Rivals now InTouch

Ideal Hardware and Ingram Micro will offer software licensing online by October to match the scheme unveiled by Computer 2000 in January.

Ideal Hardware and Ingram Micro will offer software licensing online by October to match the scheme unveiled by Computer 2000 (C2000) in January.

Licensing online means resellers can purchase software licences from firms such as Microsoft and Computer Associates via the distributors' websites.

Alex Tatham, communications director at Ideal, said the distributor had spent a lot of time integrating the scheme into its back-office system. "As a result, end-users as well as partners can see how much stock we have, not just the type of product."

"We wanted the scheme to be more than just an online quoting tool," he added, "which was what C2000 produced when it put out its InTouch system in January."

Andrew Cakebread, marketing manager for software at Ingram, said he expected up to 45 per cent of resellers to adopt the scheme in preference to the telephone. "The prices for licensing online should be attractive to our partners as it reduces administration costs."

C2000's online licensing tool, which the company introduced eight months ago, had cut down ordering times from 13 days to two, according to Nigel Judd, general manager for marketing at C2000. "Imitation is the highest form of flattery," said Judd.

Andrew Robbins, purchasing manager at reseller Aberdeen Computer Services, said both newcomers' schemes would have to be easy to use after he found difficulties getting early versions of C2000's system to work. "I had to go back to the phone because it was certainly not InTouch with me," he said.

Ingram will offer licences for Microsoft and Symantec, with Lotus and Adobe software to follow. Ideal will provide access to Microsoft, Network Associates, Computer Associates, Veritas, Seagate and Legato products.