3 ms·

... or at least hire someone to fix the bugs for you. I wonder if there are any closed-source software shops that have a "pays us a premium to fix bug X first"

by scribu 13y ago

... or at least hire someone to fix the bugs for you. I wonder if there are any closed-source software shops that have a "pays us a premium to fix bug X first" option. Doesn't seem like it would work too well.

x0x0 13y ago
I worked for one and it works very well. They build one of the most common electronic medical record systems plus a bunch of associated software. Any large client, in this case a hospital, hospital chain, or large ambulatory clinic, pays a $mm annual fee for the right to call and notify of a breaking bug and get engineers to issue a fix asap.
- hboon 13y ago
  Has it ever led to a pseudo-ransom situation if only a single client is affected by a showstopper bug? If not, how is this mitigated?
  - x0x0 13y ago
    Well, I believe two ways. First, I'm sure the contracts have penalties, plus hospitals have lawyers. Second, when companies spend tens of millions of dollars per year or more, they certainly talk to a bunch of current clients. If word gets around that your company screws customers it will throw a wrench in sales. There aren't that many hospitals, particularly if you view chains like kaiser as a single customer, in the US.
- ef4 13y ago
  This basically highlights why there's no comfortable middle ground in pricing software. At a high price, you can get strong service guarantees. At a zero price, you can use open source and manage the critical service yourself. At a low but nonzero price, you get neither.
  - dylangs1030 13y ago
    Some of it is client-side. By that I mean, clients with budgets will opt for enterprise services. That's not necessarily fair, but humans like expensive stuff, especially when it's not their money. The thing is, engineers who move into SaaS and try to tackle that middle ground tend to be shafted. This is why people like 'patio11 so often recommend aiming for the enterprisey folks - that's where you make a living.
- daemon13 13y ago
  >> one of the most common electronic medical record systems Can you point to the company name? I am checking what is out there (EMRS).

by scribu 13y ago

x0x0 13y ago

I worked for one and it works very well. They build one of the most common electronic medical record systems plus a bunch of associated software. Any large client, in this case a hospital, hospital chain, or large ambulatory clinic, pays a $mm annual fee for the right to call and notify of a breaking bug and get engineers to issue a fix asap.

hboon 13y ago
Has it ever led to a pseudo-ransom situation if only a single client is affected by a showstopper bug? If not, how is this mitigated?
- x0x0 13y ago
  Well, I believe two ways. First, I'm sure the contracts have penalties, plus hospitals have lawyers. Second, when companies spend tens of millions of dollars per year or more, they certainly talk to a bunch of current clients. If word gets around that your company screws customers it will throw a wrench in sales. There aren't that many hospitals, particularly if you view chains like kaiser as a single customer, in the US.
ef4 13y ago
This basically highlights why there's no comfortable middle ground in pricing software. At a high price, you can get strong service guarantees. At a zero price, you can use open source and manage the critical service yourself. At a low but nonzero price, you get neither.
- dylangs1030 13y ago
  Some of it is client-side. By that I mean, clients with budgets will opt for enterprise services. That's not necessarily fair, but humans like expensive stuff, especially when it's not their money. The thing is, engineers who move into SaaS and try to tackle that middle ground tend to be shafted. This is why people like 'patio11 so often recommend aiming for the enterprisey folks - that's where you make a living.
daemon13 13y ago
>> one of the most common electronic medical record systems Can you point to the company name? I am checking what is out there (EMRS).