My arithmetic sucks (my math degree sure comes in handy).
I was a few magnitudes off earlier. It isn't possible to make
the $30/m price point work unless you have way more users
than OpenACS currently has. I think you need at least 1000
users before it becomes remotely worth it.
Here is the math with "only" 300 users:
300 users X $30/m + $30 setup fee each = $117000 /yr
15 users on each machine = 20 machines
20 machines x $2000 per machine = $40,000
space for 20 machines at a decent colo = 1 full cabinet
1 full cabinet + 384K, per month = $1000 ($12,000/yr).
(I'm leaving out a bunch of stuff here (backup system, etc) but
this should give you a good idea.)
Thus, with 300 users at $30/m you are making about $65,000 a
year....which isn't that bad (but isn't really that good...especially
since a good sysadmin can typically make at least $100/hr). For
comparison, here is an email exchange I had a while back with
an employee of Cal BMW&Triumph motorcycles in Mountain
View, California:
>>Rolf Hanson wrote:
>> Hi,
>> I was wondering, what is a ballpark hourly rate for a BMW tech
>> who has zero experience, but has gone through a BMW
>> training
> >course, like the one at http://www.amiwrench.com ?
>> What would
>> a tech with 5 years of experience make?
>Dear Rolf,
>
>I will be as helpful as I can. The rates vary widely depending on
>what part of the country you are working, ours are among the
>highest, but so are our living expenses. I will express wages in
>annual income, since the hourly rate is modified by the
>efficiency and proficiency of the tech, by bonuses, comeback
>charges, etc.
>Beginning techs, with above average basic skills, may make
>around $28-36K a year. Average techs, with average motivation
>but good skills and high reliability (otherwise they can't work
>here) make 50K-65K a year. The best of the lot, with high
>motivation, creativity, continual re-education, etc. make $85 -
>$100K a year including bonuses. I know the range is wide, but
>at least you have an idea of what is possible.
>Also, in our shop there is health insurance, dental insurance,
>paid training, retirement and paid vacation. Not all shops use
>the same benefits, so be sure to factor that in as well when you
>are comparing wages in different parts of the country.
