Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!world!decwrl!shelby!neon!calvin!zimmer From: zimmer@calvin.stanford.edu (Andrew Zimmerman) Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds Subject: Re: Version D to E upgrades... Message-ID: <1991Feb1.102518.20805@Neon.Stanford.EDU> Date: 1 Feb 91 10:25:18 GMT References: <7360060@hpfcso.HP.COM> Sender: news@Neon.Stanford.EDU (USENET News System) Organization: Stanford University Lines: 86 In article <7360060@hpfcso.HP.COM> rrd@hpfcso.HP.COM (Ray Depew) writes: >'Scuse me, but how many of you have REALLY gotten bitten by a 48SX bug??? > >Use some common sense before you jump on the bandwagon and bombard Corvallis >with used calculators. Don't upgrade if you don't need to. Do yourself and >Corvallis a big favor. >Regards >Ray Depew >Contented user of a Rev. A HP48SX Well, just to start a huge flame war, I would like to disagree with you on this one, I think that people should send their early ROM versions back, with the exception of the people with the REV D's bought during the free EQLIB promo. I make this exception because many people made a choice, should I get a Rev D and a free EQLIB, or wait for a Rev E. (Of course, as I write this, I also realize that anyone without net access wouldn't know about this, but then again, they probably don't know about the upgrade either.) 1. Some people that bought Rev A. got errata sheets that told what the bugs were for Roms A-D. That seems to tell me that HP was selling products that they knew were defective for the same price as the latest REV. 2. Most of the bugs are in some of the more complicated functions, that I will admit are not used that often. But hey, I didn't pay $300 for a 4 function calculator, I bought it so I can use those features. 3. Yes, I do know that huge programs have bugs. But, I have gotten free upgrades from Borland and Microsoft for early versions that have bugs. (That is why I do business with those companies.) In addition, I sometimes write code to make extra money. I have a policy that if a bug is found, I fix it for free. (I do charge for extra features.) 4. In the case of the Rev D's, it appears that the free upgrade is only avail while the calc is under warrantee. Seems to me that this is a good time to upgrade. 5. Even if you don't use the advanced features that have the bugs, get an upgrade. How easy is it going to be sell a Rev A on the second hand market? 6. Using the argument of the previous poster, upgrade now to make sure that you WILL be able to run the software developed by other people who write it for the latest REV. (Of course, if you are happy with a REV A, MS-DOS 1.1, WordPerfect 3.0, whatever, continue to use it.) 7. I would have a different opinion about this if HP was above board about this, but I don't think that they have been. How many people got mail from HP about the upgrade? I know that I didn't. In fact, I had to justify why I wanted to upgrade when I called. I will be honest, I am not a happy owner of a REV B hp48sx. I disagree with HP's method of upgrades, their EQLIB promo, the way the serial cable was sold (ie charge extra for software you give away for free in 1 month) and for the false advertising of the serial cable. (Access the power of you HP48sx from you computer. What a crock! Ever try to use EQWriter from your computer? Actually, ever tried to do anything from your computer? Even if you do get around the rem host problem of kermit, after every operation, the entire stack is sent back to your computer at 9600 baud.) (Anyone ever heard of 19200 or 38400 baud?) I have heard that HP has made a nice program for the IBMPC to help in the above problem. Does it come with the programmers manual in hardcopy, or just online? BTW, what is the price for said program? I can get it for $30, but is that the price for everyone, or just for those who bought the software version of the cable? Oh, in the case of the EQLIB promo, I am not saying that HP had a moral reason to make a similar offer to early owners. I do feel that they should have offered it at either a lower price for those owners, or maybe given it away at a lower price with the purchase of a 128K ram card. It was this promo that soured me on HP. Of course, my office mate's experience with his HP28c didn't help matters. :-) BTW, unlike the previous poster, I am not an employee of HP. (If I am wrong about the previous posters employment status, I apologize in advance.) Andrew zimmer@calvin.stanford.edu PS. I am not an employee of Motorola, but I would like to say that the people at Motorola know a thing about customer service. They have always been more then helpful. (In fact, they are sometimes too helpful. send email if you want me to explain that comment.)