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From: GEOMAGIC@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu (Daniel OConnell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec
Subject: Re: Delays in DS5000 shipping?
Message-ID: <5500@quanta.eng.ohio-state.edu>
Date: 6 Aug 90 21:20:46 GMT
References: <1990Aug4.013555.11650@hayes.fai.alaska.edu>
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>I've seen many references to DEC shipping delays recently here and in the
>press, mostly concerning DAT drives and newer VAX configurations.  I haven't
>seen mention of delays in the DECstation line, other than the problems getting
>Ultrix 4.0 out.  But now suddenly our salesguys are saying there is a terrible
>shortage of DS5000's and delivery dates are anybody's guess.  I'm getting
>increasingly disimpressed by DEC's performance...am I just seeing them at
>a bad point in their history or what?  Here's the deal:

>1. Early May: put in PO for DS5000's.  Purchasing sent out request for quotes.
>   DEC failed to get their quote in on time even though they had a couple of
>   weeks to respond and had already drawn up the quote.  It is now early June.

We placed our order in December, 1989 by specing a 3100 and a bunch of
TK50's to approx. equal the estimated purchase price of a DS5000 with
24 bit graphics. THEY HAVE A PURCHASE ORDER IN DEC. 1989!!!!!!!

>2. Early July: after repeating the request for quotes, DEC wins and PO is
>   sent to them.  Their quote says 30 day lead time, and PO calls for early
>   August delivery.  We are behind schedule due to (1) but things seem to be
>   under control finally.

We meet with the sales idiot, a week after the official DS5000 anouncement to
initiate the change order to the DS5000 from the DS3100.

Late June, we get a DS3100 and 4 TK50's #&$&$%&^$&^. They want to get
credit for shipping something in 1989,  so they ship the old order.

>3. Early August: no hardware.  Call to DEC gets a revised ship date in late
>   August, with warning that it could slip further.  Reason given is "heavy
>   demand."  A 3rd party supplier says the real reason is that DEC hasn't
>   ramped up production of the DS5000 yet.

We are now told we won't see it until "late Sept.".

>So, are people seeing big delays in their orders for the DS5000?

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, yea

dbx doesn't work with fortran, reported in April.
Response to date: "yea, we know."

Our 5400 has blown 2 power supplies. They suggest our power is
unreliable and propose to install a monitor. Nothing happens.

No response, i.e. action w.r.t. any of our Ultrix bug reports, NONE.

BTW, we are doing a port for DEC, I shudder to think how the
average sucker is treated.

Daniel R.H. O'Connell
Department of Geology and Mineralogy
An Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio 45213
geomagic@geo1s.mps.ohio-state.edu (Riscy, dead at the moment)
geomagic@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu (a VAX, funny it actually works!?).

P.S.
DEC probably didn't tell you that you had to purchase a VAX to debug
code on the RISC machines, did they?