MAS 90 And The Case Of The Disappearing Single User License – Solved?
A few consultants have been noticing that clients on older (and even 4.x) versions of MAS 90 have odd numbered license counts.
Some users are showing as 2 MAS90 licenses. Some have 6 licenses. After applying an upgrade we’ve heard from a few people that the license count mysteriously drops by one.
This is fine if the client was only using one license – but for clients using two licenses they suddenly are faced with both the expense of an upgrade and a surprise bill to purchase another user license.
Only Sage no longer sells single licenses – so the client’s are urged to buy bundles of licenses at over $2,000 just to get the extra license back.
Sage’s explanation?
It seems to vary depending upon who you talk to though I keep hearing that Sage denies ever selling single licenses — so that any user with 2 or 6 licensed users on the system just has to be a mistake.
Or is it a mistake?
Take a look at this press release which seems to explain at least one scenario where a user could have an extra license on their system. As part of a Year 2000 settlement Sage granted certain qualified users the option of a free additional user license.
I cannot say definitively that if you have an older installation of MAS 90 dating back to 3.x and suddenly notice 1 user subtracted that the following issue will get your single user license back – it’s sure worth a try.
And as noted on the settlement information – the client had to be on maintenance during the proper timeframe in order to qualify for the free user license.
Update: The post was changed slightly to remove quotes from Sage consultants concerned about retaliation from the publisher from providing their experiences.
Kudos to 90Minds member Mark Chinsky for digging through the email archives for the following information.
Y2K LITIGATION: Sage Settles Action Over MAS 90 Software For Up To $8.5M
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sage Inc. has agreed to provide an estimated $ 5.6 million to $ 8.5 million in product credits to settle a class action over Y2K compliancy of its MAS 90 accounting software (DBN, Inc. t/a Y-PERS v. Sage Software, Inc., et al., No. 799983, Calif. Super., Orange Co.).(Preliminary Approval Order in Section A. Document # 36-000928-101)
Plaintiff DBN Inc. (t/a "Y-PERS") and Sage have also agreed to a payment to plaintiffs' counsel of $ 700,000 in fees and costs under a pact preliminarily approved by Orange County (Calif.) Superior Court Judge William F. McDonald on Aug. 23.
Pennsylvania-based DBN sued in 1998 on behalf of an estimated 44,000 users of MAS 90, complaining that the copy it licensed in May 1996 for $ 5,904.20 would not recognize four-digit years. The product was advertised as software which would take users 'through the 90s and beyond," DBN said.
Judge McDonald overruled Sage's demurrer on Jan. 8, 1999, and on May 27, 1999, certified a nationwide class of users pursuant to the parties' stipulation.
The notice of proposed settlement attached to the order granting preliminarily approval notes that Sage contests the allegations and was prepared to seek summary judgment. Sage maintains that the Year 2000-compliant version contains numerous enhancements and the cost of the date recognition upgrades was minimal.
Settlement Terms
The proposed settlement would give licensees credit toward new or upgraded services:
Those who licensed MAS 90 after June 1, 1995, purchased upgrades, and are on a maintenance program would have their choice of a "bank reconciliation" module, one additional user license, three months of telephone support or a single user license for Sage's DAC Easy accounting software.* 1995 and beyond licensees who purchased upgrades and are not on a maintenance program could opt for one additional user license for MAS 90, a $ 200 coupon toward the purchase of a maintenance program, three months of telephone support or a single user license for DAC Easy software.* Pre-1995 licensees would be entitled to coupons for MAS 90 software or user licenses ranging from $ 50 to $ 175, depending on when they acquired the product.
The settlement release will not affect users who ceased using the product between Oct. 31, 1997, and March 31, 2000. The settlement excludes recovery for users who received upgrades at no charge.
MAS 90 users have until Nov. 8 to submit a proof of claim. Judge McDonald scheduled a hearing for that date on final approval.
Co-lead counsel for the settlement class are Jeffrey A. Klafter of Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann in New York and Harris L. Pogust of Sherman, Silverstein, Kohl, Rose & Podolsky in Pennsauken, N.J. Plaintiffs' counsel also includes Jonathan Shub of Sheller, Ludwig & Badey in Philadelphia, Marc H. Edelson of Hoffman & Edelson in Doylestown, Pa., and William M. Hensley of the Law Offices of Mark A. Kompa in Newport Beach, Calif. Sage is represented by Melody Williams Dapp of Pillsbury Madison & Sutro in Costa Mesa, Calif. (Mealey's Year 2000 Report, September, 2000)
© 2010, Wayne Schulz. All rights reserved. Formed in 2005. the 90 Minds Consulting Group is a collaboration of 100 Sage partners who independently join together online in a 24 x 7 private communication network to solve difficult issues for their customers. The group is not affiliated with Sage and our collaboration provides for unparalleled member access to early warnings of bugs and other issues which members in turn are encouraged to use to provide an exceptional customer experience.
« Sage MAS 90/200 FYI from Zip: v4.40 Product Update 2 (PU2) | Home | What will Sage ERP MAS Intelligence include? »
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.