620 lines
36 KiB
Plaintext
620 lines
36 KiB
Plaintext
NUMBER OF LINES: 629
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1 WELCOME TO BWMS (BACKWATER MESSAGE SYSTEM)
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2 ************************ REMOVED: 9 AUG 82 **************************
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3 BACKWATER MESSAGE SYSTEM (BWMS) MIKE DAY SYSTEM OPERATOR
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4
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5 GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION PLACED ON
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6 THIS SYSTEM.
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7
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8 BWMS WAS CREATED AS AN ELECTRONIC BILL BOARD. BWMS IS A PRIVATLY OWNED
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9 AND OPERATED SYSTEM WHICH IS CURRENTLY OPEN FOR USE BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
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10 NO RESTRICTIONS ARE PLACED ON THE USE OF THE SYSTEM.
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11 IT IS INTENDED THAT THE SYSTEM IS NORMALLY USED FOR MESSAGES AND
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12 ADVERTISMENTS BY THE USERS. AS THE SYSTEM IS PRIVATLY OWNED, I RETAIN THE
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13 RIGHT TO REMOVE ANY AND ALL MESSAGES FROM THE SYSTEM WHICH ARE OFFENSIVE
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14 TO ME. ADDITIONALLY BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED SIZED OF THE SYSTEM, IT WILL BE
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15 PERIODICALLY PURGED OF OLDER MESSAGES. (ONLY 629 LINES AF DATA CAN BE SAVED)
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16
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17 TO LEAVE A MESSAGE, TYPE 'ENTER' AND USE CTRL/C OR BREAK TO GET OUT
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18 OF THE ENTER MODE. THE MESSAGE IS AUTOMATICLY STORED.
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19 IF AFTER ENTERING THE MESSAGE YOU FIND YOU MADE A MISTAKE,
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20 USE THE REPLACE COMMAND TO REPLACE THE LINE.
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21
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22 TO EXIT FROM THE SYSTEM TYPE 'OFF' THEN HANG UP
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23 THIS WILL PREVENT THE FILE UNSAFE MESSAGE FROM PRINTING OUT WHEN THE
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24 NEXT CALLER USES THE SYSTEM NO BIG DEAL IF YOU DON'T TURN THE SYSTEM OFF
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25 IT USED TO MEAN THAT SOME DATA WAS LOST, BUT I HAVE SINCE MODIFIED THE
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27 SOFTWARE TO SAVE IT.
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28 IT WAS LEFT IN BECAUSE I NEED IT WHEN I AM CLEANING THE FILES UP.
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29 ********************************************************************
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30 How quickly can you find out what is so unusual about this
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31 paragraph? It looks so ordinary that you would think that
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32 nothing was wrong with it at all and, in fact, nothing is.
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33 But, it is unusual. Why? If you study it and think about it
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34 you may find out, but I am not going to assist you in any
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35 way. You must do it without coaching. No doubt, if you work
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36 at it for long, it will dawn on you. Who knows? Go to work
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37 and try your skill. Par is about half an hour.
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38 >>FOR SALE<<
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39 APF Computer:16K-Expandable. Tape sy,joy sticks on board. 6800cpu-based--Machine language programmable
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40 Hi-res,lo-res graphics,sound.Good first machine,or as hardware freak's delight!
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41 Call xxx-xxxx any time. Leave message.
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42 ******************************
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43 :<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Shugart 850 sale >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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46 $250.00
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47 Laurence Gilbert
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48 (503) xxx-xxxx afternoons please
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49 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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50 ********************
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51 FM: CISTOP MIKEY TO: ANYONE WHO CARES (AND ANYONE WHO DOESN'T CARE FOR THAT
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52 MATTER)
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53 DRIVE B IS CURRENTLY DISENGAGED FROM THE SYSTEM. IF YOU SELECT DRIVE B YOU WILL
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54 ONLY GET DRIVE A (EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS YOU ARE ON DRIVE B) THE REASON BEHIND
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55 THIS DEVIOUS PLOT TO CONFUSE YOU THE USER, IS THAT DRIVE A IS A TEST DRIVE
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56 CURRENTLY. IT IS BEING USED TO SEE HOW MUCH PUNISHMENT IT CAN TAKE (LORD KNOWS
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57 IF IT CAN SURVIVE THIS SYSTEM IT CAN SURVIVE ANYTHING!) AS SUCH, IT IS BEING
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58 LEFT ON ALL OF THE TIME (EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO ONE ON THE SYSTEM) TO TRY TO
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59 GET IT TO CROAK. THEN I CAN TRY TO ANALIZE WHAT HAPPENED TO SEE HOW GODD A
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60 DRIVE IT REALLY IS. THE DRIVE BY THE WAY IS A 1/2 HIGH TEAC SINGLE SIDED DRIVE.
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61 BECAUSE OF THIS HIGH INTENSITY TEST PROCEDURE, I HAVE DISCONNECTED DRIVE B
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62 WHICH IS MY NORMAL EVERYDAY SHUGART SA400 SO THAT I DON'T DESTROY IT IN
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63 THE PROCESS. SOME RESULTS OF PREVIOUS TESTS: MPI MODEL 51 DIED AFTER 2 WEEKS
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64 MOTOR SEIZED SPURATIC ERRORS THOUGHOUT THE TEST PERIOD. THEY SEEM TO HAVE
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65 ALIGHNMENT PROBLEMS. CDC 5" SINGLE SIDED TEST TIME ONE WEEK TEST TERMINATED
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67 TANDON 5" SINGLE SIDED DIED AFTER 3 WEEKS, MOTOR SEIZED, LUBED THE MOTOR, AND
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68 IT RAN FOR ANOTHER WEEK, BUT HAD SPURATIC ERRORS. TEST TERMINATED AFTER 4
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69 WEEKS. SHUGART SA400 (WHATS NORMALLY ON HERE) DIED AFTER 4 WEEKS MOTOR
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70 SEIZED. BASF NEVER COULD GET IT TO RUN ON SYSTEM SO NO TEST RESULTS AVAILABLE.
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71 THAT IS THE EXTENT OF THE DRIVES THAT HAVE BEEN TESTED SO FAR, THE RESULTS
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72 SEEM TO INDICATE SEVERAL THINGS, IN HEAVY DUTY TYPE INSTALATIONS YOU SHOULD
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73 USE A DRIVE WITH A BRUSHLESS DC MOTOR. (THE BRUSHES IN THE MOTORS IN THE
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74 DRIVES THAT HAD SIEZURES SEEM TO BE THE MAIN PROBLEM GENERALLY DUE TO GETTING
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75 BRUSH DUST GUMMING UP THE INSIDES OF THE MOTOR) THE BAND STEPPERS WHILE BEING
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76 NICE AND FAST SEEM TO HAVE DIFFICULTIES MAINTAINING CONSISTANT ALIGHNMENT.)
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77 I WOULD RECOMEND USING A SCREW TYPE STEPPER IF RELIABLITY IS OF GREATEST
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78 IMPORTANCE. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE BAND STEPPER IS NO GOOD, THERE
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79 HAVE BEEN SOME IMPROVMENTS MADE IN THIS AREA. THE TEAC DRIVE THAT IS CURRENTLY
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80 ON HERE HAS A BAND STEPPER, AND IT IS ONE OF THE BEST IMPLEMENTATIONS I HAVE
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81 SEEN TO DATE. (MPI HAS THE WORST CLOSLY FOLLOWED BY CDC, TANDON IS A LITTLE
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82 BETTER.) THERE APPEAR TO BE TWO MAIN PROBLEMS IN THE BAND STEPPERS, ONE IS
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83 SLOP IN THE CARRAGE MECHANISM AND THE OTHER IS GREAT DIFFICULTY IN
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84 REALIGNING THE DRIVE IF IT HAS TO BE WORKED ON. THE TEAC THAT IS ON HERE
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85 USES A BRUSHLESS DIRECT DRIVE DC MOTOR. IT LOOKS GOOD, AND I DOUBT THAT
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86 THERE WILL BE ANY PROBLEMS FROM THAT AREA, AND IN FACT I EXPECT TO NOT HAVE
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87 ANY PROBLEMS FROM THE DRIVE AT ALL, IT IS ONE OF THE BEST LOOKING DRIVES
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88 I HAVE SEEN TO DATE. OF COURSE THERE IS ALSO THE POOR OL' SHUGARTS WHICH WHILE
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89 THEY HAVE PROBLEMS OF THERE OWN, THEY DO HAVE ONE THING TO SAY FOR THEMSELVES
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90 AND THAT IS THAT THEY HAVE MANAGED TO SURVIVE OVER A YEAR OF USE
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91 ON THIS SYSTEM. THAT WHILE BEING SIGNIFICANT IN ITSELF MUST BE TAKEN WITH
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92 THE ADDED REALIZATION THAT THEY WERE RESURECTED FROM THE JUNK PILE FOR USE
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93 ON THIS SYSTEM. (YOU JUST CAN'T BEAT THAT WITH A STICK...)
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94 ******** CIST OP MIKEY **** 9 AUG 1982 *******************************
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95 While we're at it, let's zap some com-
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96 ments, good or bad, at Radio Shack. I'm
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97 sure those of us with Trash-80's might
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98 have some things to say about some Tandy
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99 policies. Not all necessarily bad,
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100 either.
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101 -me-
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102 ****************************************
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103 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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104 re: Radio Shack/Tandy
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105 *********************
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106 My biggest gripe with that outfit is the
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107 crap one has to go through to make a 29
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108 cent purchase! Name: Address: etc. When
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109 you refuse they make
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110 you feel like a less
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111 than person person.
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112 I am sick of getting all those junk
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113 flyers in my mail box, plus the fact
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114 that the information asked is none of
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115 their damn business!!
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116 I don't own a Trash 80 and never will,
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117 no matter how low they might price them
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118 or good they make them mainly because of
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119 the above mentioned practices. It does
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120 no good to write to the main offices as
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121 have already tried this and they didn't
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122 even have the courtesy to answer.
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123 Now when I absolutly have to have some-
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124 thing from them, Igive them a totally
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125 inaccurate name and adress:
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126 Hope that this ploy will add to their
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127 postage and printing costs.
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128
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129 Radio shack customer (only under
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130 protest)
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131
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132 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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133 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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134 Well I am glad that someone else finds
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135 that Radio Shack's pushy attitude about
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136 a person's name and address is a pain
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137 in the neck. I couldn't agree with you
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138 more about it being none of their buis-
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139 ness about my name and address. Cash
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140 should be the extent of it.
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141 I also give bullshit names and address
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142 to the sales people. One of them told
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143 me once that they are given some sort
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144 of incentive if they get the names and
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145 addresses of their customers.
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146 I told him that i was already on the
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147 mailing list
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148 but he wasn't intrested in that
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149 .
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150 Consumers trying to find parts have a
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151 hard enough time without the hassle
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152 of a sales inquisition.
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160 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
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161 IN DEFENSE OF TANDY
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162 MAYBE THE REASON THEY ARE A 2 BILLION DOLLAR A YEAR PLUS COMPANY IS THAT
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163 THEY HAVE AN AGGRESSIVE MARKETING APPROACH. IT SEEMS TO WORK FOR THEM,
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164 BECAUSE IF YOU LIKE THEIR PRODUCTS OR NOT, THEY HAVE ONE OF THE MOST
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165 ENVIED AND PRAISED MARKETING DIVISIONS OF ANY LARGE CORPORATION IN
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166 THE COUNTRY. THEIR CONSTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT NAMES AND ADDRESSES CAN
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167 BE TIRING, BUT THE FLIERS THEY SEND OUT DO CREATE BUSINESS. THEY
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168 PROMOTE SALES OF THEIR PRODUCTS, AND THAT MAKES THEM MONEY. I AM
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169 NOT SAYING IT IS GOOD OR BAD FOR THE CUSTOMERS TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH
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170 THE "SALES INQUISITION", I AM JUST SAYING FROM A SALES STANDPOINT,
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171 IT WORKS, AND IT WORKS DAMN WELL !
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172
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173 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
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174 AFTER MAKING SEVERAL PURCHASES AT SOME LOCAL RADIO SHACK'S
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175 I FEEL AS THOUGH I WAS NOT RIPPED OFF. OVERALL THEY SEEM TO
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176 DO A VERY GOOD JOB WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING THEIR PRODUCTS
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177 ACROSS. I DON'T LIKE GOING THROUGH ALL THE NAME AND ADDRESS
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178 BIT EITHER. BUT LETS FACE IT, IT WILL PROBABLY NEVER EVER
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179 CHANGE. TANDY SHOULD MAKE PLASTIC CARDS FOR ALL THE REGULAR
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180 CUSTOMERS THAT INCLUDE EACH PERSON'S NAME AND ADDRESS. THEN
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181 EVERY TIME THAT CUSTOMER BOUGHT SOMETHING, THE SALESPERSON
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182 WOULD JUST PUT THE CARD THROUGH A CREDIT CARD IMPRINTER
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183 WITH THE SALES RECEIPT. IT WOULD SAVE REGULAR CUSTOMERS
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184 TIME AND THE HASSLE. THE INTERPID.
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185 ******************************************
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186
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187 What about the lousy packaging at R/S, you only want to buy one thingamagig but
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188 are forced to buy 2,43,4 or more regardless of your needs or wants!! Then
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189 There's those damn plastic packaging, Impossible to open like the child-proof
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190 pill bottles. Who ever invented shrink-plastic wrap should be strung up by his
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191 you know whats!!
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192
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193 ********************************************
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194
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195 Returning to the subject of the Byte (the customer) shops:
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196 It would seem to me that if their products and service were just half as
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197 good as they would have us believe, they could give a satisfaction guarantee
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198 like Tom Peterson's. In fact I dare them to!!!! -- but I know they won't,
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199 because there's a sucker born every minute and as long as the Byte Shop
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200 can get them into the store they will never clean up their act.
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201 All this customer relations BS they put out is just part of thier con.
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202 They have no intention of solving any of the real problems.
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203 Their real intention is to corner the market in particular brands and
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204 that will give them a free hand to do and charge what they want.
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205
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206 Again, I dare the Byte Shop to put their money where their mouth is and
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207 GIVE THE CUSTOMER A WRITTEN SATISFACTIONGUARANTEE!!!!!!!
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208 ***************************************************************************
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209 To the person who can't open the packaging at RS. Maybe you just arenn't
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210 advanced enough to open such a complicated device. RS is simply trying
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211 to protect you from yourself. If you can't open the packaging, get a
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212 grown-up to do it for you !
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213 ********************************************
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214 Opening the packages is no problem if you are not handicapped as I am. I only
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215 one good hand and I dare any one out there to get any package (hard plastic or
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216 shrink-wrap) open without difficulty, especially if one is trying to save the
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217 package in case the item enclosed is not right in any way and it might have to
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218 be returned! Also such packaging is not Tandy's alone, every retailer in the
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219 country has adopted this wasteful practice. Just use your head and think of all
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220 the Mid-East oil and
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221 our own dwindling timber resources that end up at some land fill. I for one
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222 would like to see the European system of taking your own bags etc. or having to
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223 pay extra for the container to carry your purchase home in.
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224 This includes groceries etc.
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225 As for asking an adult to open bottles, packages etc. most that I have talked
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226 to agree that this practice is totally a sales ploy to get you to buy more than
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227 you either need or want, and some retailers won't accept back a product that has
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228 been opened no matter how carefully.
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229 Now take your two "good" hands and respond to this if you can, that is unless
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230 you are mentally handicapped!!!
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231 ********************************************
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232
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233
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234 Although I have never been into the Tigard Byte Shop,
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235 If they're anything like the one in Downtown Portland (on 4th
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236 and Lincoln, they should be out of business. I went in there
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237 Monday afternoon, to fund out some info. There were two people
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238 working, one was chit-chating with a customer, and the other was
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239 on the phone the whole time.
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240
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241 I was in there for almost 1/2 hour, and all he said to me
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242 was "DON'T TOUCH THAT". I didn't even get an "I will be with
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243 you in a minute." The salesman just ignored me as if I wasn't
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244 there. JUST BECAUSE I AM ONLY 17, AND DIDN'T THINK I WAS THINKING
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245 ABOUT A PURCHASE. For that I will never go back there. I would
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246 rather go by mail order, and wait the 2 months for the idem I
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247 want SIGHT-UNSEEN. The friend that was with me also feels the
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248 same way about the rotten service (if you even want to call it
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249 service) we got.
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250
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251
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252 DBBS SYSOP
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253 **** *****
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254
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255 **********************To T.B.S
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256
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257 Why don't you offer a lifetime subscription to any person who gives you a
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258 valid complaint. That way you can close up for bgood as I'm sure your resources
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259 could not handle the expense, even if you did charge for coffee breaks & lunch.
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260 If you want positive praise you should start your own BBS with passwords issued
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261 to your 'satisfied' customers with the understanding that any dissent would auto
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262 matically crash the users system and would be charged double to get it up and
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263 running again, provided your staff have this knowledge.
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264
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265 Mail-order customer.
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266 SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY OF CLEARING OFF THE GARBAGE FROM THIS MESS
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267 I HAVE BEEN RATHER BUSY LATLY AND HAVE NOT BEEN ON HERE. BY THE WAY,
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268 THAT WAS A RECORD FOR BWMS. - AN ENTIRE DISK FILLED UP WITH THE SAME
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269 SUBJECT. - WELL, HERE'S SOME MORE ROOM NOW SO GOT TO IT!!!!!!!!
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270 ********** CIST OP MIKEY ***** 19 AUG 1982 **** 8:30 PM ***********
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271 P.S. DON'T FORGET THE PORTLAND COMPUTER SOC. MEETING IS THIS SATURDAY
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272 AT THE RAIGHLY HILLS FAR WEST FEDERAL SAVINGS IN THE RAIGHLY HILLS SHOPPING
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273 CENTER THE MEETING IS IN THE COMMUNITY ROOM DOORS OPEN AT 1:00PM
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274 ......................................................................
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275 Well where in the Hell am I...I am calling from Tigard...I am not familiar with
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276 this system . . . if you feel that you cal\n help call Rich at (503(\)xxx-xxxx
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277 The problem with the Byte Shop (and probably with Computerland
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278 too, since their 'service' is just as bad) is that their sales
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279 people are on a commission. So if you go in the store looking
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280 like you are going to buy $5000 worth of iron they will wait
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281 on you hand and foot, but it you are just browsing, forget it.
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282 When I was computer shopping, I got so turned off by their
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283 behavior (both stores) that I have never bought anything but
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284 magazines at either store. Instead I have purchased two
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285 computers (and influenced the purchase of three more) at the
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286 Radio Shack Computer store, which apparently pay their sales
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287 people a decent salary (as well as commission). For R.S haters,
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288 The Computers and Things store in Aloha is also a friendly
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289 place, and I wouldn't have to think twice about giving them
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290 business.
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291
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292 Tom Almy (First time on this system)
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293 ***********************************************************:
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294 I think one of the major problems with the BYTE shops is largely
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295 an identity problem, they would perfer to sell to businesses
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296 rather then John Q Public off the street, yet they operate out
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297 of a store front like they are in business for John Q Public.
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298 It would probably save a lot of hassels all around if they would
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299 close the stores and open a regular business type operation
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300 instead. Alas I have found little of interest in any of the Byte
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301 shops the Magazines tend to be old and out of date, and I am
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302 not really interested in any of the equipment on display. I can
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303 go to Fredies to get an Atrai (cheaper too!) and I really don't
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304 have much interest in an Apple. An Altos is hardly in line with
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305 my needs. I might be interested in an IBM PC, if I could ever
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306 see one and a sales type that actually could answer a few
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307 questions about it.
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308 As with most, I am not exactly in love with RS, but on the other
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309 hand I will say this, they are incredibly mediocur. This can be
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310 taken as good or bad depending on where you are comeing from.
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311 Yes they do sell some poor quality junk, but I would like to
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312 remind you that it priced as junk too. It is simply the old
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313 'you get what you pay for' problem. Too many people think they
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314 can pay next to nothing for something and get the world. RS
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315 does sell some good quality stuf if you want to pay they same
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316 price that you would pay anyplace else. They don't sell super
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317 quality stuff that cost you $1000 just to look at it, but then
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318 they are not in business for that sort of thing. I really cannot
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319 find fault with RS for serving the needs of thier customers
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320 they are doing exactly what the market they are in demands.
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321 (After all if they weren't they wouldn't have stores in just
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322 about every major city in the US.) I don't care for they name
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323 address 3rd degree myself, but I can live with it. As far as
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324 those who complain about recieving the flier, I find it amazing
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325 that you don't want to recieve it after all, it is free and
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326 sometimes even has something interesting in it. I never object t
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327 to junk mail there is always something of interest in it sooner
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328 or later and it certainly lets you know what the people who are
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329 advertising in it are doing.
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330 *** irrespectivly submitted by the IN SANE SCIENTIST *** 20 AUG
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331 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^You had better chang
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332 e your name if you think those junk mail flyers are free. Who
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333 the hell do you think pays for them? The next time you purchase
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334 stamps or anything else at our U.S.Postal service see if you can
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335 get the same rates that businesses pay.
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336 The Postal workers spend up to 86% of their time dealing with
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337 this crap. Besides if you want to be on these mailing lists you
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338 should have to request it. Granted there are some interesting
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339 items at times but as a rule it costs me $7.00 a month just to
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340 have them hauled away. Mailing lists are sold for profit all
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341 time and I personally don't appreciate having my name on all
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342 the sucker lists. what ever happened to personal privacy!!
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343 Also about the multipackaging, it should be illegal to sell more
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344 than one needs or wants. There may be some out there that need
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345 3 item since they ruin the first two, but some of us know what
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346 we want and shouldn't be forced to subsidize those that don't!!
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347
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348 *****************************************************
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349 I agree that RS is a terrible place to buy things. I only
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350 go there if by some unfortunate act of stupidity I forgot to
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351 buy a part by mail order and need it QUICK. Otherwise,
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352 forget it. As for Computerland: I bought my IBM PC at
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353 the Portland Computerland. The dealer margin on an IBM
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354 PC is 40%! And I haven't even gone back once for advice/
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355 help/etc. I feel that service and hardware should be sold
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356 absolutely separately, so that those of us who know what we
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357 are doing don't have to pay for worthless help.
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358 ***********************************************************
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359 to those complaining about bubble packages with 2 resistors.
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360 There is a good reason:it's cheaper! A resistor is worth about
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361 $.01, or so. The handling is about $.30. Do you really wany to
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362 pay 30 times as much for the package as for the product? Throw
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363 the extra resistor away, it didn't cost you anything. 5 at $.35
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364 isn't really more expensive than 1 at $.31.
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365 I don't like to deal with RS because of their terrible quality
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366 control, or rather lack there of. They didn't become the big kid
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367 on the block by being better, but by pure volume and advertising.
|
||
368 This means is cheaper for them to buy things, and there advertising
|
||
369 is more effective. To the buyer this means they are there, and will
|
||
370 still be there tomorrow. It means they can be less expensive and offer
|
||
371 more than their competitors. (Where else can you buy a card of
|
||
372 resistors? Especially if you aren't in a big city? Their biggest
|
||
373 problem is the way someone becomes a dealer: he just decides he
|
||
374 wants to, and buys a franchise. Typically he knows less about what
|
||
375 he is selling than his customers. RS dealers aren't dishonest, just
|
||
376 ignorant. Here in Portland there is little need for RS, because there
|
||
377 are other stores that sell cheaper stereos, and part stores that sell
|
||
378 better, cheaper (i.e. in bigger packages) parts, but there is a radio
|
||
379 shack in just about any town I was ever in. By the way, their repair
|
||
380 shop sucks, but it is fast. A trash 80 can be fixed quicker than any
|
||
381 other brand.
|
||
382 *************************** a RS fan ********************************
|
||
383 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Whats wrong with a parts cabinet with several hundred
|
||
384 resistors, pin-outs, PC boards, etc so that the sales person can just sell you
|
||
385 one item for 1cent or whatever and to hell with the wasteful packaging.
|
||
386 As stated elsewhere here all that plastic just ends up in the trash can.
|
||
387 Having worked in auto parts stores for many years I know that the
|
||
388 one item sales work. Think about having to buy two mufflers or valve cover
|
||
389 gaskets just because they are packaged that way. After all gaskets are just as
|
||
390 fragile if not mor so than electronic parts and some almost as small. When I
|
||
391 buy something it makes me mad As hell to have to pay 30cents for a 1cent item
|
||
392 all because of that damn package. It's like paying $35.00 for a pair of pants
|
||
393 and then having to walk around advertising the maker on your Butt, (come to
|
||
394 think of it that's where their name belongs)!
|
||
395 ..................................................
|
||
396 I HAVE SOME NEWS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO TAKE OFFENSE
|
||
397 AT RADIO SHACK'S NAME AND ADDRESS POLICY... THE
|
||
398 SALES PEOPLE DON'T PARTICULARLY GO FOR IT EITHER.
|
||
399 sOMEONE STATED A NUMBER OF LINES AGO THAT SALES
|
||
400 PEOPLE HAVE SOME KIND OF INCENTIVE TO PESTER NAMES
|
||
401 AND ADDRESSES OUT OF CUSTOMERS... THIS IS NOT SO.
|
||
402 thERE ISN'T ANY OTHER REASON THAN "JUST COMPANY
|
||
403 POLICY" EXCEPT THAT THE DISTRICT MANAGER GETS UPSE
|
||
404 WHEN LESS THAN 80% OF THE SALES TICKETS COME IN
|
||
405 WITH NAMES/ADDRESSES. AS A RADIO SHACK EMPLOYEE,
|
||
406 I FEEL THAT NAMES/ADDRESSES ARE NONE OF TANDY'S
|
||
407 DAMN BUSINESS. FOR ONE THING, SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT
|
||
408 WANT TO BE PLACED ON THE MAILING LIST, BUT DON'T
|
||
409 REALIZE THAT'S WHAT THE N&A STUFF IS FOR. THE
|
||
410 BETTER WAY TO HANDLE IT WOULD BE TO ASK THE CUS-
|
||
411 TOMER IF HE/SHE WANTED TO BE ON THE LIST, AND GO
|
||
412 ACCORDINGLY. IN FACT, MANY TIMES I WRITE "CASH"
|
||
413 INSTEAD OF ASKING FOR N&A JUST BECAUSE I DON'T
|
||
414 THINK THE CUSTOMER WOULD APPRECIATE BEING BOTHERED
|
||
415 BY IT. MANY PEOPLE FEEL THAT ALL RADIO SHACK EM-
|
||
416 PLOYEES ARE TOTAL MORONS WH KNOW NOTHING ELSE BUT
|
||
417 HOW TO TURN THE STEREOS ON. GRANTED, A LOT OF THE
|
||
418 RADIO SHACK PEOPLE IN PORTLAND ARE MORONS, BUT
|
||
419 THERE ARE ALWAYS A FEW WHO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALK-
|
||
420 ING ABOUT, AND REALLY TRY TO HELP THE CUSTOMER.
|
||
421 I HAVE CONCLUDED IT'S THE MORONS WHO PUSH HARD FOR
|
||
422 N&A, AND WE NORMAL ONES WHO TRY TO BE DECENT ABOUT
|
||
423 IT.
|
||
424 WANT TO HEAR MORE? I THINK THE PLASTIC BUBBLE
|
||
425 PACKAGING SHIT REALLY SUCKS. IT'S REALLY PRETTY
|
||
426 STUPID TO FORCE THE CUSTOMER TO BUY 25 DIODES FOR
|
||
427 $1.98 WHEN THEY ONLY NEED 1, AND COULD GET IT FOR
|
||
428 A PENNY OR TWO SOMEWHERE ELSE. ONE OTHER THING
|
||
429 THAT I CAN'T STAND IS THAT MANY THINGS COME IN
|
||
430 "ASSORTMENTS" OF VARIOUS SIZES IN ONE PACKAGE. sO
|
||
431 IF YOU WANT 25 OF THE SAME THING, YOU HAVE TO BUY
|
||
432 TEN THOUSAND PACKAGES. I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND WHY
|
||
433 "WE" (MEANING R/S) DON'T HAVE SOMETHING LIKE A
|
||
434 PARTS BARREL, WHERE ONE COULD REACH IN AND PULL
|
||
435 OUT ONE OR TWO OF WHATEVER HE/SHE HAPPENS TO NEED.
|
||
436 I COULD GO ON AND GRIPE FOREVER ABOUT TANDY
|
||
437 POLICIES... OVERPRICING (400% ON PHONE STUFF!!),
|
||
438 THE N&A ROUTINE, ETC., BUT I BETTER NOT. I JUST
|
||
439 WANTED TO GIVE THE VIEW FROM "THE OTHER SIDE OF
|
||
440 THE FENCE" AND SAY THAT R/S PEOPLE DON'T
|
||
441 PARTICULARLY LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON EITHER;
|
||
442 BUT, EVERYONE HAS TO WORK SOMEWHERE...
|
||
443 A R/S SALESMAN
|
||
444 R/S CUSTOMER FOR 10 YEARS
|
||
445 TRASH-80 OWNER (BOUGHT BEFORE I BECAME
|
||
446 AN R/S EMPLOYEE)
|
||
447
|
||
448 BY THE WAY... ALL THE EXTRA GIZMOS
|
||
449 I HAVE HUNG ONTO MY TRS-80 ARE NON-RADIO
|
||
450 SHACK STUFF. TANDY'S BASIC COMPUTER IS
|
||
451 VERY NICE, BUT THE PERIPHERALS, WELL...
|
||
452 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
||
453 To The previous message:
|
||
454
|
||
455 Sure would like to meet you. You sound like a p
|
||
456 person Who's got his head on straight! Too bad
|
||
457 you are in such a small minotity as to R/S people.
|
||
458 I have asked to have the ticket on my purchases
|
||
459 marked cash and they usually write REFUSED
|
||
460 on it. I too, have written to Tandy about their
|
||
461 policies and asked to be removed from their mailin
|
||
462 g list. Alas, in spite of postal regulations I am
|
||
463 still getting all that junk in my mail.
|
||
464
|
||
465 Greetings:
|
||
466 Speaking as a FORMER employe of Ye Byte Shoppe, I would like to make
|
||
467 a few points. There is absolutly no connection between any Byte Shop any
|
||
468 where and BYTE Magazine. There is absolutly no connection between the
|
||
469 local Byte Shops and Byte Shops in other cities. Also, say what you will
|
||
470 about the way they do business, but you must admit that they are still in
|
||
471 business after six plus years. (the path to success is paved with the star-
|
||
472 ving bodies of salesmen....) Yes, the salesmen are on commission. Yes they
|
||
473 take one look at you and think !SALE! or [waste of time]. If you where on
|
||
474 this merry-go-round, you would think that way too. And yes, it gripes me
|
||
475 like hell to be treated like a dummy in a building I worked in for five
|
||
476 years.
|
||
477 If you think you can do better, try it. I am.
|
||
478
|
||
479 A Former Inmate.
|
||
480
|
||
481 ***************************************************************************
|
||
482 Two comments:
|
||
483 1) packaging at Radio Shack -- the reason for the plasic
|
||
484 packaging is to give the customer a fresh product,
|
||
485 not a shop-worn and defective item. Also handling just one low-
|
||
486 cost item is very expensive in terms of manpower and many customers
|
||
487 prefer self-service.
|
||
488 Like it or not, I'm afraid that the ecomomics of the situation dictate that
|
||
489 the packaging will continue.
|
||
490
|
||
491 2)The Byte Shops -- we recently did business with a Byte Shop and also
|
||
492 with a Business Machine retailer. I can garantee you that the Byte Shops do
|
||
493 NOT!!!
|
||
494 know how to deal with business people. The item we purchased from the business
|
||
495 machine people was half the price of the item from the Byte Shop, yet we
|
||
496 got (and continue to get) 10 times the service -- the Byte Shop's idea of
|
||
497 a quick respons is six months (if you call them every day).
|
||
498 The Business Machine people (REMTEK) realize that if the equipment works
|
||
499 for us, that we will return and buy more and more product!!!!!!!!
|
||
500 The Byte Shop is geared for the first-time sucker and the cornered market.
|
||
501 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
|
||
502 Having only been in a B.S. twice (I gave them a second chance),
|
||
503 I can only agree with the many adverse comments. However,
|
||
504 they must be doing SOMETHING right (God only knows what!),
|
||
505 or they wouldn't still be in business.
|
||
506 .............................................................
|
||
507 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
||
508 Some helpful? info for computerists:
|
||
509 1 Before you spend a red cent, read and investigate all the equipment info
|
||
510 you can get your hands on.
|
||
511 2 Don't expect any salesperson to be able to answer your questions above the
|
||
512 "How much is it"!
|
||
513 3 Find a knoweledgesble technician to answer your inquiries.
|
||
514 4 Pay him/her if necessary, that is money well spent.
|
||
515 5 Continue to complain any way you can, pass the word to others, if we all do
|
||
516 this I'm sure the message will come through loud and clear!
|
||
517 6 When in a store with a modem set up, dial this # try to have the person there
|
||
518 read the entire ramblings from list down!
|
||
519
|
||
520 Hope all you out there are up to this challange.
|
||
521
|
||
522 signed:
|
||
523 Been there and back.
|
||
524
|
||
525
|
||
526 ****************************************************************
|
||
527 I would do the last one, except I plan never to enter another
|
||
528 BYTE SHOP again (If I can help it.)
|
||
529
|
||
530
|
||
531 DBBS SYSOP
|
||
532 **** *****
|
||
533
|
||
534 Well Radio Shack sure gets a lot of attention. I have been a customer
|
||
535 of Radio Shacks for over 15 years. Let me tell you they are a hell
|
||
536 of alot better at sales and follow through than any one else I
|
||
537 have dealt with. A majority of the sales people DO know more than how
|
||
538 to turn the stereo on, as was so eliquently stated before. The problem
|
||
539 with people who complain is thaty they only remember the bad things, not
|
||
540 the good things. They don't remember when they needed that crazy
|
||
541 part at 8:00 PM, and could run over to the local RS and get in
|
||
542 and out in a couple minutes. This has happened to me more than once, and
|
||
543 I thank heaven for RS when I make one of those desparation runs. Oh sure
|
||
544 there are bad stores, but every large family has bad eggs. Tandy has
|
||
545 a cleaner nest than most other corporations. I go to RS all the time,
|
||
546 and I have bought everything from computers to intercomes to power supply
|
||
547 parts to transistors to books. I have never been sorry I bought anything
|
||
548 from them. I have never seen this "poor quality" stuff some poor misguided
|
||
549 soul yelled about. If enything ever went wrong with something, a
|
||
550 run down to the store would yield me a replacement, or a quick return
|
||
551 on my original. I make friends with the local RS manager, treat him like
|
||
552 a human being, and he returns the favor. Bread cast apon the water returns
|
||
553 tenfold...The local manager has done me all kinds of favors, including
|
||
554 taking personal time to run something from another store, and special
|
||
555 order parts for me. It is a good business relationship. People who gripe
|
||
556 about RS are a dime a dozen. They know what they are doing, obviously.
|
||
557 ############################################^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^To the above:
|
||
558 Some people cast their bread upon the water and it comes back Chocolate cake
|
||
559 I usually cast mine and it comes back soggy! I'm probably not alone.
|
||
560 TO THE ABOVE...
|
||
561 MAYBE YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO CAST RIGHT. GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELPS THEMSELVES.
|
||
562 MAYBE I DO IT RIGHT
|
||
563 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^"GOD" has nothing to do with anything. You seem to forget
|
||
564 that you are dealing with 'human beings' If god had invented computers there
|
||
565 would be linefeeds, godubs, mid$'s etc all over the bible.
|
||
566
|
||
567 Also to the guy above who has such good raport with the R/S manager: Every
|
||
568 time I enter one of their stores there's some new person there. Raleigh Hills
|
||
569 and Beaverton are the two that I have to use mostly, therefor
|
||
570 I have never had the same person assist me unless I have had to make more than
|
||
571 one trip in a days time.
|
||
572 /////////////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
|
||
573 Some while back I bought a voltmeter from RADIO SHACK, one of their
|
||
574 digital ones. It looks cheap, oit feels cheap, the instruction book
|
||
575 is cheap. In fact, it has only one advantage: it works. It cost less
|
||
576 than anything I could buy here in Portland somewhere else, too.
|
||
577 I know I could get a better deal mailorder, but have you ever tried to
|
||
578 test something before you buy it mailorder? I did not pay sales tax, or
|
||
579 postage, either. RS has a good policy on defective stuff, too, with
|
||
580 immediate exchange. (Of course, there is a lot of defective stuff)
|
||
581 Yes, the bubble package IS cheaper. The case of loose
|
||
582 parts sounds better,but the handling cost is the pits, and in any case
|
||
583 it only works if you have well trained people using it. Bubbles can be
|
||
584 handled by the public, try that with a bin of loose parts.
|
||
585 Actually, though, the parts are mostly a service. The money is in
|
||
586 bigger things, like stereos.
|
||
587
|
||
588 As for information, or instructions, etc.: anybody who goes to a store
|
||
589 for info should pay for it, before hand. The store pays their people
|
||
590 by the hour, you should too. This is one reason it costs more to buy
|
||
591 retail, you are paying for the clerks. Actually, it's worth it.
|
||
592 If you know what you are doing, why go in there in the first place?
|
||
593 Buy it mail order. Don't expect any service from the mail order people,
|
||
594 though, or guarantees, or help when it doesn't work, or....
|
||
595 Of course you may not get any at the store, but then just don't buy
|
||
596 it there. I've had good luck with the Computerland in Tigard, poor
|
||
597 luck at their store downtown, and very poor luck with the Portland
|
||
598 Byte shop. Radio Shack has by far the best computer store service.
|
||
599 Has anyone dealt with C2E or some of the others?
|
||
600
|
||
601 There is also a lot of good stuff available through the office supply
|
||
602 stores.
|
||
603 ............................
|
||
604 I can't resist putting in my 2 cents worth (after inflation). You can
|
||
605 complain a lot about the parts situation at RS, but are they really
|
||
606 any different than the other outfits? You used to be able to go to
|
||
607 places like Portland Radio and get 1 resistor and 1 diode (and they
|
||
608 weren't cheap even then.) Now they have blister packs from James, etc.
|
||
609 that are probably done by the same outfit that does RS's, except they
|
||
610 usually cost more but often have more esoteric parts that RS doesn't
|
||
611 have.
|
||
612 I'm thankful for the RS store a mile away that is open on Sunday
|
||
613 afternoon. Where else can you get a 1 Kv diode on the Sabbath?
|
||
614 I buy a lot of commercial electronic equipment, mostly from
|
||
615 suppliers I have never met. The instances of problems are rare.
|
||
616 The only hassle is the time involved in getting a DOA unit repaired.
|
||
617 If you buy a modem from Rush Drake here in town, they will very
|
||
618 rapidly exchange a DOA for a new unit, no questions. But don't
|
||
619 expect the price to be cheap. Nothing is free! If you get a
|
||
620 comparable unit from North Supply for a rock bottom price, heaven
|
||
621 help you if it doesn't work the first time. They forget you
|
||
622 exist and tell you to talk to the manufacturer directly (which
|
||
623 they really didn't want you to do when you bought the thing.) And
|
||
624 nothing is so rare a day when they send you a return authorization
|
||
625 for the phone you got in Lime Green instead of Ivory! (We have
|
||
626 8 phones that have waited for over 2 years!!!!!!)
|
||
627 There are a whole raft of new small suppliers of computer stuff
|
||
628 that advertise in the classifieds and on the BBS's. Most of them
|
||
629 cant hold your hand but give you a good deal.....{}{}{}{}{} Analog Alan
|
||
|