Our Corp IT Head is saying that "if we migrate to Baan V, we do not get the source code".

Can anyone confirm or deny this? As I am not a programmer maybe I do not understand this fully...but isn't command practive for a vendor to lock down their 'source' so that companies can't change it?

Thanks for your help.

Theresa,

Of course you can get the source code as long as you pay for it. Check with Baan for pricing details.

Do you know -- is that the way it has always been with all Baan versions - past/present? That the souce was available, it just had to be purchased? -- Or is that new to Baan V?

Thanks again

Theresa,

You can get the CD with sources free of charge but they are encrypted on the CD. You have to generate half of a key on a particular PC with the installer program which you then send to Baan. They will send you back the second half of the key if you have a valid license for source codes. You can unlock the sources from CD with the full key combined.

it has never been common for customers to get the source code, but it has always been possible.

Even if you pay for a development licence, you have to pay extra for the source. This has always been the case with Baan.

However, it depends on why you think you need the source. Lots of customisation can be achieved without the source code.

Andy

So why is this point being made?

Do they want to get off of Baan and are looking for excuses?

But seriously, Baan has never given away the source code. ABC partners get the privelege of having Baan Source to provide services to customers if they are willing to spend $100K (what I last heard) or if they are grandfathered in by virtue of old Baan contracts.

Even with the application source code you do not get the tools or porting set source. But many mods can be done by using partners or forms/reports mods can be made without source.

-- Jim

Baan is discouraging the purchase of source code these days. In the past, while not encouraging it, they were generally pretty neutral.

One problem with having source code was that on some of the larger projects customers tended to get carrier away and essentially re-write Baan (often to emulate their legacy system). This caused tremendous support headaches for them (and indirectly for Baan as the system users tended to just "blame Baan" even when the bugs were in their custom written sessions).

One advantage though in having source is that if the customer does make any mods, they will be able to own the mods and the ability to further modify them. If the customer does not own source and contracts with a thrid party to modify the package, then the customer has no where else to go for future upgrades and mods.

So there is a control issue if the customer does have to make any changes.

Stephen Ruger
Lodestar Consulting
+1.215.785.6756
sr@mylodestar.com

Just a remark. If you choose a Baan partner to develop some mods for you, you will never able to have sources. But you can ask the partner to devliver sources to another baan partner. t is included in ABC provider contract, baan sources and customized baan sources are proprietary of Baan. So the partner must follow this rule.

I have apllied this rule when I was in an ABC provider company. If the partner don(t want to do that you can use baan to put pressure on partner and the partner will obey.

So you are never chained with a baan partner.

I can confirm that, I work for a ABC partner and we pass/receive customer customizations if the customer decides to switch to another Baan partner.

What about the older Baan customers who purchased source (such as the infamous crane company we worked for)? Do they have to surrender their customizations if they want further changes or move to Baan V?