Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!ucsd!ames!pacbell!att!cbnewsd!klotz
From: klotz@cbnewsd.ATT.COM (david.a.klotzbach)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: RE: Gateway Orders
Message-ID: <13498@cbnewsd.ATT.COM>
Date: 6 Mar 90 15:40:15 GMT
References: <334.25ef7a31@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 62

From article <334.25ef7a31@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu>, by v193evnb@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu:
> RE: Gateway order-
> 
> 	I wonder if they will go the way of PC-Network, making money 
> by taking orders and payment, then not shipping for 4 to 5 months. 
> Peter

I had no trouble placing my order four weeks ago and am currently only
worried about how to get software from Microsoft that works. When I placed
my order, I was told that it would take 2-3 weeks for my computer to ship.
It shipped 19 day's after my order. It arrived exactly 3 weeks from the
day I placed the order and worked immediately out of the box.

If they are busy now, it could be that the first batch of income tax 
returns are coming in and people are ordering computers. Gateways prices
are so much better than any other mail order house that this does not 
supprise me.

I only had three problems with my new machine when it arrived.

1) Procomm was not able to dial 1800 number!!!!! It seems that
   in fact procomm 2.4x was not able to dial any number with 
   more than 7 digits successfully. I solved this by switching
   to Qmodem 4.0. ( I don't work for or recieve royalty from 
   either of these vendors).

2) My MSC mouse version 2.0 did not work. This was a simple
   case of trying to save money by moving my old mouse to 
   a 20mhz machine and the software couldn't hack the program.
   A newer mouse solved this problem. I don't know why I thought
   that this would have worked, but it didn't.

3) THOSE IDIOTS AT MICROSOFT!!!!!! on the cover of "Microsoft(R) 
   Windows/386 presentation Manager" the following are listed as
   the system requirements
   * 1Mb memory (2 Mb recommended minimum) <- I got 4 Meg
   * DOS 3.1 or higher <- I got 4.01
   * One 1.2 Mb(5 1/4") or 1.4 Mb( 3 1/2") disk drive <- both
   * One hard disk (with 2 Mb available storage space) <- 67.5 Mb
   * Graphics adapter card( COMPAQ graphics adapter;
			    IBM VGA, IBM EGA, or compatible) <- ATI VGA
   I read all the documentation on installing the software and was sure
   that I was okay. So I open the disks, therebye owning the package for
   ever, installed it and executed the command "win386".

    And what to my wondering eyes should appear?
	Error: Unsupported DOS version
	
    What the ____ I said, I have 4.01 and thats greater than 3.1 and
 its written by the same people who wrote this restriction. I guess I 
 better look at the book again. Whats this on page 29,
   You are using a version of DOS other than 3.1 3.2 or 3.3.
   Check the Windows/386 system requirements and install a correct 
   DOS version.

  Solution: either buy a version of 3.3, split my nice big disk into
	    at least 3 smaller parts, and install windows,
	    or, sit and wait for the next version of windows to come
	    out so I can find yet another obscure message about how
	    it won't work for left handed people. ( gee I wander if
	    Borland is ready to get into the OS add-on market?)