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From: bert@helix.nih.gov (Bert Tyler)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Practical Peripherals and ROM Upgrades
Message-ID: <992@nih-csl.nih.gov>
Date: 19 Feb 91 22:58:38 GMT
Sender: news@nih-csl.nih.gov
Organization: National Institutes of Health, Bethesda
Lines: 38

> I called PP last week to ask about the fix list. The guy that took the call
> first denied that a new ROM version was around the corner. I conered him on
> it, and he reversed himself. He would not tell me what is changed in the
> upgrade, and made me ask him about specific problems.

I worked for a terminal manufacturer for five years, and I can tell you
from experience that the tech rep from PP was probably only doing his job,
and was doing exactly what he was supposed to do.

Practical Peripherals apparantly gives out its ROM upgrades for free,
as does the company I used to work for.  "Free" upgrades may be free to
the guy who receives them, but they are quite costly for the company
that is giving them out.  We estimated our total cost for a free PROM
upgrade (including the time it took to burn the PROMS, package them,
and mail them out) of roughly $20 a pop.

The rule at the company I worked for was that we would cheerfully send
out free upgrades to anyone who called with a problem fixable with new
PROMS, but we would *never* describe the difference between PROM versions
to anyone - particularly to anyone who was obviously on a fishing expedition.
This was after years of experience dealing with people who had no problems at
all with their terminals, but would call to find out what the latest PROM
levels were, and then demand to have their terminals upgraded (for free)
because the new PROMS sounded like they might be useful.

Check out some of the messages that float around the various conferences
here and on the BBS networks, note the frequency of the messages that go
something like "There's a new PROM version out - call the vendor and tell
them you have the divariable bifurcator problem (whether or not you have
it) and they'll send you a new set of PROMs" and picture the amount of
money that costs the vendor (not every vendor - only the *good* vendor
who gives away free PROM upgrades).  It's not just PROMs, either - I've
seen similar messages in the Windows conferences about obtaining the
Windows 3.00a upgrades by claiming you have problems with Windows on
your networks.

Bert Tyler
bert@helix.nih.gov