Re: On The Fly Tuning (OTFT)

["Bruce Plecan" <nacelp@bright.net>]

> But this was the problem for Kalmaker - the hardware for OTFT is almost
> trivial. If you make the software - that has taken months write - free,
and
> rely on actually making money on selling Kalmaker memcals, then the first
> thing that happens is people say "Why am I paying $300 for a memcal, heck
> I can buy a couple of complete ECUs with memcals for that price". Second
> thing that happens is that someone comes up with a DIY memcal that is a
> clone of the Kalmaker one (sound familiar - recall the "lets get a group
> buy going on a Diacom Cable clone" discussion that comes up every six
> months). So, instead of fixing bugs and coming out with version two of
> the software, you run around with a lawyer threatening people who are
> ripping you off (again, remember people get upset when Ed Rinda of Diacom
> fame does something similar - on a regular basis).

The problem is you can put all the time you want in something, but that
doesn't raise it's worth, to any one but the designer.   Before Kalmaker was
a gleam in someone's eyes emulators were around.  Cost 150USD, so the
difference is what people will pay to do thing via ALDL rather then all the
related ""problems"" of having to use a ribbon cable to the ecm.
   For less than $300 you can duplicate the Kalmaker other then the ALDL
access.
   If some manufacturers put any effort into "real" customer satisfaction,
and lowered the price some, I'm sure the situation wouldn't have evolved to
what it is now.
   My prediction is that things will get better, thru volume sales and
better customer relations, then the rich boy network.
Grumpy

> Apparently the rip-off rate for software in Vietnam is around the 99%, in
> Australia and the US/Canada it's only around 30% mark - However, I suspect
> that in certain sectors that 30% rate is closer to 90%. Food for thought!

I suspect that Vietnam figure is grossly exaggerated.  I suspect alot of
things, but alias the EFI content drops greatly in that arena
Grumpy


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