Path: utzoo!dptcdc!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!haven!umbc3!wolf.umbc.edu!alex
From: alex@wolf.umbc.edu (Alex Crain)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.ultrix
Subject: Re: DECstation 3100
Message-ID: <1926@umbc3.UMBC.EDU>
Date: 17 Apr 89 19:59:51 GMT
References: <2661@decuac.DEC.COM> <4716@decvax.dec.com> <4706@decvax.dec.com> <88320@felix.UUCP> <1903@umbc3.UMBC.EDU> <1912@umbc3.UMBC.EDU>
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	Ahem, well. I feel that I own an apology to the DEC developers who
read and respond to this newsgroup, regarding my comments on the 3100. First,
a clarification:

	My opinions are my own, anyone foolish enough to agree with me 
deserves what they get. 

	My comments about the 3100 were poorly aimed, and I'm sorry. I search
of the lowest price, I think that DEC is shipping the machine in a smaller
then useable configuration, a practice which introduces hidden costs to
the customer (more memory/disk), and I find this irresponsible. There are
also software bugs, but they are to be expected, and would probably be 
tolerable if the machine was correctly configured.

	In any case, none of this is the fault of the designers, and to
you, I apologise. In fact, I think that compliments are in order for the
degree to which you were able to preserve a VAX-ultrix like environment on
an alien architecture.

	As far as my bitching to the net goes, thats a product of two
things: 
	(1) little response to my previous complaints, which may be dependent
on my department as much as DEC.

	(2) experiance with DEC support that is so bad that even I have
trouble believing it, and I was there. I've been instructed by my boss to 
use DEC support for problems, and will do so under extream duress, but 
otherwise they can all burn in hell.
	
	Conversely, My understanding is that the DEC sales-rep has been 
very responsive to my net complaints (I don't deal with them directly) 
and various efforts are being made to resolve my problems. Based on the 
speed at which things have happened, I think things will work out without
furthur issue.

					:alex
Alex Crain
Systems Programmer			alex@umbc3.umbc.edu
Univ Md Baltimore County		umbc3.umbc.edu!nerwin!alex