Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!natinst!sequoia!memqa!r91400
From: r91400@memqa.uucp (Michael C. Grant)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds
Subject: Re: HP promo
Message-ID: <5293@memqa.uucp>
Date: 15 Aug 90 09:53:44 GMT
References: <1854@ac.dal.ca> <5088@uafhp.uark.edu>
Organization: Memory R&QA, Motorola SPD
Lines: 36

In article <5088@uafhp.uark.edu>, mea1@uafhcx.uucp (Mark _E_ Amos) writes:
> up and find bugs.. then not providing a ROM upgrade path, THEN taking the
> refined version to market with an "introductory" (ha!) promo that WE are
> entitled to!  I held my tongue on the (nonexistent) ROM upgrade path but this
> is too much.  It's not so much we didn't get our money's worth, but more the
> blatent underhandedness and slap in the face to us HP loyalists. 

I understand the grief about the new ROMs being unavailable to previous
purchasers.  That is a genuine beef in my opinion.  But, this whining
about not getting the 'introductory promotion' is ridiculous!

Car companies have specials all the time, and nobody complains this 
vehemently when, two months after they bought their new car, the company
jacks up the rebate a few hundred dollars because they're not selling
enough of them!

So, why should you feel entitled to get this 'promo' that they have 
decided will help them sell their new models?  This same whining occurred
when Amiga decided to start shipping extra memory with their computers and
dropped their prices--everybody whined that they should get the free memory,
too.  Sorry, no dice.  Amiga NEEDED to do something to boost sales, and
perhaps so does HP.  After all, it IS awfully expensive for a calculator,
and I know that when I speak to freshmen I tell them NOT to waste their
money on one without finding a SPECIFIC purpose for them.

NeXT, who retrofitted all of the original NeXT purchasers with accelerator
hard drives for free, and Chrysler, who 'guaranteed' that they will make
up the difference if their rebates go up within the year, are exceptions
to the rule which should be applauded.  It is an innovative (and EXPENSIVE)
practive, and those companies who don't practice it should not be criticized.

Again, I understand that not being able to upgrade the ROMs is a big
complaint.  I'm not arguing that.  But when a company offers a new
free offer, or a new rebate, it's not backstabbing, it's business.

Michael C. Grant