“Informix is reported to have announced massive price reductions
for Linux versions of its Internet Foundation.2000 database. The
size of the savings available represent a major thrust towards the
Linux platform and a re-affirmation of the importance of the small
database user to Informix. Typical savings represent 80% – 90% of
the cost of Informix on equivalent platforms, with a single user
developer copy costing $199 ($2,000 on proprietary Unix), and
server prices starting at $2,000 for the first CPU and $10,000 per
additional CPU for 2-4 processor systems. But at LinuxWorld 2000
visitors to the Informix stand are being given free development
copies.”
“This is a potentially risky strategy for Informix. When it
comes to pricing it is difficult to outmaneuver the likes of Oracle
and Microsoft. If Informix’s pricing does start to hurt the other
players the end result could be a pricing war with a downward
spiral heading rapidly towards zero. Given the nature of the dbms
market this zero cost software scenario is quite feasible.”
“So we could see a situation developing that maps closely on
to the Linux pricing model – the software comes at no cost but you
pay for the support services, education and added value
services.”