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From: chrisa@azure.UUCP (Chris Andersen)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Seething hate... burning rage... searing anger...
Message-ID: <265@azure.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 15-Jun-85 22:26:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: azure.265
Posted: Sat Jun 15 22:26:17 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 17-Jun-85 04:20:51 EDT
References: <979@trwatf.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 81

> I remember a chain called "Computerland" when they used to cater to
> the small home-brew computer marketplace.  In those days they sold
> breadboards and kits, monitors and micros that appealed to techy
> types.  The franchise owners were just regular hackers like us.
> 
Ahh memories.  I can recall back a few years when I first started getting
into computing that there was this local store called 'The Byte Shop'.
The place was quite laid back and had a free flung atmosphere.  I used
to come in quite often after school and sit down and play away on the
computers.  The guys there new me and what's more important, they new
the systems as well if not better then I did.  We use to talk back and
forth about computing, programming, etc. and have a wail of a time.
They actually encouraged me to come in and use the systems because when
ever a customer showed up, I could actually show them some of the features
of the system (of course I wasn't getting paid in money, but it did give
me free access to a computer which I couldn't have afforded to buy).

[Time passes...]

BOOOOOM!  Within a years time, this all changed.  They went from an
open, free enviroment, to a stuffy 'all business' type setup.  I can
remember one day walking in and sitting down at a computer (just like
I'd done a million times before).  After a few minutes, some salesman
in a three-piece suit came up and asked if I needed any help.  I said
that I was just trying out the system.  Well, this guy started going into
his sales pitch, and just for a laugh, I let him go to it.  It was fun
actually picking this guy apart because he didn't know what he was talking
about.

Needless to say, the fun didn't last.  I soon was discouraged, if not outright
barred from the place. 

> But now I walk into a computer store and what do I find?  Salesmen
> in three-piece suits with glitzy business cards trying to sell me
> an IBM PC (puke!) and some dumb spreadsheet software.  It's all
> an appearance... an affectation, designed to give business people
> that nice warm feeling.  "Well GEE... the nice man in the three-peice
> suit looked so professional, I naturally assumed that he knew what
> he was talking about."
> 

ditto

> And ya know what's odd?  Very few of these companies have the word
> "computer" in their names.  Has this become a dirty word or something?
> They seem so obssessed with the idea of drawing business people into
> their fancy carpeted showrooms that they couldn't give themselves
> a name that actually describes what they sell?
> 
> Ya know what's REAL fun though?  Go into one of these stores dressed
> in a t-shirt and jeans.  Of course they'll think you're just some bum
> off the street.  If you look to be very young for your age and
> corporate position (which I am) then all the better!  They'll
> think you're some high-school hacker.  The trap is set!
> 

again ditto

> Now let them brow-beat you for a while.  "Well sir, we sell BUSINESS
> systems here.  Why don't you go to the Radio Shack down the street if
> you want a system within your price range?"  "When you have some money,
> why don't you come back and see us and we'll actually sell you
> something."  That's when you inform them that you were actually
> scouting out systems for your large DP department, but since they're
> going to take that kind of attitude they can FUCK OFF and SHOVE THAT
> DEGENERATE PC UP YOUR SLEAZY PRINTER PORT!  WHY DON'T YOU GO BACK TO
> SELLING USED-CARS YOU SYCOPHANTIC COMPUTER-WHORE YOU!
> 
> Then you storm out of the store....

Now this hasn't happened to me yet, but I can see myself in this situation.



Note: this is just me thinking about old times.  I can understand the economics
behind the stores changing.  After all, hackers aren't usually that rich
and therefore can't support a thriving business.  This may be one of the reasons
why I have left the personal computers alone for the last two years and have 
switched to using the bigger systems (like I'm on now).

Chris Andersen