CART Software Licenses and Franchises

CART, though a powerful working tool in the right hands, is still at a quite preliminary stage of development when it comes to the subtleties like multi-platform support that would allow it to be sold as a software "package". It is stuck somewhere between alpha and beta (or beta and release if you're used to the DOS/Windows world) and it is likely to stay that way for reasons outlined below. If, after all this negative talk, you are still interested in applying our tools to your projects we can help in the following ways.

Send email to: steve@icomos.org to discuss the options.

Franchises

We will analyze your operation to determine what you need in terms of Hardware, Software, Procedures and Training
We will acquire whatever is necessary, fix the software so that it works with the equipment chosen and deliver it to your offices.
We will provide training to your staff and work with them through one or two of your first "real" projects
Once you are on your own we will provide:

Fast email responses to your problems (real or imagined)
Phone support during office hours (but you pay extra for this)
Software patches as required (we will keep everything working on the original equipment, software and type of projects for which we designed your system)

The initial cost of such a program will vary depending on the hardware you choose and the amount of new work required to accommodate your type of project. On-going costs are an annual fee similar to the Site Licence Option below.
A preferential rate for custom programming or on-site support

Franchisees get the first priority when it comes to support or patches.

Site Licences

This option assumes that you have your data collection under control from both the aspect of measuring equipment and data structure. The methods and data structure are not important as long as enough data is being collected.
Training, including help with your projects, will be provided at a preferential rate.
There will generally be some programming required to make the links between your current data structures and the CART drawing generator but -if- there really is adequate data being collected there will be no additional charge for this service.
Licences are for a period of one year and include the following support:

Fast email responses to your questions
Phone support during office hours (but you pay extra for this)
Software patches for the term of your licence
A preferential rate for custom applications and patches to support your particular requirements such as:

Changes to the software to support particular hardware
Changes to support specific recording projects

Groups with Site Licences will be first in line for support or patches after Franchisees.

Contract Recording

Simply hire us to do the recording on one of your projects. You can watch, or even help, wonder at the speed, evaluate and use the product and decide if these tools are what you need for your practice.
If, within three months, you sign up for one of the other options the bill for the trial field work will be recalculated at the preferred rate reserved for licensees.

Why CART is not "For Sale"

A few years ago CART seemed to be pretty stable, even in Windows, so we wrote instal routines and a manual but then Autocad r13 came out (a bandwagon some of our clients felt they had to get on) but it didn't support the data engine we were using and the structure of its native data access had changed considerably. The new ADE was not released for more than a year, during which time we wrote our own data access tool, but by then guess what? Autocad r14 and the data access mechanism had changed again (and for the worse again) and our new tool didn't work either.

The real problem, of course, is that we don't have either the resources or the will to get CART ready for shrink-wrap. This is not to say that if someone came along with the resources we wouldn't be interested in a joint venture to get this thing to market but faced with the choice between sitting in the noisy lab and traveling the world recording its built heritage... (well what would you do).

Last change: February 11, 1998 (Steve Nickerson) steve@icomos.org