There are numerous releases on the WEB saying such. If true, whatever happened to the anti-trust laws? Also, can someone give me a trusted site where I can download the free version of Ashtec Solutions mentioned in a thread below? I am assuming that the download is legal, otherwise forget it.
Looks like Trimble is going to re-brand Ashtech equipment as part of it's Spectra Precision line.
I don't think Ashtech currently has anywhere near the market share that it would increase Trimble's to the point of giving them a competitive advantage.
Ashtec stil makes GPS receivers?
Man I hope this isn't true. I really like my promark 3 units, and am trying to wrap my head around the GNSS Solutions.
I have used Trimble gear in the past, and it is nice stuff. I cannot see continuing to pay thousands of dollars a year for "maintenance agreements" to keep stuff up to date with firmware, etc.
Call me cheap, but that just really chaps my hide. I have been a faithful TDS user for many years, but I really think that I will be moving over to another data collector package when the time comes to upgrade.
Javad Ashjaee comes full circle!
> Also, can someone give me a trusted site where I can download the free version of Ashtec Solutions mentioned in a thread below? I am assuming that the download is legal, otherwise forget it.
Make sure you download the zip file.
I can understand a reluctance to "spend thousand's of dollars on maintanence agreements..."
But....
Where do you think the money comes from to do research and development?
To pay tech support staff?
I know that times are tough and money is tight....
No one forces you to pay these upgrades....you can stay at the version you are at forever...almost...theorectically...
I am not trying to be antagonistic here...
It is not 2006-2007 for the equipment manufacturers either....they have had to cut costs...
Like it or not..the days of free support and upgrades are just about gone...
The money comes from the 2500% markup on every GPS unit they sell. You think it costs $15,000 to manufacturer a GPS unit? Try $350. The rest pays for everything you mentioned.
Tom,
I understand your point of view, but there is no way that there is that much improvement in the technology that warrants thousands of dollars for minor upgrades.
That should be a part of the purchase price. I don't mind paying a reasonable fee for upgrades, but it has to be reasonable.
We get nickle and dimed to death as business owners as it is.
He makes the top end very expensive stuff, has sold out to Sokkia, Topcon, and now Trimble in the past.
It just means he is ready to release the equipment that will make last year's top of the line stuff obsolete. Then he will sell out to the next big dog willing to fund another round of R and D, which is where he blows everyone else out of the water.
Javad Ashjaee
Sold Ashtech to Magellan back in about 1996.
http://www.allsat.de/download/ALLSAT_allgemein/ALLSAT_OPEN/2008/Portrait_Javad.pdf
He is now running JAVAD GNSS and continuing to push the envelope.
Loyal