Subject: Upgrade Paths
From: shf (Stuart Ferguson)
To: lightwave-l
Date: Sun, 19 Feb 1995 17:39:37 -0800

I normally try to stay out of these discussions, but perhaps I can shed
some light here.  The reason for the upgrade paths the way they are is
completely economic.  The inexpensive upgrade from 3.5 standalone to
4.0 is to prevent the announcement of the future 4.0 product from harming
the sales of the existing 3.5 product.  Since people no longer have to
buy Toasters to get LightWave, the announcement of 4.0 has no effect on
Toaster sales.  In fact, NewTek would prefer if Toaster owners upgraded
their whole system rather then trading it in for the less expensive LW
standalone.

This is why no competitive trade-in offer has been announced for other
systems like 3D Studio.  We want the 4.0 announcement to hurt their sales,
so we do not announce any trade-in offer, although the more daring consumer
might take a risk that such a thing *might* exist after the product comes
out.

I wouldn't normally say any of this in a public forum, but y'all seem
like a generally good set.

	- Stuart