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From: drc@dbase.UUCP (Dennis Cohen)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: APDA - any satisfied customers?
Message-ID: <270@dbase.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 23-Nov-87 09:32:32 EST
Article-I.D.: dbase.270
Posted: Mon Nov 23 09:32:32 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 26-Nov-87 21:34:30 EST
References: <1228@runx.ips.oz>
Organization: Ashton Tate Development Center Glendale Cal.
Lines: 36
Summary: Yes, I'm satisfied

In article <1228@runx.ips.oz>, clubmac@runx.ips.oz (Macintosh Users Group) writes:
> 
> I for one am not renewing my membership for APDA. Why?
> 
> 1) Their prices for 3rd party products are higher than many mail-order houses
> 2) Their freight charges are outrageous - mail-order houses are *much* cheaper
> 3) I have received 4 APDAlogs for US$35. Other than the APDA catalog, there's
>    nothing to them.
> 
> The only good thing to come from joining APDA in Dec '86 was receiving
> Scott Knaster's book, "How to write Macintosh Software".
> 
> To anyone considering joining APDA, don't, unless you *have* to get MPW or
> any other Apple products. 
> 
> The people from APDA are really riding the proverbial gravy-train...

I tend to disagree.  While it is true that there are mail-order houses that
charge less on a number of 3rd party products, there are some that seem to only
be available at a discount from APDA (SemperSoft Modula-2, for one).  Further,
publications such as the Tech Notes, IM Volume V, Apple Hardware Reference
Manual, etc ("official" Apple publications) are sole-sourced through APDA.

They are undoubtedly making a fair profit on 3rd party items, but I don't think
they're making much on the Apple products since they have to do the printing
and so forth themselves (and end up with a LOT of dead stock when Apple
publishes an update).

As far as shipping and handling goes, the others seem to have just gone up a
lot -- $4.30 S/H for Acta 2.0 from ComputerWare (all inside CA), that's 10%.

Dennis Cohen
Ashton-Tate Glendale Development Center
dBASE Mac Development Team
--------------------------
Disclaimer:  The above material constitutes the personal opinion of the author!