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From: collins@grumpy.cs.unm.edu (Bill Collins)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec
Subject: Re: DECstation 3100
Keywords: mumble, mumble, grumble
Message-ID: <447@unmvax.unm.edu>
Date: 30 Oct 89 19:23:49 GMT
References: <2640@lll-lcc.UUCP>
Sender: news@unmvax.unm.edu
Reply-To: collins@grumpy.cs.unm.edu ()
Organization: University of New Mexico at Albuquerque
Lines: 43

In article <2640@lll-lcc.UUCP> rzh@lll-lcc.UUCP (Roger Hanscom) writes:
>Hi all --
>   I've been given a 3100 to bring up --- only catch is it has a
>single, WREN IV drive attached to it.  Off course, all the DEC
		       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Really? I didn't know that DEC sold them this way. :-)

>installation software doesn't want to deal with the 3rd party drive.

Yeah, Lots of people have been doing it anyway.(Not without a little effort)
Its not like DEC is accomodating other companies though.

> ...(more steam to let off)...
>   Pardon me, but I must say that I'm really pissed off at DEC for
>all of this crap.  They're wasting a *bunch* of my time on mickey
>mouse crap and marketing tactics that stink.  

First, call up CDC for the specification of the drive you purchased.(Somehow one
would expect this to come with the drive.  Though this is not always the case.)

Second, do you read news?  There has been plenty of talk on the net on how to do
it.  Most of them are quite easy to do.  In fact, some of the DEC designers have
posted the information as well.

Third, It is indeed that more difficult to use a 3rd party drive as the first
(boot) drive *any* machine.  At least it is "do-able" on the DECstation.  (Some
vendors make it impossible.)

Besides, just what are you complaining about?  Marketing tactics that all
companies use?  The lack of a news at your site?  That DEC is not in the
business of accomodating other companies' disk drives?(or at least this one.)
That the XYZ company who sold the CDC didn't tell you that it wasn't turn-key?
That the information that you required to make the task more simple didn't come
unsolicited?

"Caveat empture"(sp?) is a phrase that goes back a way.  Is there any reason
why we have to relearn the lesson?
			Bill
			collins@unmvax.unm.edu
			gatech!unmvax!collins

-------------------
Have you been bussed today?