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From: dyer@harvard
Newsgroups: net.lan
Subject: Re: Netbios and TCP/IP
Message-ID: <900@harvard>
Date: Fri, 25-Apr-86 17:26:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: harvard.900
Posted: Fri Apr 25 17:26:00 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 13-May-86 01:38:36 EDT
References: <1186@isi-hobgo>
Lines: 35

In article <471@ubvax.UUCP>, dcrocker@ubvax.UUCP (Dave Crocker) writes:
> 
> Ungermann-Bass has an Intel 80186-based intelligent card, for the
> PC, which provides TCP/IP and Netbios, simultaneously.

On a completely non-technical level, but pretty important to a potential
customer, is the kind of response you get when you call a company for
information on a product which turns out to be in beta-test.  I called
both Excelan and Ungermann-Bass for information on their TCP/IP/netbios
products for the PC.  I was referred to the Boston office for U-B, but
spoke to the folks on the west coast at Excelan directly.

When I called the Boston U-B office and asked the sales woman about this card,
there was a long pause...
	"Where...did...you...hear...about...this...?"
I explained USENET news briefly.
	"Well, I can't give you any information on this; it's in beta test,
	 and won't be available for sale for a while."
I asked her if she had any idea when that would be.
	"Summer at the earliest."
No offer to send more information, no more detailed schedule of delivery.
Very abrupt.  Who needs it?

In contrast, the folks at Excelan were a marvel of helpfulness.  I spoke
to sales people who eventually routed me to a technical marketing rep
who knew her networking issues inside-out, and provided me with all sorts
of information on their product, pricing and when it would be available
(like the U-B card, it's in beta-test right now.)  Frankly, this kind of
response makes all the difference in deciding between two options, especially
if there isn't a substantive difference between the two in performance or
reliability.
-- 
/Steve Dyer
dyer@harvard.harvard.edu
harvard!dyer