Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!news.cs.indiana.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!news.iastate.edu!kickapoo.cs.iastate.edu!hamilton From: hamilton@kickapoo.cs.iastate.edu (Jon Hamilton) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system Subject: Re: $99 for System 7.0?!? Message-ID: Date: 25 Apr 91 13:47:36 GMT Article-I.D.: kickapoo.hamilton.672587256 References: <41947@netnews.upenn.edu> Sender: news@news.iastate.edu (USENET News System) Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA Lines: 78 eck@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Hangnail Whipperwill) writes: > Can anyone in a position to do so please confirm or deny MacWeek's >quote of "The single-user upgrade (to System 7.0), to be priced at >*$99*, includes 90 days of free technical support via a toll-free >number"? > A HUNDRED DOLLARS? Yeah, that's going to help Apple dispel their >overpriced image REAL fast. Especially if they charge people who buy >new systems after May 13 for the upgrade as well, which the article also >claims Apple is planning on. $100 with manuals isn't too bad (granted, it's a bit high, but not something to warrant a hissy-fit). You don't seriously expect Apple to advertise to the masses that system 7 will be available free if you don't want the documentation?! I have this mental picture of my father walking into an Apple dealership and figuring he'll just get it on disk with no manuals and try it to see if he likes it, and if he does then he'll buy the manuals. I'd get to (unwillingly) play tech. support dude for months. Most 'naive' Mac users don't have that luxury. They _need_ the manuals. > I sincerely hope the article is hype, as most of MacWeek usually is. >A hundred dollars, even with a million days of telephone support, is >prohibitively expensive for me to justify spending. An Apple >representative had quoted me a price of $60 three weeks ago, and that >didn't even include the full 600-page documentation, just a condensed >"startup" packet consisting of maybe two hundred. The 600-pager would >only go to site licensers. I'm really tired of all this bashing. It should be obvious that nobody really knows what's going to happen (except Apple, I hope :) ). C'mon guys, the 13th is less than 3 weeks away. Why don't you wait and see what actually happens before bitching and moaning about it? > If I'm going to even consider paying a hundred bucks for any kind of >software, it had better darn well come with all the documentation! Is >this Apple's evil plan, to make us use the telephone line because the >manual's most technical line is "Some applications may not work with >System 7.0. Experiment!" I don't know about the rest of the world, but >if System 7 crashes my machine at 3am, I want to be able to find the >answer to the problem right then, not wait until 9am PST to talk to some >stupid customer service rep hired for three months to handle the crunch. Lots of questions that you don't know the answers to. The unknown may frighten you, but it's certainly no reason to jump to conclusions. Just because you heard from Joe Blow that your computer was secretly programmed to explode at 3 AM on May 13 just don't make it so. > Sorry if I sound a little upset, but I AM. Sure, Apple has a right >to make money (or at least break even) on this new system; I've seen the >betas, and I'll gladly pay for the software and documentation. But a >hundred dollars (and no educational discount)? Forget it. Fine. Stick with 6.0.7 and save some money. After spending thousands of dollars on a computer, I don't think it's very reasonable to bitch about $100 to make it more functional. If you don't like the price Apple charges (whatever that price may be), don't buy it. Simple. >Just my opinion. >Brian Eck >P.S. So as not to seem like just a bitcher, here are some alternatives: > Perhaps a reduced-price version (maybe $50) that includes more > hardcopy documentation but no telephone service? Perhaps an > educational discount? Perhaps offer a price discount if you > only want access to their automated help line? Anything? Please? A reduced price version with no phone service is an idea, but it'd be difficult to do (read a pain). As I mentioned earlier, you should really wait and see what the situation _really_ is before you start offering alternatives. -- Jon Hamilton hamilton@kickapoo.cs.iastate.edu " I feel a lot more like I do now that I did before I got here " - can't remember who