Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!unixhub!shelby!neon!torrie
From: torrie@cs.stanford.edu (Evan Torrie)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: A3000UX at UniForum?
Message-ID: <1991Feb12.213953.23886@Neon.Stanford.EDU>
Date: 12 Feb 91 21:39:53 GMT
References: <1991Feb6.005537.7551@Neon.Stanford.EDU> <1991Feb6.141218.11094@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <1991Feb6.193608.17592@Neon.Stanford.EDU> <1991Feb10.021744.6463@NCoast.ORG>
Sender: torrie@Neon.Stanford.EDU (Evan James Torrie)
Organization: Computer Science Department, Stanford University
Lines: 90

davewt@NCoast.ORG (David Wright) writes:

>In article <1991Feb6.193608.17592@Neon.Stanford.EDU> torrie@cs.stanford.edu (Evan Torrie) writes:
>>  Since when has Byte started quoting educational prices?

>	Are you forgetfull or just stupid? (I think the latter). 

  Neither.  (see (1) below)

>If you
>actually READ the article (which I doubt), it clear stated that the price WAS
>the educational price, 

  Well, judging from the article which sits on my desk, you must
have a different edition of Byte December 1990 than I do.  NOWHERE in
the article does it mention the words "educational", "college",
"higher education", "university" or "certified developer".  In fact,
the title of the article is "A Unix Graphics Workstation for the Rest
of the World"... does "the Rest of the World" mean only university
students and certified developers?
  Here's what the article has to say on price...

 "The Amiga 3000UX greatly outperforms the equivalent NeXT and Mac
with A/UX.  In raw Unix performance, it is roughly equivalent to a
20MHz 386 system, but it is much more suited to handling the graphics
requirements of a graphical user interface like Open Look.  At roughly
$4000, it is an obvious choice as a low-end workstation."

  Then, in the "The Facts" box

--------------------------------------
|  THE FACTS			     |
|				     |
|  Amiga 3000UX			     |
|  Approximately $4000		     |
|				     |	
|  Commodore Business Machines, Inc. |
|  Computer Systems Division	     |
|  Brandywine Industrial Park	     |
|  1200 Wilson Dr.		     |
|  West Chester, PA 19380	     |
|  (215) 431-9100		     |
|  Inquiry 1164			     |
--------------------------------------

>and that this was a PREVIEW, *not* a REVIEW. Since
>up until recently the only way you could get a 3000UX was to be either a
>student or a certified developer (who get better prices), the "about $4000"
>was correct and quite accurate. 

  Well, then Byte should have stated that these were "educational"
prices, rather than titling the article "Unix for the Rest of the
World"... And I have never known Byte to quote educational prices
before (most vendors prefer to keep these private, so that their
retail customers don't know how much they're getting gouged for).
Therefore, rather than being "correct and quite accurate", I would say
that the "about $4000" was incorrect and quite misleading.
  Of course, the question is "Where did Byte come up with the $4000
figure?"  Did they just pull it out of the hat?  Surely they would
have asked Commodore "How much is this machine going to sell for?"

>In fact, back when they reviewed it the
>machine came with slightly less memory for that same price then it does now.

  Once again, from the article...

  "The base Amiga 3000UX machine includes a 25MHz MC68030, a math
coprocessor, 8 megabytes of RAM, a 100MB SCSI drive (optional 200
MB),"

  8 MB < 5MB??  The Ethernet board makes up for this though...

>	I find it funny that not one person I know who I would consider
>even slightly above normal in computer literacy is interested in the NeXT,

  Well, there are a lot of universities which seem to be interested in
the NeXT.  I guess though this depends on your definition of "computer
literate".  


(1) I don't mind if you call me forgetful or stupid for a good reason.
But next time, I suggest you be 100% certain of your facts, otherwise
you're the one who ends up looking "stupid".


-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evan Torrie.  Stanford University, Class of 199?       torrie@cs.stanford.edu   
"Dear Fascist Bully Boy,   Give me some money, or else.  Neil.  P.S. May
the seed of your loins be fruitful in the womb of your woman..."