Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!wuarchive!texbell!vector!attctc!jolnet!cox
From: cox@jolnet.ORPK.IL.US (Ben Cox)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: On The Phone with Prentice-Hall (grrr)
Summary: I am a tad peeved with P-H.
Keywords: phone support gripe money toll-free
Message-ID: <2648@jolnet.ORPK.IL.US>
Date: 2 Jan 90 14:39:42 GMT
Reply-To: b-cox2@uiuc.edu
Distribution: na
Organization: Jolnet, Public Access Unix, Orland Park (Joliet), Ill.
Lines: 30

I just got off the phone with Prentice-Hall.  I was merely trying to get some
info on how *many* diskettes were being shipped to me (I have just ordered 1.3
from them).  I called 1 (201) 767-5937.  Do not call this number.  They don't
know.  Anything.  I asked them; they gave me a tech number, which had been 
disconnected -- "No further information is available.  Please check the number
and try your call again."  I called them back and they transferred me to some
secretary who knew *exactly* the same as them: nothing.  She gave me the number
of the software department.  I called: it was a security guard company.  They
didn't know anything about software, or even Prentice-Hall for that matter.  I
was ticked.  I live in IL, and it costs MONEY to call New Jersey.  I called
the first number again.  They gave me AN 800 PHONE NUMBER!  I said, "You mean
I could have ordered from them in the first place!?!?!"  "Oh yes, of course."
Now I was pissed.  I called them.  They told me what I needed to know, and some
other stuff too.  But, I don't believe them.  They told me that there are only
5 diskettes.  They said it was for XT/AT (read: 360k diskettes).  Sure.  Right.
Like MINIX with a compiler and source and everything fits on 5 360k diskettes.
I'll believe it when I see it.  BTW, it was too late to have my order changed
to specify 1.2 MB diskettes (I had forgotten to specify before).  Of course,
I would much prefer 1.2 MB diskettes, as it would require 4 times as many on
360k as on 1.2 MB.

Does any kind soul out there feel like telling me how many diskettes I can
expect to see in the mail?

And has anybody else had troubles with ignorant P-H phone droids?

BTW, the toll-free number of the P-H Software Dept. is 1-800-624-0023.

Ben Cox
b-cox2@uiuc.edu (this gets forwarded to me wherever I am)