Subject: Biosym/MSI combination

From: [email-masked] (Teerakiat Kerdcharoen)
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 1995 11:00:25 +0200 (DFT)

: I am assuming that most people are aware of the merger between Biosym
: and MSI.  When I heard of that I immediately had some concerns which I
: would like to share with you.
  
Hi !
  I would like to share some issues. I don't think the merger will
  create a big impact to the molecular modeling society but I
  still put some doubts on whether the companies are facing financial
  problems rather than to promote growth ?

: 1) Pricing of software - we will now have a single company owning the
: two largest software pacakages in at least North America (or pretty
: close to it).  Competition will be reduced and that usually means
: prices will go up.

  The price will not go up that much if the merging leads to
  cost-efficiency. Especially, I still hope that it will not affect
  the academia.
  I have been witnessing many free software for molecular modeling
  appearing more frequently. This gives a sign that competition
  is not low enough for the new company to deviate the price
  from the demand/supply law.

: 4) Will the reduced competition diminish the incentive to improve the
: software? - Could the corporate attitude found at large companies like
: IBM dominate Biosym/MSI so that improvements and innovations are made
: grudingly, sporatically, and not in touch with customer desires?
: Healthy competition usually means better products.  As I see it, that
: competition is significantly reduced.  So what incentive is there for
: continued product development?  Biosym already has a reputation (at
: least in my circle of aquintances) as being somewhat buggy.  What will
: happen now?

  The merging may help improve the development of softwares. Many
  overlap of works in the two companies can be eliminated and many
  new areas can be explored using the advantage of exceeding staffs.
  I think it is just a question of the new management, how good
  they can administrate the new company. 
  I just regard the change as an disappearance of one company.
  The market is still highly competitive.
						take care,
						Teerakiat
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Teerakiat Kerdcharoen
E-mail:     [email-masked] (University of Innsbruck)
Homepage    http://www-c724.uibk.ac.at/noy/       
Phone       (43)(512) 507-5163
Research:   computer-aided molecular design
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