Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!hao!ames!amdcad!sun!pitstop!sundc!rlgvax!vrdxhq!bisanabi From: bisanabi@vrdxhq.UUCP (Paul Paloski) Newsgroups: comp.os.minix Subject: Re: minix orders Message-ID: <4526@vrdxhq.UUCP> Date: Wed, 9-Sep-87 09:40:35 EDT Article-I.D.: vrdxhq.4526 Posted: Wed Sep 9 09:40:35 1987 Date-Received: Fri, 11-Sep-87 05:41:40 EDT References: <1457@killer.UUCP> <490@ast.cs.vu.nl> Organization: Verdix Corporation, Chantilly, VA Lines: 75 Keywords: minix orders Summary: 8 months after Uniforum in D.C. and Prentice-Hall still screwed up. In article <490@ast.cs.vu.nl>, ast@cs.vu.nl (Andy Tanenbaum) writes: > In article <1457@killer.UUCP> dono@killer.UUCP (Don OConnell) writes: > >I sent off for Minix on the 1st of June. Received the package in the middle > >of July. Had several bad disks. > > If anyone gets bad disks from P-H, please call them and complain > loudly. That big companies are bureaucratic is not unusual. The > demand for MINIX has consistently exceeded the supply, so they are > often behind. But if the company actually doing disk manufacturing is > doing a lousy job of quality control, P-H will do something about it, > provided people tell them about it. > Andy Tanenbaum (ast@cs.vu.nl) It all sounds nice in theory, Andy, but the fact is that Prentice-Hall is not providing their customers with satisfactory service. Much of the problems with PH has been due to the UniForum in Washington D.C. last January. I had showed up with several colleagues to acquire the disks and book, having been told that they BOTH were available there. I even accepted PH's story about not being able to sell the diskettes at Uniforum and just obtained the book. Since then it has been a royal pain in the a** dealing with PH and all the mixed up billings. Quite a few articles were posted during the months following concerning mixed-up bills, so it's not just the 9 or 10 people that I know personally. (Refresher: 10% discount stated at show; instead of the $33.2x, bills ranged from $39.xx thru $46.xx !!) The above advice on letting them know about problems is a worthy one. I called long-distance (no toll-free number) and explained my situation. The response was very apologetic and I was told to send the $33.2x. I asked for a corrected bill instead, and was told that one would be sent. (A colleague sent the $33.2x and kept getting bills for the other $13.xx -- his book cost $46.xx !!) The corrected bill never came. After 1/2 dozen of the wrong bills, I wrote a lengthy message explaining the problems originating from the Uniforum book distribution and mentioned the many articles posted to the net as well as the situations common to my colleagues and myself. I left my phone number and requested that they call if they had any questions, or just send me the correct bill and I would gladly pay. I kept getting the wrong bills and finally PH started leaving notes about how my account was delinquent and further steps seemed necessary to get their money. "We want you to know that we appreciate having the pleasure of numbering you among our many thousands of satisfied customers. However, ..." Obviously not the people from Uniforum ;-) I phoned again (long-distance) and got the same apologetic reply about sending a corrected one. Now the notes are threatening my credit and mentioning going to an outside collection agency to get their money. This really pissed me off and another letter was sent; this time to R. J. Devon, their collection manager. Sorry, Andy, if this is a negative posting, but this whole B***S*** with PH is unfortunately reflecting on your product. Whenever Minix is mentioned, I always hear reference to PH and their problems. I decided against this posting yesterday, but I just received another incorrect bill today from R. J. Devon of PH. I still have not received any acknowledgment that they have even read my letters. As for the phone calls, . I mentioned in the last letter that I will not incur any further expenses via long-distance phone calls nor time/postage to write letters since they are obviously being ignored. It all boils down to the following: 1) What else can we as customers do ?? 2) What can you, Andy, do about all this ? 3) Who out there are still going around in circles with PH over the Uniforum incident ? (Who buckled under and just paid them off to have peace ? ;-) It is unfortunate, but I feel like sending them the book back. I fear that they would not acknowledge receipt of the book, and I'd still get the darn bills rolling in. (I've incurred enough expense trying to settle this without paying for registered mail. Is there any legal problem, or credit damage, to just sit back and wait? Eventually they'll have to call or come by personally, right ?) -- -- Paul :