[BC] HD Radio's lack of upgrade capability

[Lamar Owen]

On Tuesday 18 October 2005 15:49, Michael Bergman wrote:
> We do one hardware/software release per year.  You get the features you
> paid for.  That's how the vast majority of products work--from toothbrushes
> to Office Suite; you want the new features from the next year, you buy the
> new product.

What about bugs?  You mean the IBOC software is 100% bug free?  Why, please 
let Microsoft know how to write bugfree software, might save a bundle of 
money.

> We don't sell anything without a warranty.  I think the UCC and most state
> laws have something on warranty requirements, regardless of our policy,
> anyway.  Also, the retailer would not participate (do the install) if the
> hardware maker didn't warranty the result.

Yet people sell and buy the software in their hardware all the time that has a 
specific NO WARRANTY clause in the EULA.  What is the EULA for a purchaser of 
an HD radio for the software?  Is the software maker indemnified?  If so, the 
warranty is worse than useless. 

> Appreciate the feedback...a lot of good ideas die on the vine when faced
> with the rest of the solution.  Upgrades are like that.  It seems like a
> good idea, like Esperanto or a flat tax, until you walk through the full
> scenario.

Over the air upgrades are a bad solution at this time, agreed.  However, 
because there may be bugs, wouldn't it be nice to be able to ship a bugfix in 
CD, USB, or some other form that would be cheaper that the auto manufacturer 
sending out a recall notice?

> I wish it weren't this way--my life would have been easier if I could have
> shipped bug fixes or competitive features after the fact.  But even when
> the product is still in the warehouse, it is very expensive to upgrade or
> fix.

Again, I wish many others in the software business has the attitude of this 
sort, where they would really try to ship bugfree software in the first place 
instead of rushing to release.
-- 
Lamar Owen
Director of Information Technology
Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute
1 PARI Drive
Rosman, NC  28772
(828)862-5554
www.pari.edu