Business Improvement Center

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As an independent GoldMine expert who’s been a key consultant for two Top 5 FrontRange Solutions Partners my perspective is unique. During the first two weeks of April 2007 I’ve been forwarded various letters from FrontRange Solution Partners explaining the termination of the most popular version of GoldMine.

My opinion has been for years that since the dBase and SQL versions are identical (the differences are trivial) FrontRange should migrate all the dBase users to SQL as part of the yearly maintenance. Then they should increase the capabilities of the “Corporate Edition” to reflect the price difference. The dBase version you’re using is almost the same version released in 2000 when the founders of GoldMine sold the company. That illustrates that until that point they had built a solid, feature packed networked contact manager that continues to allow very small businesses to manage their relationships with aplomb.

Since 2000 the GoldMine product has undergone two new owners and various management regimes. The latest owners, venture capital investors Francisco Partners, have decided that GoldMine should be primarily a mid market product.

I have the final version of GoldMine Standard Edition running fine under Windows Vista so it’s my opinion you can continue to use this edition until you find its capabilities insufficient for your business needs. I believe it will be available in an aftermarket for many years.

Personally I find these letters suggesting you spend 3 times the amount you have currently invested for exactly the same product offensive. FrontRange partners will be quick to point out SQL Server is bundled but the majority of dBase users could run GoldMine on Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (free) if FrontRange didn’t block its use with the GoldMine Standard Edition Licensing.

FrontRange is guilty of charging 20% per year to Corporate Edition customers for the last 7 years and allowing the product to remain virtually unchanged. The Standard Edition customers who elected to purchase UPP (Upgrade Protection Plan) have been paying even more percentage wise (about 50% of street price). I have customers running a 9 year old version of GoldMine without issue. I would prefer they upgrade but they have seen no compelling reason to do so.

My recommendation to very small businesses is to continue working with the edition you have. Something will fill the huge vacuum that FrontRange is creating in the small business sales and marketing software market through their discontinuation of GoldMine Standard Edition.

Doug

Doug Steinschneider

MCP SQL Server

Microsoft Small Business Specialist

MS CRM Certified Professional

GoldMine Certified Technician

Salesforce.com Certified

DCS Group

Fairfield, CT 06824

203-256-2344

New Resources Group has increased sales 25% by using GoldMine to automated their sales process.

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