National Tech giant brings software to a gun fight

[DB is Here]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/tech...gs-software-gun-fight/?utm_term=.01a8a2d7f54c

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[The Heretic]

Can't read the article - WP blocks reading if you have an ad blocker

Executive summery please?

I caught enough on google that SF wants its customers to not use their software if they sell guns?

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

Can't read the article - WP blocks reading if you have an ad blocker

Executive summery please?

I caught enough on google that SF wants its customers to not use their software if they sell guns?

Salesforce software says stop selling military style guns or stop using our software. Mainly to Camping World and Walmart.

 

[DB is Here]

Salesforce software says stop selling military style guns or stop using our software. Mainly to Camping World and Walmart.

I've used Salesforce in the past, next time they call and want me and my team to sign-up, I'll be sharing why we won't...SalesForce.com should change their name to SalesLoss.com.

 

[notazombie]

I feel safer already.

 

[DivCurlGrad72]

I do my best to make mental notes of anti-rights companies (Levi's, Dick's, etc.) and, where possible, make sure none of my money lands in their coffers. I'm not familiar with Salesforce (beyond what I gleaned from the article). Can we as consumers boycott their product(s)? If so, how? Could any of Salesforce's larger customers be persuaded to stop using their products?

Salesforce's new policy bars customers that sell a range of firearms — including automatic and semiautomatic — from using its e-commerce technology. The policy also precludes customers from selling some firearm parts, such as "magazines capable of accepting more than 10 rounds" and "multi-burst trigger devices."

Selling these items to the general public? I'm sure that's what the "journalists" at the Washington ComPost would like their readers to believe.

 

[The Heretic]

They tried to sell us something, but it didn't fit - it was mostly a dog and pony show - so we lost any interest in them for that project. That said, my employer is huge, so I am sure we use their products somewhere for something, but I am not sure what or where.

Good to know - I am sure that this will work out well for them. If they try to enforce this I am betting they would get sued left and right. Especially if they already have a contract/etc. with someone. Also, they have plenty of competitors who would gladly step in and take over with any of their customers.

 

[The Heretic]

I do my best to make mental notes of anti-rights companies (Levi's, Dick's, etc.) and, where possible, make sure none of my money lands in their coffers. I'm not familiar with Salesforce. Can we as consumers boycott their product(s)? If so, how? Could any of Salesforce's larger customers be persuaded to stop using their products?

No - they don't make anything that you would buy as a consumer. They make software for corporations - usually large corporations. They have plenty of competitors so this won't help them any.

Fortunately I don't need to deal with them in my job.

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

They are a $120b company; I'm sure that's why they feel safe with some political grand standing.

 

[awshoot]

Can't read the article - WP blocks reading if you have an ad blocker. ...

LOL -- I can't read WP because I block it. I would hate to give the WP accidental traffic.

 

[notazombie]

My company uses SF because it tracks case status and the companies we contract with tend to be impatient busy bodies. I personally dislike it and find it not to be very user friendly. The mobile version is horrible.
Unfortunately, my boss's boss's boss's boss thinks we need it and I have no say in the matter.
They could do more to make the world a better place by improving their product than by blurting out empty threats.

 

[uberguy]

Am pretty certain this would be illegal if challenged, as restrain of trade.

If you are a cash register vendor, you can't demand retailers sell or not sell classes of legal products.

 

[BSG 75]

Can't read the article - WP blocks reading if you have an ad blocker

Here is the same article reprinted in the Seattle Times Tech giant brings software to a gun fight: Salesforce bars its customers from selling firearms

The CEO is an anti-gun nut:

Benioff has been among the most outspoken CEOs regarding social and political issues, including a tweet last year a day after the mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., left 17 people dead.

"The AR-15 is the most popular rifle in America. Ban it," he wrote.

A month later, he pledged $1 million to March for Our Lives, a group pushing for gun-control legislation.

Funny how the left decry the power and influence of large corporations in politics...



...except when those large corporations are pushing a leftist agenda. Then the left is remarkably silent.

 

[WoodsPlinker]

It saddens me that politics is becoming more and more part of career choices, financing, and business descrimination. Even applications in the Portland area have included political questions now. And people are virtue signaling in their resumes to gain a job.

There is so much wrong with that. And living and working together means not having those things. I think one of the main reasons a civil war hasn't started was because we can work together despite our differences.

 

[DivCurlGrad72]

Salesforce & Guns: Boycott Tech Company Trying to Stop Customers from Selling Semiautomatic Guns | National Review

 

[The Heretic]

Am pretty certain this would be illegal if challenged, as restrain of trade.

If you are a cash register vendor, you can't demand retailers sell or not sell classes of legal products.

And/or tortious interference.

Good point. Come to think of it, why not sue Citibank for the same thing?

Any contract lawyers want to chime in?

My guess is that with Citibank the FFLs were all too small to bother? Camping World is not a mom and pop shop though.

 

[awshoot]

One lesson -- buy software, not a service disguised as software.

 

[4Freedom]

I am a software developer and would love the opportunity to make a rival software and can see the many startups or other established companies looking to fill the niche.. The problem with software companies is the fierce competition and when they start trying to push around their customers, that opens the doors for a competitor. It doesn't take a whole lot of customers to create a very substantial new competitor in this industry. All they need is a niche and by doing this they have certainly created a niche. Why do you think Gun Broker is so successful in a world of Amazon and E-Bay? Had E-Bay/Amazon allowed selling guns, etc, GUn Broker may not even exist and their website and company is only growing and one day could be much larger than it is today. Then, a company like Gun Broker, will buy another company or be bought by a larger company who will utilizes its platform, assets and grow larger and suddenly out of nowhere you have a new giant competitor. That is how it works. Amazon use to be just a small E-Commerce company. Places like Wal-Mart would have just laughed to think that this company would one day tear apart their corporate empire and bring the stiffest competition of their lives that threatens their existence. People got sick of Wal-Mart, its crappy atmosphere, lack of customer service , sketchy shopping environment and enjoyed the convenience of online shopping, next-day shipping and Wal-Mart is now playing catch-up, while Amazon slowly enters the retail supermarket business that makes the Wal-Mart execs not sleep well at night.

DOn't be alarmed. And, many people hate SalesForce software and there are a lot of ERP, CRM and corporate management softwares out there that can give SalesForce a run for their money. What company likes a software company bossing them around and bullying them? Why do you think in a world of Microsoft so many people ran to Apple/Mac platforms? In fact, Linux may one day be the new operating system of the future and Microsoft has been scrambling to keep it's head above water with the fierce open-source competition on the market. It is just plain bad business and you should leave your morals at home in this business and don't try using your company's reputation as a mean to bully and subdue your customers into submission..

 

[arakboss]

Salesforce says some firearms can no longer be sold using company software

 

[Goosebrown]

This article and the company actions are just grandstanding really. Not meaningful.

Salesforce is HUGE and expensive to the tune of millions of dollars. It takes a large and also expensive team to implement it and maintain it. The instance I work with probably costs more than Daniel Defenses revenues. I can't imagine a single company selling guns that would use it, gun companies are all too small.

Maybe midway would be affected.

And... you can't sell guns on line. Not really. The huge players like cabelas or Walmart might but even then they can't deliver them but to a store.

Maybe a Buds gun shop, but I really doubt they use Salesforce.

Net is I think this is low impact because of the nature of gun sales accessories on line.

Are there alternative to Salesforce? You bet. Good ones. SF sort of sucks.

Can we gun owners boycott sites with SF? No because for the most part you can't tell a site uses it. You could go to the SF site and get a list of example customers I suppose. If you buy direct from a large business you might be feeding Salesforce. Nike or Walmart big.

It sucks but the impact is more news than action.