Hi all,

It is with great sadness that I have to let all members know that the intended Baanportal.com website featuring a central marketplace for solutions providers and solution seekers, will not launch as expected and in fact it will never will.

We have been served a legal notice by SSA Global that leaves us with very little room but to disable baanportal.com completely.

We would like to apologize to all involved partners and interested parties for any inconvenience this run of events has caused.

We wish all a good and prosperous 2005!

Regards,

The Baanportal Team
Patrick Van der Veken & Edwin van der Borg

Patrick & Edwin

I think this is a very sad eventuallity but one which I would expect SSA Global to undertake for two reasons.

Firstly if there is one cent to be made from the baan software then that is due to SSA Global and no one else, they do not hesitate to make it clear that they will protect their IP no matter what the circumstances.

Secondly, SSA want the lucrative support revenue which is virtually cost free (all profit) so long as the supported software is "old" and no support is required. Baanportal would add vigor to the market and facilitate implementation of new software in new sites. This would have the side effect of forcing SSA G to have to actually provide some support and in so doing increase their costs.

Thank you both for all your efforts with this baanboard.

Terry

I am still digesting this.

What is the reason they quote that will not allow you to do this?

...What is the reason they quote that will not allow you to do this?

It would be very interesting to get a legal "opinion" on the validity of their action if baanportal we domiciled in the USA as are they. The USA laws relating to restraint-of-trade and anti-trust etc are probably the most stringent and limiting in the world. Whilst their legal device may (or may not) work in Europe I think it would not have the slightest chance in USA.

It may be a sad indictment but my opinion of their business ethics and tactics sinks to yet a greater depth.

Terry

I guess the next step might be closing down baanboard as well, it just might bring some support that ssa would like to get payed for... You did PAY for the word Baan in "baanboard", I hope ;)

Well, that may very well be the case as BaanBoard has not paid for the word "Baan" and SSA is so determined to protect its investment in BAAN Company you should not be surprised if BaanBoard will be closed down before the end of this month.

As the Co-Founder of Baanportal I am not going to comment any further on what happened the last two weeks between SSA Global and us because I do not want to get BaanBoard into troubles here.

Regards,

Edwin

I don't know if that could be it... I know that SSA wants to do away with the word "Baan". but why not just call it "ERPPORTAL" if that were the case.. or something else SSA doesn't own.. Must be something more sinister...

Dave

If the name is the problem...

Buy An Answer Now Portal

Agreed, a bit long, but it would be abbreviated anyway... :p

Believe me it is not just the word "Baan" that upset SSA Global in relation to Baanportal. Just naming the portal differently would not do the trick.
SSA made this really clear and I do not have the cash to spend much of 2005 in court houses across the US and Europe.

SSA is under the impression they 'own' all the companies using the BAAN software and they for sure are not intending to share the pie with anybody else.

Regards,

Edwin

Sigh. I do not see how they could control something like this. If I understood the original approach you were basically just giving the users one place to shop for solutions. This is not associated with SSA or controlled by them. Have they served notice to Yahoo, MSN, Google? I can go there and search for solutions. Maybe I do not understand something, but it seems kind of silly for them to stop something like this. How about someone from SSA coming here and posting an explanation? Let the users of this board know who to contact and register a complaint with. If enough users spoke up they might give in.

Mark

Without going into much details there are 2 issues:

1) Infringement on the 'Baan' Trademark
2) Potential confusion between SSA and baanportal by using the same name 'Baan' with a negative business impact for SSA

Above issues stretch to both following topics:

1) The Baanportal domain name: this is a no-brainer as we would never have a chance in hell to fight this in front of the ICANN regulatory boards. So giving up the domain name is without question but not an unsurmountable problem
2) The use of the 'Baan' term as trademark throughtout the website: although SSA's legal footing may be questionable here (according to some legal sources), this is a David vs Goliath situation that we do not/can not fight and hence 'one bridge too far'

Baanconsultant: you must be joking right? This is a FREE site remember?

Patrick

I think it is becoming clear that things may not be going all that well for SSA. You should regard SSA'a action as an indication that you have them worried.

The management structure that has been put in place, with all the power concentrated in one person is not conducive to running an operation much bigger than a small family company. Even then only if the person with all the power really knows the business and doesn't have to answer to anyone else for ROI etc. That person in this particular company is no spring-chicken and he does not have a track record in this type of business. His experience is as a chartered accountant in Canada and the UK and is used to dealing with companies in distress. He has apparently gathered a small number of "faithful" cronies around him who have some limited experience and who are able to say "yes" the way he likes to hear it.

The strategy of milking support contracts can only work for a limited time and can only work if SSA can keep customers paying for support they do not need and keep them on old stable versions. If they are upgraded to ERP-LN then SSA lose the milch-cow. To compensate for this they probably figure that they can carefully select customers who are (naively) prepared to pay extortionate "upgrade" professional service fees that will temporally offset the additional support costs.

As to the name of this baanboard and even baanportal. Would you consider a name change that could not be challenged. If my hunch is correct SSA Global won't be around very long in the Baan domain. Certainly not with the present management. A new management may be comforted by the "forum of expertise" which is avaiable to them for growing their software business.

I wonder if the current President/CEO/CFO/MD/etc++ is aware of the number of his employees who participate on the board. That is the ones who don't run back to him with the stories of what we are discussing.

Terry

Is there a certain level of apathy amongst Baan users? Or they just used to being sc*ed over. I wish there was a little more in terms of people coming out against this.

I thought there would be more outrage also. I think you would see it if they tried to take away this site. Taking away something that we didn't have yet doesn't get people in a rage I guess. This makes me think, if they do come after this site, should there be an alternative in the works???

SSA backwards spells...well, you get the picture.

If only it was SNA instead, then we could say the anagram of BAAN SNA is BANANAS. Wow, that is a bit of a reach, I digress...

Steveauckly

I think that is a great suggestion: NAABASS We can work out for ourselves the meaning of ass (UK spelling would be more descriptive)

Hope the Board Master can register the name as a contingency at least.

I am not sure the people who run SSA would be endowed with sufficient intestinal fortitude to seek to limit the operation of this board. Although it is difficult to fathom their actions and thought processes. They must realise that except for a few their own people (diminishing number) all of the members of this forum are closely connected with their customers is some way. Many are employed directly by customers and a large proportion of those are effecively the decision makers as to software direction. Many others who are external will be regarded as experts and they will in effect set the policy for the company.

Terry

I guess that SSA doesn´t understand tha value oif this board to their well being. This board contributes to the continous of the Baan software ina deeper way that most of us believe.

To validate my point I will make some examples:

In contries several countries (Mexico, Thailand, Venezuela, Chile, etc...) there is only one company that provides Baan consulting services. In Mexico if you have any trouble you have to work with SSA.
But, SSA is slow in support, expensive (they are a Monopoly) and the only way to get some quick answers or to shop for expert answers is this board.

I guess that in most countries several companies have dumped their Baan practices, so there is very little communication between the end users and the new developments, enhancements etc... The only way to get new info is this board.

Also, this board provides LOYALTY to the extinct brand that they purchased, and that is of some value for them, since their NEW name accounts is in its lowest point EVER!!!!

I guess that you should rename your board. And send them to HELL, knowledge can´t be a MONOPOLY.

I guess that SSA doesn´t understand tha value oif this board to their well being. This board contributes to the continous of the Baan software ina deeper way that most of us believe...Also, this board provides LOYALTY to the extinct brand that they purchased, and that is of some value for them, since their NEW name accounts is in its lowest point EVER!!!!...I guess that you should rename your board. And send them to HELL, knowledge can´t be a MONOPOLY.

I think we will all agree with these comments.

I think it is time to rename the board to demonstrate our discomfort and displeasure with the ethos and actions of SSA-Global. Put another way: we don't want to be seen as being associated with them or of condoning anything to do with them. Our loyality is the the software which pre-dates their involvement.

Terry