John Deere Parts CD

However, in my opinion JD has made a mistake. The CD - DB1293 was the bargain of the century for those of us who collect and restore more than one tractor. For those that do not have DB1293, the cost is going to be much higher to have access to multiple Parts Catalogs in their posession. In essence JD is penalizing the large collector to satisfy the smaller collector who didn't want to pay the $75 for the DB1293. This is where JD is making a serious error. I see no rerason why they could not have continued to offer DB1293 and added the capability of the customized CD. That leaves me to beleive that JD is trying to wring more money out of our pocket. However, it is their information, copyrighted and owned by them so they get to make those choices. I may not do so however.

Unfortunately, discontinuance of DB1293 has now created a illegal market for copies of DB1293. DB1293 is copyrighted by JD and should not be copied for any purpose other than a personal backup. Secondly, since I paid the full $75 for my DB1293 I do not agree with those who are copying it and selling it at a lesser cost, both privately and on eBay. It is my understanding that JD is agressively pursuing those that are doing so.

As much as I disagree with JD's new CD policy I do want JD to make adequate return so they continue to make their publications available to us collectors. That is the respect we need to have for the comapany that is selling the information so that any other information that becomes available is offered to us as well.

I think you need to look at the information value that is contained on DB1293. If the equivalent were purchased in hard copy printed form from JD pubs it would cost over $1,000. I considered it a bargain at $75.

I am sure they have sold enough of the CDRoms to pay for their onetime development costs. But I am sure it took several to be sold to do so. The first CD may have cost them way more than $75.00.

It is no diffetrent than buying tooling to produce a plastic part. the tooling may cost $20,000 but the part may be sold for $1.00. It takes sales of 20,000 parts to pay just for the tooling not counting the recurring production cost.

If I had a job and a budget that often comes with a job, then I might consider $75 a bargin as you do - but I don't, so I consider it economic racisim just like I consider my rural 19.2 web connection economic racisim. And you won't change my opinion. The information _should_ be free for download in a perfect world...

According to my sources at Deere the sales volume of the CD's were too low hence causing them to discontinue the products and offer a lower priced alternative for the one tractor owner.

However, I don't buy into that. If the CD was priced at $20, as you suggest, I would think the sales volume would have been much higher. I aslo think that if JD is trying to accomaodate the smaller collector with the custom CD's then why discontinue the larger content CD such as DB1293 for those of us who are willing to pay the $75. Pricing the new custom CD's at just less than the reprint hard copies is also missing the mark. If I were faced with making a choice I think I would go with the paper versions under those circumstamces.

Typically it is more profitable to reduce the labor content in a product for sale as much as possible. The labor content in the custom CD's has to be much higher than that in a standard CD such as DB1293 with the resultant COG also to be much higher. Then to price the custom CD's lower than DB1293 doesn't make any sense. It is obvious JD is pricing the product based on content value rather than manufacturing cost of goods and all the reported reasons for going to custom CD's is nothing more than a smoke screen. What is interesting is that the printed manuals are not copyrighted whereas the CD's are. It appears that the new policies will increase illegal copies of the CD's and encourage the personal copying of their reprint manuals. In both cases their returns will be reduced. I don't know how diligent JD will be pursuing those that make illegal copies of the CD's but it again puts JD in a confrontational relationship with their customer base.

It just seems JD "doesn't get it"!