Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!cbmvax!rutgers!ames!elroy!devvax!grieggs
From: grieggs@devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV (John T. Grieggs)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Megamax: Fast Compiler, Slow Company
Message-ID: <1201@devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV>
Date: 2 Feb 88 03:45:22 GMT
References: <322@bnl.ARPA>
Reply-To: grieggs@devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV (John T. Grieggs)
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.
Lines: 50

In article <322@bnl.ARPA> drs@bnl.ARPA (David R. Stampf) writes:
>I called Megamax today - and spoke with a most gracious receptionist.
>
Yes, she is gracious.  Lovely accent.

>Unfortunately, she had bad news - Laser C wouldn't be shipping until mid
>February or early March.  (In December, they were to ship in January).  Seems
>that the printer is taking longer than estimated.
>
I have repeatedly had problems with Megamax shipping product.  They put me
off for about 4 months back when they first brought out their ST compiler,
with various printer problems and the like.  I finally got a compiler from
them on two disks with a scribbled-on Mac version of the manual after much
hassle and a large long-distance bill.  More recently, I tried for over 6
months to buy the Mac version for a project at work.  This time I went through
a store, thinking (perhaps naively) that this would give me a bit more
leverage.  About two months in, it became clear they were not really going
to have one "in a couple of weeks", so I began exploring other local stores
looking for a copy.  To make a long story short, it turned out that THEY
WERE NOT SHIPPING PRODUCT!  They were out of the old Mac version, and the XL
version was not done.  I gave up after 6 months of being strung along, and
do not even want to discuss what this did to the project.  The point of this
is, I am firmly convinced that it is their POLICY to promise software RSN,
no matter how far it is from completion or what the true problem is.  I have
many more details if anyone is interested, as the two episodes each went on
for far too long.  Expect Laser C to ship whenever they get around to it,
and not a moment before.

>I guess they use the same printer as OSS and Atari. - Probably Gutenberg.
>
>	*sigh*
Indeed.  I believe this is called vapor-lock.

>
>	< dave stampf
>
>(With all of this desktop publishing around, why can't anyone get anything
>published?!?!?!)

As I say, this is a smokescreen.  Call repeatedly over a couple of days,
and watch their story change.  Go with Mark Williams, they know how to
produce, ship, and support products!

_john

-- 
John T. Grieggs (Telos @ Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, Ca. 91109 M/S 301-260A    (818) 354-0465
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