Hello,

In 1993, just before the creation of the ancestor of GPMI, GPSWING, I was doing, among other consulting engagements, audits on programs of Drire Logic. Most cases were well done, and I approved. Nevertheless, from folder to folder, I noticed that the solutions presented to small manufacturers were very expensive and complex to implement.

Indeed, why CAM software would be easy to implement? No interest, since publishers sell their CAM services for accompanying the implementation of their solutions. The software is more complicated, they sell more days of installation. A software implementation would ease against their own benefits. And the price of the license follows. One could imagine a software, requiring an introduction to a disproportionate cost! Year after year, the idea that CAM software is necessarily costly and requires a heavy establishment is entered into the minds of all potential users.

A little shocked by this well-oiled machine, which, after all, perfectly suited to everyone (on the publishers), I decided in 1993 (being an expert in CAM since 1977) to create a simple, easy to implement , promising not to fall into the trap of selling at any price support benefits. So we assembled a small team to create GPSWING, who lived from 1993 to 2002. 70 licenses sold, and a prize of 3000 € or so, was fine, but not enough. Note in passing that GPSWING was the first CAM in France entirely done in Windows, an important went totally unnoticed ... Clean sweep in early 2003, and birth GPMI with the objective of not exceeding 500 € regardless of the number of posts.

To achieve this, not normal commercial procedures (on-site demos, etc..), which would increase the price of the product, but a position on Internet and shareware sites. Result: over 130 licenses installed in less than 2 years, and a movement GPMI is being born. It feels good by the accession of the users in our approach. Creating a DVD video help allowed 80% of our users install GPMI without field assistance, assistance that we offer via email basically being sufficient.

Is it useful to tell you that we receive emails of insults from our competitors? We stay the course, with the goal of becoming the first reference in France and Francophone countries in terms of CAM, and several thousand licenses installed. Do not be fooled by those who would tell you that CAM is necessarily cheap software that is worthless! You'll never put it up! These guys have one thing in mind, sell you benefit days! Us, we play full transparency, the Forum GPMI, for example, allows users to express themselves without censorship.

It is clear however that some of you will need assistance, even if only for a matter of time. It is difficult for us to find partners, since, given this policy, potential partners have little to gain (first approach). Fortunately, some have understood our strategy, and agree to play the game so you can contact them if you need assistance, knowing that our position is not to push the consumer benefits.

Sustainable? We exist since 1993. Now is not that we will give up, even if sometimes the impression is that they are fighting against windmills, as the preconceptions about the CAPM are rooted in people's minds. Large companies were absorbed recently and their lines of software were not included by the buyer. So large does not mean sustainable, and we will always be present in the years to come, as independent and clinging to our ideas. We live today advisory missions of long duration in large firms. So we can easily adapt the pace of growth in these missions GPMI, without complete dependence. This ensures a continuity without limits.

You can, you must help us convey this message. We want to integrate the specifics of your business to GPMI to make it evolve and make it suitable for a maximum configuration of companies. Our users we consider to be very responsive on this issue. And it will not cost you more money! Talk GPMI around you! In advance, thank you.

Joel Ollivier

GPSWING and GPMI creator

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