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From: jimr@maths.su.oz.au (Jim Richardson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apollo
Subject: Re: purchasing the HP/Apollo 9000 series 400 workstations
Keywords: educational maintenance contracts? Netpower Open Letter
Message-ID: <1990Sep7.023312.5345@metro.ucc.su.OZ.AU>
Date: 7 Sep 90 02:33:12 GMT
References: <5918@uceng.UC.EDU> <1792@tuvie>
Sender: jimr@maths.su.oz.au (Jim Richardson)
Reply-To: jimr@maths.su.oz.au (Jim Richardson)
Organization: Dept of Pure Mathematics, University of Sydney
Lines: 34

In article <1792@tuvie>, Michael K. Gschwind (mike@vlsivie.at) writes:
>I have some questions about HP/Apollo strategy, especially with
>non US of A university customers.
>
>In article <5918@uceng.UC.EDU> juber@uceng.UC.EDU (james uber) writes:
>...
>>6. University purchasers should be aware of a new HP/Apollo software/hardware
>>maintenance program that is supposedly being proposed for educational sites.
>>The proposed program would, for something like $10,000/year, provide software
>>and hardware support and maintenance for all HP products University-wide.
>>The University would need to identify a central site for software
>>distribution and board return, and would provide its own technicians
>>(trained by HP/Apollo) to service the machines.  This would likely be a
>>bargain for many educational sites and, in my view, we should encourage this
>>or a similar program from HP.
>
>Gee, sounds great! But our sales rep claims this does not exist in Europe!
>Looks like they want us to be the full price for maintenance. Which 
>would be more than $10000/year for 6 workstations !!!!! Does anybody 
>have experience with these kind of programs? How is this in other European 
>countries? Canada? Australia? Japan? 

HP Australia also could not confirm the existence of any such educational
maintenance program.  If anyone has any details, I would be very keen to
hear them.

On another matter: We had a meeting last week with several people from the
Australasian HP support organization.  The issues in the Netpower Open Letter
were discussed.  It is hoped that a formal response from HP to the Open
Letter will appear by 1 October.
--
Jim Richardson
Department of Pure Mathematics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Internet: jimr@maths.su.oz.au  Phone: +61 2 692 2232  FAX: +61 2 692 4534