Is Micro Focus doomed?

I feel very strongly about this issue, and I wanted to see how you other
COBOL users feel about it.

I used Micro Focus COBOL from the mid 80's, and then Net Express since the
90's. So I have invested some 20 years of my career into using Micro Focus
COBOL products. I did this by choice, so I have obviously been pleased with
the compilers. But I am abandoning Micro Focus because of their licensing
policies. Partly because of the licensing enforcement code that won't let me
freely install or reinstall the compiler on any PC I use, but mostly because
of the requirement for runtime licensing, on top of huge fees for the
compiler.

I don't illegally copy copyrighted software (or movies or anything else).
But can you imagine if any other industry's tool manufacturers required fees
from the end user of any product made with those tools? What if, when you
bought a couch you had to pay fees to the manufacturers of the saws,
hammers, sewing machines and other tools used to build the couch for as long
as you used it? Imagine such a situation with an automobile or computer!
Here I am with a $5,000 compiler, but I can't use it to write a stupid
little video database program for my daughter, without her having to pay
ridiculous runtime fees to MF! And on top of that, compilers are essentially
translators - that don't add function, they're worth nothing in themselves;
they simply translate source code into object code.

I've used Btrieve, now Pervasive, for a long time. They used to charge me
for the product, which I could use and distribute the runtime for free. Now
they charge for the runtime, but I can download the development tools for
free. I can live with that, but Net Express costs thousands of dollars, plus
a yearly support fee, AND they want runtime fees!

Over the years I have lost literally tens of thousands of dollars in lost
income and time wasted because of failures in MF's compiler licensing
software. I was once down for three months and could not use the software
because of that buggy piece of junk. Now they want me to inflict the same
kind of stupid hassle on clients who have been freely using software I wrote
for them 10 or 15 years ago, and make them pay a fee to MF for the
privilege! No way!

After investing so much of my career into a product, and to have them change
policy so dramatically on me, I feel betrayed. I am betrayed. In a time when
people are abandoning COBOL left and right, you would think MF would
appreciate their clients, rather than stomping on them. Apparently not. I am
so torqued about this that it makes my gut clench. I have looked at other
COBOL compilers, but haven't found one I like. Greed and short-sighted
stupidity on the part of MF is forcing me to abandon a language I have used
and loved for 37 years. Grrr!
--
Judson McClendon judmc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (remove zero)
Sun Valley Systems http://sunvaley.com
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."


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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Is Micro Focus doomed?
    ... I was shocked and amazed at the prices charged for COBOL compilers. ... I admit that at one time I could not afford a COBOL compiler, ... and programming in the first place. ... > fees for the compiler. ...
    (comp.lang.cobol)
  • Re: Micro Focus COBOL runtime, /clr:pure, etc.
    ... for Visual Studio will not run on a system which lacks the Micro Focus ... COBOL runtime DLLs. ... Tell me, though, does the Micro Focus COBOL compiler have any command ...
    (comp.lang.cobol)
  • Re: COPYEXT, COPYLBR, COPYLIST, FOLD-COPY-NAME, OLDCOPY
    ... > would say that studying a SPECIFIC dialect of COBOL (such as Micro Focus COBOL) ... > specific compiler to understand how it differs from other compilers. ... If you do buy the University Edition - should you decide later to go for ...
    (comp.lang.cobol)
  • Re: Text windows size under XP
    ... Hence my returning to MSCOBOL compiler (I'm ... used Visual Object COBOL, on which it is based, without any problems.) ... Rather than concern yourself about whether or not programs work, you would be better advised to communicate with Micro Focus - What's the ... Subject to answers you receive you may well as above, not persevere - problem solved! ...
    (comp.lang.cobol)
  • Re: Is Micro Focus doomed?
    ... > COBOL users feel about it. ... Partly because of the licensing enforcement code that won't let me ... > freely install or reinstall the compiler on any PC I use, ... > But can you imagine if any other industry's tool manufacturers required fees ...
    (comp.lang.cobol)