barad@brand.UUCP (Herb Barad) (05/02/86)
I have just had a bad experience with TDI Software, Inc. of Dalas, Texas. I have a 4-page flyer that was mailed to a friend of mine about 6 weeks ago. He gave it to me knowing that I had a MacIntosh and was interested in Modula-2. The flyer describes the TDI Modula-2/ST system (as well as some other products from TDI). The flyer lists many bullets describing the software. Two of the bullets are: * Available NOW for the 520-ST, Amiga, and Mac * Price $69.95 The 4th page of the flyer is an order form with prices for different products for the 520-ST, Amiga, IBM PC, and Macintosh. Since I wanted a native compiler for the Mac, I decided to call them. I spoke to a salesman (I believe the name was Johnson) and he said the they did not have any product for the Mac. He knew nothing of any add or that anything was ever planned for the Mac. End of conversation. After talking to a few friends who thought that this salesman just wasn't aware of what was going on, I decided to call again. This time I spoke to a woman named Patty. She also said that there was no such product for the Mac. She wanted to know whereI got the information. I told her and she was not aware of this information. After complaining a little about why this flyer would say something like this another gentleman got on the phone and said that the development of this product for the Mac was cancelled because of the fact that another company was coming out with a superior product. I asked him about the flyer (implying that this was false advertising since it clearly stated that the compiler was available for the Mac). He said he was sorry that I felt that way. End of conversation. Both of these conversations were held on May 2 around 10:00 am PDT. I don't see how any responsible company can publish any advertisement that states that a product is available "NOW" and the product never in fact materializes. I wonder if others have had any trouble dealing with TDI Software, Inc. -- Herb Barad [USC - Signal and Image Processing Institute] USENET: ...!sdcrdcf!usc-oberon!brand!barad or ...!mcvax!seismo!sun!trwspf!brand!barad ARPANET: barad%brand@USC-ECL.ARPA USMail: Univ. of Southern California Powell Hall 306, MC-0272 Los Angeles, CA 90089-0272 phone: (213) 743-0911
dca@edison.UUCP (David C. Albrecht) (05/12/86)
> I don't see how any responsible company can publish any advertisement > that states that a product is available "NOW" and the product never in > fact materializes. Sure, happens all the time, it's called vaporware. As far as misleading or just plain wrong advertising check out the ad copy for the AT&T UNIX PC 7300. Let me tell you it's a lulu. From the ad copy it would seem that all the software that most people think of as UNIX and then some come with the machine all present and ready to go. The words option, available for, and purchase don't even pass their lips. What actually comes is a very high priced paperweight with no documentation of ANY kind. Getting the basic guts of SYS V is $500 (list) option. Getting the additional utilities to make a real UNIX (cc, make, yacc, lex, etc...) is another $500 (list). Definitely a buyer beware situation. Don't get me wrong it is a nice machine but merchandising it without SYS V borders on criminally stupid, certainly the ad copy ought to make clear that getting a useful "UNIX" machine requires investment in 1K of software. Of course, the twits seem bent on selling it in the business market instead of the low-end workstation market which is laughable anyway. This is just to give fair warning to those interested in purchasing the machine. I've got a letter ready to go to AT&T that I plan to mail soon if it doesn't burst into flame on my desk first. David Albrecht This is the opinion of one disgruntled consumer. Despite some t-shirts I've seen GE is NOT me.
cem@intelca.UUCP (05/13/86)
> > ... lots of stuff about TDI here ... > > I don't see how any responsible company can publish any advertisement > that states that a product is available "NOW" and the product never in > fact materializes. I wonder if others have had any trouble dealing > with TDI Software, Inc. > > Herb Barad [USC - Signal and Image Processing Institute] > Herb, I ordered their Modula-2 for the Amiga and got it right off, (as in a week later). Not that I condone it but TDI wouldn't be the first to advertise vapor ware. Now if they had taken your money and told you the package was in the mail, then you would really have a gripe (ask anyone that ordered JRT Pascal when it "came out"). I hope you find the other vendor of which they spoke. --Chuck McManis -- - - - D I S C L A I M E R - - - {ihnp4,fortune}!dual\ All opinions expressed herein are my {qantel,idi}-> !intelca!cem own and not those of my employer, my {ucbvax,hao}!hplabs/ friends, or my avocado plant. :-}
robt@molihp.UUCP (Robert L Thurlow) (05/13/86)
In article <206@brand.UUCP> barad@brand.UUCP (Herb Barad) writes: > ... TDI Modula-2/ST >* Available NOW for the 520-ST, Amiga, and Mac >* Price $69.95 > >I spoke to a salesman (I believe the name was Johnson) and he said the >they did not have any product for the Mac. He knew nothing of any add >or that anything was ever planned for the Mac. End of conversation. > >Herb Barad [USC - Signal and Image Processing Institute] > Looks like you just bought the wrong machine .... :-) :-) :-) Seriously, it just looks like their marketing types decided to nix something their tech people had already finished. It happens. # UUCP : ...!ubc_vision!molihp!robt Robert Thurlow # # My thoughts are my own, and are void where prohibited by law. # # "There was something fishy aboout the butler. I think he was a # # Pisces, probably working for scale." -Nick Danger, 3rd Eye #