---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 16:13:36 -0500 (CDT) From: Doralyn H Edwards <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask] Subject: Wessex has been bought out This message has been posted to several lists--please forgive any duplication. I thought I'd pass along this information for others who use Wessex and BLR products. Many of you using GIS applications may have purchased items (such as Streets, Streets and Boundaries, Pro/Filer) from the Wessex company (which later became a division of the BLR company). I found out today that GDT, Geographic Data Technology, Inc announced on 9/1/98 that they bought out both Wessex and BLR. This takeover was apparently not expected by BLR or Wessex. The majority of employees from BLR and Wessex were fired. The GDT website says that Wessex will operate as a separate division of GDT, and that GDT will "retain the Wessex name and product line." My conversations with employees at GDT, BLR, and Wessex leave me somewhat skeptical of what the future Wessex products will contain and in what format. Tech. support for BLR and Wessex products is being handled by GDT--since they haven't had experience with these products, I'm sure you can imagine that this support isn't immediately helpful (they take your name, try to find the answer, and call you back). If you look at the GDT website at: http://www.geographic.com/news/blrpr.htm you'll see more information about this takeover. I know that this is the nature of business at times, but I hate to see a good group of people (in my experience) at Wessex and BLR go. Doralyn ********************************************************************* Doralyn H. Edwards phone: (713)737-5691 GIS/Data Librarian fax: (713)285-5902 GIS/Data Center, Fondren Library email: [log in to unmask] Rice University, Houston, TX www: http://is.rice.edu/~doralyn *********************************************************************