Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!mailrus!umix!teemc!wayne
From: wayne@teemc.UUCP (//ichael R. //ayne)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: Updating Telebit TrailBlazers
Message-ID: <635@teemc.UUCP>
Date: 18 Mar 88 04:20:18 GMT
References: <266@telebit.UUCP> <505@pcrat.UUCP> <1988Mar17.002759.1127@utzoo.uucp>
Reply-To: wayne@teemc.UUCP (/\/\ichael R. \/\/ayne)
Organization: TMC & Associates, Troy, MI
Lines: 43
Keywords: Update TrailBlazer V4.00 Interactive $99

In article <1988Mar17.002759.1127@utzoo.uucp> henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) writes:
>> ... and they want to charge me an
>> extra $99 bucks.  Anyone with a sense of fair play would come up with an
>> exchange policy on these EPROMs.
>
>I doubt that Telebit is making a bundle on those upgrades.  Servicing this
>sort of request takes more time and effort than you'd think.  (Note, I am
>not claiming that it couldn't be cheaper, just that anyone who thinks it
>should be free is an optimist.)

	Well, I for one, think that it could be free.  Examine my logic and
tell me where I err:

	1) I am going to presume that the cost of developing the new software
is absorbed by the company (staying competitive, new sales, etc.).  Therefore
the DEVELOPMENT cost of the upgrade is $0.00.
	2) I agree that servicing the requests is time-consuming (but you
can dup a LOT of EPROMs for $99).  Rather than doing that, how about a
posting of the (Intel Hex | Motorola S-records | other-standard-format) to
one of the newsgroups or some other, generally available forum.  Cost to
Telebit would be 1-2 hours labor.  I think that this is a perfect application
of a biz newsgroup.  I suspect that most people could find SOMEbody they know
that could download the new programs and burn EPROMs.

	Telebit is a fine company that has an exciting technology.  Their
Usenet offer was a great idea (I bought 2 modems at half price and have sold
clients on 8 more so far).  The modems make economic sense, the technology
works, the company is most helpful in correcting problems.  I only wish that
they would give a bit more consideration to the "little guy" who is willing
to spend time to save money.  In addition to this viewpoint, it can be
difficult to get a $100 purchase order through the system at a large company.

	NOTE:  I did suggest this to Telebit immediately after getting my
modems and hearing that an upgrade was in the works.  Their position was that
they could not determine the effectiveness of a PROM burner at a user site
and they did not want their product to suffer.  Personally, I think that
anyone who is willing to rip open the modems, remove the EPROMs, erase them,
program with the new code and reinsert them (voiding warrenty, of course)
is not going to be a problem.

/\/\ \/\/
-- 
Michael R. Wayne      ---      TMC & Associates      ---      wayne@teemc.uucp
INTERNET: wayne%teemc.uucp@umix.cc.umich.edu            uunet!umix!teemc!wayne