Dear GMS User

GMS v6.5 is now available for download. This release offers new features and usability enhancements to help you be more productive than ever. You will enjoy many useful additions such as the “Get Data from Web” tool and the capability to export KMZ files for Google Earth. Significant upgrades to existing features and improvements to many of the model interfaces are also included. See a full description of the new features in GMS V6.5 at:

http://www.xmswiki.com/index.php?title=GMS:What%27s_New_in_GMS_6.5

Download GMS v6.5 at www.ems-i.com/members/download_center.php/

New Maintenance Model for GMS Licenses—Upgrade Fees Eliminated

With the release of GMS v6.5, EMS-I will be switching to a maintenance model for this and future versions of GMS. A maintenance model helps you better plan and budget for software upgrade costs and helps us ensure continued development enhancements and improved technical support. You will no longer have to pay upgrade fees for each new version; rather, you will automatically receive future versions through your annual maintenance fee for each GMS license, in addition to intermediate updates and technical support.

What does this change mean to you?

Here is how the new maintenance model will affect you

• If you currently have GMS v6.0 licenses, you only need to pay the 15% annual maintenance fee to upgrade to version 6.5.
• If you currently have older versions of GMS, you will first have to upgrade your license to GMS v6.0 at current upgrade fees, then pay the 15% annual maintenance fee. As a convenience, all current GMS v6.0 users will receive invoices for the annual maintenance fee.
• Any new licenses purchased will include the first year’s maintenance fees.

Each licensee has the option of paying the maintenance to go the new version and continue to receive technical support. Of course, you can continue to use all prior versions of GMS even if you choose not to pay maintenance. All those activating their maintenance will receive a serial number for their license. The serial number for the license will be required in order to receive technical support for GMS v6.5 after March 1, 2008.

Upgrade to GMS v6.5 by June 1, 2008, and receive a complimentary ArcView license with a full-year of maintenance

As a thank you for your early participation in the new maintenance model, you will receive a complimentary copy of ESRI’s ArcView software if you upgrade to GMS v6.5 by June 1, 2008. You can use ArcView to seamlessly and more efficiently import and export GIS data using ArcGIS utilities from within the GMS interface. Access to a new or additional ArcView license will help you perform groundwater modeling tasks more efficiently and provide you with all the additional capabilities available within ArcView.

Moreover, EMS-I is working with ESRI to develop tools for supporting the Arc Hydro Groundwater data model design for ArcView 9.3, scheduled forrelease in by ESRI in 2008. Because your ArcView license will include a full year of maintenance, you will be eligible to receive that release of ArcView when it becomes available.

ArcView will be shipped to GMS 6.5 users directly through ESRI distribution channels within 4-8 weeks of your upgrade to v6.5. If you wish to continue using ArcView after the first year, you will simply need to renew the ArcView annual maintenance.

Additional Information

With the release of version 6.5, a new password will be required or if you have hardware locks, they will have to be reprogrammed. Your GMS v6.5 license will have the same modules you have in your existing license. If you wish to add modules or interfaces, additional license fees will apply. Please contact us for specific pricing details.

If you would like to try any of the new modules, simply contact us for a temporary password at

www.ems-i.com/Password_Requests/password_requests.html

I hope you will take advantage of this offer soon. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Cordially,

Royd Nelson
President
EMS-I
royd@ems-i.com
801-302-1400