Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!maverick.ksu.ksu.edu!kuhub.cc.ukans.edu!arritt
From: arritt@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.zenith
Subject: Re: Zenith horror stories needed quickly, please
Message-ID: <26330.27275714@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu>
Date: 26 Oct 90 02:20:20 GMT
References: <6452@plains.NoDak.edu> <1131@cameron.egr.duke.edu> <1990Oct25.135059.16097@maverick.ksu.ksu.edu> <90298.191725BOYDJ@QUCDN.QueensU.CA>
Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Services
Lines: 41

In article <90298.191725BOYDJ@QUCDN.QueensU.CA>, BOYDJ@QUCDN.QueensU.CA (Jeff Boyd) writes:

 
> Note however that the original posting seemed to focus on the vendor,
> not the equipment. 

BINGO!

How about:  

(1)  LOOOOOOOONG delays in obtaining upgrade/replacement parts.  I had to
     wait several months for a second serial port.  Don't tell me that I
     could buy a serial port from another vendor; ZDS has our state contract
     so they've got us by the short-and-curlies (i.e. we're forbidden by
     our state purchasing office from going elsewhere).

(2)  Exorbitant prices for said upgrade/replacement parts.  See e.g. several
     recent posts on the cost of replacing screens for laptops.

As mentioned by others the equipment is actually quite reliable.  The
documentation is also better than that provided by most other
vendors (though that certainly is damning with faint praise!)  
I've got a laptop that's used as part of my field equipment, and 
thus is sometimes used under adverse conditions.  Although it still 
works like new, I pray the screen never cracks.  

I think the main problem is with ZDS's business strategy.  They have been
very aggressive at securing exclusive university/government contracts.
While no on can fault them for having a successful sales organization,
the exclusive nature of these contracts tends to produce a phone-company
type of attitude (oops, even the telephone monopoly has now been broken
up...  :-)  ). 
________________________________________________________________________
Raymond W. Arritt                     | 
Assistant Professor                   |  This is just me.  If you want
Dept. of Physics and Astronomy        |  KU's opinion write to:
Univ. of Kansas                       |   Dr. Gene Budig
Lawrence, KS  66045                   |   Office of the Chancellor
arritt@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu             |   University of Kansas            
arritt@ukanvax.bitnet                 |   Lawrence, KS  66045