======================>  WSO Newsletter  <======================
              h t t p : / / w w w . w s o . n e t
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NOVEMBER 1999                                         ISSUE: 026

-> Highlights
        1. Miva Merchant v2.0 Released
        2. Windows NT on the Horizon
        3. You Get What You Pay For!

-> Useful WSO Links
        Newsletter Back Issues - http://www.wso.net/news.htm
        Referral Program - http://www.wso.net/referral.htm
        Tech Support - http://www.wso.net/support.htm

-> The following abbreviations are used in this document
        FPO - FP Only
        NV - Non-Virtual
        BC - Budget Commerce
        VD - Virtual Domain
        CP - Commerce Plus

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-> ARTICLE #1: Miva Merchant v2.0 Released =====================
---> Relevant for NV, BC, VD, CP customers =====================
================================================================

Some of you have been asking about the new release of Miva
Merchant v2.0.  It looks like a nice upgrade. Our policy is to
wait until the software goes through a couple of revisions
before embracing any major new version.

As the software is refined we will begin taking requests for
Miva Merchant upgrades.  All Budget Commerce and Commerce Plus
users will receive free upgrades to v2.0. If you own your own
license, it will depend on when it was purchased to determine
if you are eligible for a free upgrade. Purchases after August
15, 1999 are considered eligible. Others will have to pay a $99
upgrade fee for the new version.

As always, customers who have made ANY modifications to the base
code of their Miva Merchant software will loose these changes if
they decide to upgrade. It would then be your responsibility to
make additional changes to the new code if necessary.

This only applies to those who have specifically changed the
Miva Script Code for Miva Merchant. Most of you do not fall into
this category.  If you are a Budget Commerce customer you do not
need to worry about this, no changes (other than WSO's own
modifications) have been made to the code your store running on.



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-> ARTICLE #2: Windows NT on the Horizon =======================
---> Relevant ALL Accounts =====================================
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Many of you have asked about Windows NT web hosting. We have
started the process of obtaining and configuring a Windows NT
4.0 server.  This is turning out to be a very tedious process.

Microsoft has spend lots to make us all believe that their
solutions are easy and carefree. They have fooled a lot of
people.  In any case, we ARE moving forward.

Current WSO customers should realize that the wealth of features
and "extras" that we include with our UNIX web hosting accounts
will probably not be available on NT, at least not initially.

Customers will not be able to simply "upgrade" to NT hosting.
The systems are almost completely different and an "upgrade"
will very likely involve the need for a complete re-upload of
your web site as well as possibly having to re-code any CGI
or other UNIX specific features.

In general, Windows NT hosting will revolve around the FrontPage
2000 web publishing program and its features.

We will have more news on the NT front in the next newsletter.



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-> ARTICLE #3: You Get What You Pay For! =======================
---> Relevant ALL Accounts =====================================
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Often we hear stories of almost unbelievable hosting offers made
by some companies in our industry.

WSO has never claimed to be the lowest priced host available,
and we are not.  But we feel we've found a special mix between
a realistic set of features and price.  We've been able to
sustain ourselves in a highly competitive business because of a
few key points:

- We do not oversell our services. Our servers are not so
  heavily loaded that they are slow or unresponsive.

- We do not undercut ourselves on price. By keeping our prices
  at a reasonable rate we are able to allow our business to
  grow slowly and at a pace that does not cripple our resources.

- We do not make unrealistic claims that eventually lead to
  customer dissatisfaction when those claims can not be met.

- We believe you get what you pay for. The scenario follows:

  A new web hosting company makes incredible offers to attract
  customers.  The servers are fast and the support is good at
  first, before their "too good to be true" offer attracts so
  many new customers that both their hardware and their staff
  can no longer properly handle the situation. Some try to
  stick it out, others simply put themselves up for sale to one
  of the mega-hosts who are always looking to buy up the
  competition. In the end you are left with an account that
  has little or no support and probably has gone through
  several price increases.

Some of you may not agree with our painting of the hosting
picture, but we hear it everyday from the customers we talk to.
In the end, as with all buying situations, you get what you
pay for...be careful.



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