As many others have stated in trying to determine if think3 software has any future, I have also had no luck in reaching Versata, even after several calls to their PR department. It’s alway — “we will get back to you soon” or “the executives are busy dealing with customers.” The few folks in Italy just refer me to Versata in the USA. Hardly a way to do business. Especially when we have the ears of their customers, or I hope we do. If I had the poor luck of having think3 installed after these brushoffs, I would RUN to their nearest competitor.
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Ray Kurland's Blog 
Having worked for think3 for the last few months, I can attest that the situation is worse than described. Versata is only interested in grabbing the money, with huge increases, up to 45%, for Support and Maintenance. Yet their Wow Support is inept, as they have no centralized support structures, but people scattered all over the world, who often have little knowledge or skill to handle support questions. Clients wait days – weeks — to get answers, and when they get them, they are generally incorrect. You are strongly advised to choose a competing system
http://www.deelip.com/?p=5753
Gensym , Tenfold, Clear Technology, TriActive, Nextance, Artemis International Solutions, Everest Software, Ecora Software, Evolutionary Technologies, AlterPoint, and now Think3 !!
Some others have been forgotten…
ALWAYS the same scenario (Banzai is right and maybe under the reality…):
1) buy for almost nothing (sometimes 2 steps : 25% of shares then 100% through LBO) a struggling company in Europe or US with the promise you will pay all debts, salaries and allowance. And promises to improve the products.
2) Fire all R&D (with the promise to do much better with “hidden” subcontractors and great methodology)
3a) Start firing employees and to close offices
3c) Transfer Intellectual Property in Dubai.
3d) Transfer all clients contracts to Dubai
4a) Start invoicing from Dubai.
4b)Increase the maintenance contract by 25 to 50% !!! (yes, that’s true!)
5a) Close the company Worldwide (not only in Europe) and let all employees, customers and creditors down (or sue them if they claim something…).
5b)If customers don’t want to pay the maintenance despite all promises, you force them to stop use it (even if they have bought unlimited utilization rights). Ask to French or UK customers from Gensym or Artemis what happen to them.
6) Company revenue is going down but you don’t care because any dollar in is a dollar profit (no employees). One example: AISC before acquisition $40M (it was a public company). After 5 years, estimate maintenance rev 15 to 20 with 0 employees ww
I think now adjustment is needed to warn Think3 customers, and
make them aware why the Versata solution will never work … even if they want really develop the software. Who throws the first stone in the pond?
Ok I’ll try:
1) who will work on the kernel? a fixed group or some software engineers all around the world?
2) Who will dictate the guidelines for future development: customers? do you think is the right choice? Reseach on the main CAS/CAD domain?
3) The greatest potential of their brilliant Software have been outcoming from some advanced research projects in which participation of the best mathematicians and the best European universities. Many algorithms will be “difficult” for ordinary software engineers. Do you really think that with the Versata approach will be able to fix it and improve the product?
4) After 6 months, what did you see? 6 months of hard work of the best software engineers in the world for what? What have you received in return? A beautiful release better than the one you are using?
I think that in six months, much more needed to be done. I can tell it because in six months I have seen people take in is hand “thinkdesign” and fold it like a sock!
Please add other reasons, to reflect those who still believe in wizards.
Well, wizards are …… to get rid of money:)
Bye Bye
Clients et Partenaires think3 –
Comme vous avez pu l’apprendre cette semaine, l’entité de distribution
italienne think3 a été placée en liquidation, le premier pas vers une
éventuelle déclaration de faillite. Cette malheureuse issue est le résultat
d’une gestion inefficace de la part des précédents propriétaires. Ceci
n’affectera pas le développement du produit ou le support client. Versata,
qui est indépendante de think3 SRL et qui possède la marque think3 et
l’actif de production, continuera ces opérations commerciales comme
d’habitude.
Afin de s’assurer que nos clients et partenaires ne subissent que le minimum
de perturbations, nous mettons en œuvre des mesures préventives
immédiatement.
D’une part, les clients précédemment servis par think3 Italie seront
dorénavant servis par Versata. C’est une bonne nouvelle pour les clients –
Versata est un groupe mondial de sociétés de logiciels, financièrement
stable, doté de ressources de développement et de support largement
supérieures. Les clients peuvent s’attendre à une cadence beaucoup plus
rapide dans l’innovation du logiciel, un meilleur support et de nouvelles
offres. Nous enverrons prochainement un autre courrier expliquant les
options qui s’offrent à vous : rester sur votre programme de support
existant, basculer sur notre support WOW Standard, ou évoluer sur un des
programmes WOW de première qualité – Gold ou Platinum.
D’autre part, nous avons intégré le site web de think3 dans le site web de
la famille Versata à http://www.think3.versata.com. L’ancien site, http://www.think3.com,
ne sera plus accessible.
Concernant le service client, comme vous le savez la fonction support du
Service Client a été migrée en février sur le site de support Versata
Cloud9. Nous sommes maintenant en cours de migration de la fonction licences
du Service Client au site de support Versata également. A compter
d’aujourd’hui, vous pouvez soumettre vos demandes de licences en ouvrant un
ticket sur http://cloud9.versata.com/ ou en envoyant un email à
wow-support@versata.com. Le site du Service Client ne sera plus accessible.
Pour davantage d’informations sur le support Cloud9 ou comment y avoir
accès, vous pouvez télécharger les FAQ ici
.
Enfin, nous avons migré toutes les adresses email think3 sur Versata.
Toutes les adresses email existent encore, mais elles sont @versata.com au
lieu de @think3.com. Par exemple, success@think3.com devient dorénavant
sucess@versata.com. Vous ne pourrez plus contacter qui que ce soit à
l’ancienne adresse think3, mais les mêmes alias à la nouvelle adresse
Versata parviendront aux mêmes personnes comme avant.
Pour expliquer tous les changements en cours et répondre aux questions que
vous êtes susceptible d’avoir, nous avons planifié un webinar (conférence
virtuelle) le 3 mai. Je vous expliquerai personnellement notre plan, ce que
nous avons accompli, ce que tous les changements signifient et je répondrai
aux questions des clients et des partenaires.
J’espère que vous me rejoindrez pour cette importante session. Vous pouvez
vous inscrire ici .
Merci encore pour votre confiance alors que nous œuvrons vers l’introduction
du nouveau think3 revitalisé. Je vous promets que votre patience sera
récompensée.
Bien cordialement
Scott Brighton
CEO, Versata
I translated the above note forwarded by Jhon, whose identity I have not been able to confirm. It is a note sent by Scott Brighton, CEO of versata. Here is the translation direct from Google about the demise of the former think3 business entity. The translation is rough but the primary idea comes thought. I added some words in brackets [ ] to clarify the translation.
Think3 Customers and Partners –
As you could learn this week, the entity distribution Italian think3 has been placed in liquidation, the first step to a possible bankruptcy. This unfortunate outcome is the result [of] ineffective management by the previous
owners. This will not affect the product development or support [for]
customer[s]. Versata, which is independent of think3 SRL and has the mark
think3 and productive assets, these commercial operations continue as usual.
To ensure that our customers and partners undergo the minimum
disturbances, we are implementing preventive measures immediately.
On the one hand, customers previously served by think3 Italy
will now served by Versata. This is good news for customers – Versata is a global software company, financially stable, with development resources and support widely higher. Customers can expect a more rapid innovation in the software, better support and new [product] offers. We will send another letter soon explaining options available to you: stay on your program Support
existing switch to WOW our support Standard, or evolve on one WOW programs Premium – Gold or Platinum.
Secondly, we integrated the website into think3
website
Versata to http://www.think3.versata.com family. The old site
http://www.think3.com,
will no longer be accessible.
Regarding customer service, as you know the function support Customer service was migrated in February on[to] the support site Versata
Cloud9. We are now being migrated to the feature licenses Customer Service Support Website Versata also.
Today, you can submit your requests for licenses by opening a
http://cloud9.versata.com/ ticket on or by sending an email to
wow-support@versata.com. The site will be Customer Service
more accessible. For more information on support or Cloud9 how to gain
access, you can download the FAQ here.
Finally, we migrated all the email addresses on think3 [to] Versata.
All email addresses still exist, but they are @ Versata.com to
de@think3.com place. For example, success@think3.com becomes now
sucess@versata.com. You can not contact anyone [at] think3’s old address, but the same alias to the new address Versata will reach the same people as before.
To explain all the changes taking place and respond to questions
you’re likely to have, we planned a webinar (Conference
virtual) May 3. I will explain to you personally our plan, what we have done, what all the changes mean and answer questions from customers and partners.
I hope you will join me for this important session.
Thank you again for your confidence as we work towards introduction
think3’s new revitalized. I promise you that your patience will be
rewarded.
Bien cordialement
Scott Brighton
CEO, Versata