighted.
> 
>>But..... JD still sells these CD versions of the paper manuals on a custom
>>basis.  I've not purchased one of the current custom CD's from JD so I
> 
> don't
> 
>>know if their custom CD's are copyrighted or not.
>>
>>I have mixed emotions about this practice. Something tells me it is
>>unethical and maybe even illegal. But JD sure has created a price umbrella
>>to entice this underground cottage industry. 
>>
>>What do you guys think?
>>
>>Dean A. Van Peursem
>>Snohomish, WA 98290
>>
>>I'm a walking storeroom of facts..... I've just lost the key to the
>>storeroom door 
>>
>>
>>www.deerelegacy.com
>>
>>http://members.cox.net/classicweb/email.htm
> 
> 
> 
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