scott@boake2.UUCP (Scott Boake) (10/16/86)
I recently received the following in the mail. I have NO connection with any of the people affiliated with this group. I don't know any more about it that I have in this letter. I'm just posting it to see what comments other USENETers have about it. ---------------------COPY OF A LETTER RECEIVED VIA US MAIL--------------------- TO ALL CONCERNED: With the letter comes an invitation to join the first computer group of its kind. Introducing a national user's group, committed to bringing you what no other group as offered before. The Mega-Users' Group is currently campaigning to increase its membership to 100,000. With this kind of unity will come a very special buying power - a power that will entitle you, as a member, to the following: one of the most powerful openframe computer systems available, with a 68020 CPU card or a 80386 CPU card - a powerful, multi-user system, supporting UNIX or XENIX on your choice of Multibus or S-100. Your membership fee of $10 per month covers the entire system as follows: - one Motorola 68020 CPU or Intel 80386 CPU, running at 12 Mhz - one megabye of D-RAM expandable to 8 meg. on the card - one floppy disk contoller capable of controlling 4 8" drives and 4 5 1/4" drives - one I/O card with 8 serial ports and 2 parallel - one 300-watt power supply - one 5 1/4" floppy drive and one 8" floppy drive - for S-100 users: choice of 10 or 20 slot backplane - for Multibus users: choice of 4 or 11 slot backplane These systems will be complete and ready to run. Your choice of desktop or rack-mount enclosure. The above is simply your basic system, yours for having the foresight to join the Mega-Users' Group now, before membership is closed at the 100,000 mark. That's right - this offer is limited to the first 100,000 members to join. The only membership requirement is that you remain a member through the time your system is shipped to you. Our analysts project that we will reach our base of 100,000 members in 4-6 months. But once you've received your system, it's likely that you will choose to remain a member indefinitely, as each month will bring an additional piece of hardware or a software kit. Offerings such as: additional memory cards, color graphics cards, clock cards - and much more. All included in your $10/month membership fee. While you await shipment of your system, The Mega-Users' Group will send you its monthly newsletter. Each issue will update you on the membership drive. Also included will be software listings - over 300,000 public domain software titles will be available to you, as a member, at no charge. Our in-house engineers are working on a program that will emulate CP/M and MS-DOS at blinding speeds - and be graphic compatible, also. Soon, our members will be able to tie into a mainframe computer, complete with one hundred phone lines. It will house the majority of our public-domain software, and allow our members a way to interact with each other, as there is not connect fee, hourly fee, or limitation on connect time. Users can stay on as long as they wish - for free. The Mega-Users' Group is an idea whose time has come. With your support, we intend to revolutionize the computer-buying industry. Power in numbers will allow us to send you a Multibus or S-100 system at no real cost to you: your $10 monthly membership fee is all-inclusive. Shock-waves have begun to travel throughout the industry regarding this ooffer. The reality is that computer boards can be produced cheaply in quantity. Until now, no one has passed the savings on to you, the user. We have invested over $20,000 in the initial phase, just to bring this concept to you now. We urge you to join the Mega-Users' Group today. Those who join first will take early shipment of their systems - it is a first-come, first-served basis. Remember: the sooner your membership reaches the 100,000 mark, the better for you. Therefore, we encourage you to circulate news of the Mega-Users' Group to all those interested in owning an S-100 or Multibus system for a small monthly fee. You may distribute your own copies of this letter and the enrollment form, for purposes of building the membership of the Mega-Users' Group to 100,000. Or contact us for additional copies. The time for this idea is now. Call us directly for more details. But please, don't hesitate. We'd hate to inform you that our membership had reached 100,000 without you. We encourage all users' group presidents and other interested parties to call us at (203) 634 - 4593, 9AM to 5PM Eastern, Monday thru Friday. **Motorola is a trademark of Motorola Semi-conductor Products, Inc. **Intel is a trademark of Intel Corp. **Unix is a trademark of Bell Laboratories ENROLLMENT FORM Yes - I want to join the Mega-Users' Group. Enclosed please find my check of money order in the amount of $__________, for _______month(s) membership. I understand that as the membership reaches 100,000, I will receive my choice of the Multibus or S-100 system describem above. Check desired system: S-100 - please specify 10 or 20 slot backplane. __ten-slot __20-slot Check desired system: Multibus - please specity 4 or 11 slot backplane. __4-slot __11-slot Specify rack-mount or desk-top enclosure: __rack __desk- top PLEASE PRINT NAME ___________________________________ ADDRESS ________________________________ CITY,STATE,ZIP__________________________ PHONE__________________ INITIAL________________ SEND TO: The Mega-Users' Group P.O. Box 4213 Yalesville Station, CT 06492 ---------------------COPY OF A LETTER RECEIVED VIA US MAIL--------------------- As I said before, I'm not connected in anyway to this group. I would just like to get some feed back from people about this deal. If you decide to call them post a message as to what you find out. Scott Boake Small Systems Consulting (813) 544 - 8152 Suite A 4669 - 73rd Ave North ..!akgua!usfvax2!jc3b21!boake2!scott Pinellas Park, FL 33565 - or - ..!akgua!akguc!codas!peora!ucf-cs!usfvax2!jc3b21!boake2!scott
dan@rna.UUCP (Dan Ts'o) (10/17/86)
In article <230@boake2.UUCP> scott@boake2.UUCP (Scott Boake) writes: >... > The Mega-Users' Group is currently campaigning to increase >its membership to 100,000. With this kind of unity will come a >very special buying power - a power that will entitle you, as a >member, to the following: one of the most powerful openframe >computer systems available, with a 68020 CPU card or a 80386 CPU >card - a powerful, multi-user system, supporting UNIX or XENIX on >your choice of Multibus or S-100. > > Your membership fee of $10 per month covers the entire >system as follows: > >- one Motorola 68020 CPU or Intel 80386 CPU, running at 12 Mhz >- one megabye of D-RAM expandable to 8 meg. on the card >- one floppy disk contoller capable of controlling 4 8" drives >and 4 5 1/4" drives >- one I/O card with 8 serial ports and 2 parallel >- one 300-watt power supply >- one 5 1/4" floppy drive and one 8" floppy drive >- for S-100 users: choice of 10 or 20 slot backplane >- for Multibus users: choice of 4 or 11 slot backplane No hard disk, eh ? That's trouble already. Also doesn't mention that it includes software (that works). > > The only membership requirement is that you remain a member >through the time your system is shipped to you. Our analysts >project that we will reach our base of 100,000 members in 4-6 >months. Here's is what worries me. What if it takes them ten years to reach 100,000 members ? What if it takes them three years to decide they'll never make 100,000 ? What if they get 90,000 members - what incentive do they have for getting the last 10,000 members ? Because... > > We have invested over $20,000 in the initial phase, just to >bring this concept to you now. > Big deal. > > Yes - I want to join the Mega-Users' Group. Enclosed please >find my check of money order in the amount of $__________, for >_______month(s) membership. I understand that as the membership >reaches 100,000, I will receive my choice of the Multibus or >S-100 system describem above. ...They will only ship the systems after they get 100,000 members. They don't have to even purchase anything til they get 100,000 members x $10/mo. x 12mos./year x N years.
anderson@uwmacc.UUCP (Jess Anderson) (10/17/86)
> In article <230@boake2.UUCP> scott@boake2.UUCP (Scott Boake) writes: > >... > > The Mega-Users' Group is currently campaigning to increase > >its membership to 100,000. [...] > > > > Your membership fee of $10 per month covers the entire > >system as follows: > > [lotsa good stuff!] > > > > The only membership requirement is that you remain a member > >through the time your system is shipped to you. Our analysts > >project that we will reach our base of 100,000 members in 4-6 > >months. > > Here's is what worries me. What if it takes them ten years > to reach 100,000 members ? What if it takes them three years to > decide they'll never make 100,000 ? What if they get 90,000 members - > what incentive do they have for getting the last 10,000 members ? Because... > > ...They will only ship the systems after they get 100,000 members. > They don't have to even purchase anything til they get > 100,000 members x $10/mo. x 12mos./year x N years. Very good analysis of the situation! No way to tell if these folks would *ever* deliver *anything*, but let's assume they're basically honest (taxes *my* credulity, but that's my problem); in that case, pretty soon they're getting close to $1,000,000 a month plus earnings on a whole lot of money. Their incentive *not* to deliver goes up and up. I mean, I'm totally honest, right (aren't we all?), but I could be bought to do *almost* anything for the earnings on a million a month, not to mention the capital! :-) My guess is that some whiz- bang financial type here on the net could do an interesting projection on where these people would be in 4 < x < 18 months (other than easy street). Sounds like a scam to me, but a clever one, I must admit. -- ==ARPA:====================anderson@unix.macc.wisc.edu===Jess Anderson====== | (Please use ARPA if you can.) MACC | | UUCP: {harvard,seismo,topaz, 1210 W. Dayton | | akgua,allegra,ihnp4,usbvax}!uwvax!uwmacc!anderson Madison, WI 53706 | | BITNET: anderson@wiscmacc 608/263-6988 | ==Words are not just blown air. They have a meaning.=====(Chuang Tsu)=======
larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) (10/17/86)
In article <230@boake2.UUCP>, scott@boake2.UUCP (Scott Boake) writes: > I recently received the following in the mail. > ... > The Mega-Users' Group is currently campaigning to increase > its membership to 100,000. With this kind of unity will come a > very special buying power - a power that will entitle you, as a > member, to the following: one of the most powerful openframe > computer systems available, with a 68020 CPU card or a 80386 CPU > card - a powerful, multi-user system, supporting UNIX or XENIX on > your choice of Multibus or S-100. > > Your membership fee of $10 per month covers the entire > system as follows: > - one Motorola 68020 CPU or Intel 80386 CPU, running at 12 Mhz > ... > These systems will be complete and ready to run. Your > choice of desktop or rack-mount enclosure. > ... > The only membership requirement is that you remain a member > through the time your system is shipped to you. Our analysts > project that we will reach our base of 100,000 members in 4-6 > months. > ... > While you await shipment of your system, The Mega-Users' > Group will send you its monthly newsletter. Each issue will I bet people will be waiting a LONG, LONG time! > Shock-waves have begun to travel throughout the industry > regarding this offer. I bet! Any company with the balls to try and scam UNIX users will certainly create shock waves. > We have invested over $20,000 in the initial phase, just to > bring this concept to you now. Wow! A WHOLE $ 20K! > We encourage all users' group presidents and other > interested parties to call us at (203) 634 - 4593, 9AM to 5PM > Eastern, Monday thru Friday. I encourage all people receiving this solicitation in the mail to contact the Postal Inspection Service of the U.S. Post office, since this appears to be an attempt at fraud by use of the mail. > ENROLLMENT FORM > Yes - I want to join the Mega-Users' Group. Enclosed please > find my check of money order in the amount of $__________, for > _______month(s) membership. I understand that as the membership > reaches 100,000, I will receive my choice of the Multibus or > S-100 system describem above. Notice that it never promises you WHEN the system will be delivered; it only says "as the membership reaches 100,000". What if the membership NEVER reaches 100,000 in the first year? Say, in the first ten years? The "Mega-Users' Group" can say something like: "Well, the membership is STILL reaching 100,000 - so you'll have to wait..." While it may appear that the "Mega-Users' Group" has a legal "out" in this solicitation, they could still well be prosecuted for fraud. If this alleged users group has not in fact done all of the preparation for manufacturing and distributing these supposed computers _prior_ to making the solicitation by mail, it could be established that they had no "intent" to _ever_ manufacture and distribute the supposed product, thereby creating an important element necessary for a fraud prosecution. Such preparation for manufacturing and distribution would cost >> more that the $ 20K that they claim to have invested! I would hope that no member of the UNIX "community" is foolish enough to fall for this scam. ==> Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York ==> UUCP: {allegra|decvax|rocksanne|rocksvax|watmath}!sunybcs!kitty!larry ==> VOICE: 716/688-1231 {hplabs|ihnp4|seismo|utzoo}!/ ==> FAX: 716/741-9635 {G1,G2,G3} "Have you hugged your cat today?"
jrc@ritcv.UUCP (James R. Carbin) (10/18/86)
What strikes me rather quickly is that nothing is said if the 100,000 subscriber level is NOT achieved. Hmmmmmm.......... j.r. {allegra,seismo}!rochester!ritcv!jrc
grr@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (George Robbins) (10/19/86)
In article <230@boake2.UUCP> scott@boake2.UUCP (Scott Boake) writes: >I recently received the following in the mail. I have NO connection with >any of the people affiliated with this group. I don't know any more about >it that I have in this letter. I'm just posting it to see what comments >other USENETers have about it. > ... omitted ... > >As I said before, I'm not connected in anyway to this group. I would just like >to get some feed back from people about this deal. If you decide to call them >post a message as to what you find out. >Scott Boake It sounds more than a bit fishy to me - your receiving anything for your $10 per month is completely contingent on their getting 100,000 other members. Even with a sucker being born every minute, there just aren't that many people out there who would be silly enough to commit money to this sort of thing. I'm not even sure there are 100,000 people who would buy one of these systems outright. Lots of other weasel wording there too. Amuse yourself: take the letter back to the post office, mention that it looks questionable and could they please forward it to a postal inspector for review... -- George Robbins - now working for, uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|caip}!cbmvax!grr but no way officially representing arpa: cbmvax!grr@seismo.css.GOV Commodore, Engineering Department fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)
fair@ucbarpa.Berkeley.EDU (Erik E. Fair) (10/19/86)
This smells like a Ponzi scheme to me... Why not call the Better Business Bureau and ask? Or perhaps the Postmaster of that Postal Service office? caveat emptor, Erik E. Fair ucbvax!fair fair@ucbarpa.berkeley.edu
plocher@puff.wisc.edu (John Plocher) (10/24/86)
In article <912@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) writes: >In article <230@boake2.UUCP> scott@boake2.UUCP (Scott Boake) writes: >>I recently received the following in the mail. I have NO connection with >>any of the people affiliated with this group. >> >... omitted ... >> >>As I said before, I'm not connected in anyway to this group. >Lots of other weasel wording there too. Amuse yourself: take the letter back >to the post office, mention that it looks questionable and could they please >forward it to a postal inspector for review... > I called them up today - An answering service picked up the call: them: "Mega services, may I help you?" me: Is this the company offering a Unix Machine for $10.00 a month? "Yes, but I'm just answering the phone for the Mega Users group" I'd like info on their Buying Club offer. "I'm sorry, that program has been discontinued because of legal problems. If you leave your name and aderess, we can send you info on our other products." No thanx, bye. -- "Never trust an idea you get sitting down" - Nietzche ------------ {harvard,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!uwhsms!plocher (work) John Plocher {harvard,seismo}!uwvax!puff!plocher (school) ------------ decvax!encore!vaxine!spark!121!0!John_Plocher (FidoNet)
btb@ncoast.UUCP (Brad Banko) (10/26/86)
Has anybody heard of, or actually have one of the Symmetric 375 machines from SYMMETRIC Computer Systems, San Jose? I just got info from them today from BYTE... what they offer seems incredible... it is a portable box with a "750" inside running BSD 4.2 with all utilities... everybody's favorite languages f77, Pascal LISP PROLOG BASIC apl, and even C... it has half the speed of a 750 (hence the name "375", a 50 meg Winchester drive... four serial ports... AND, you can take it home at night! They sell it for $4995 (about $9000 with ethernet) and their number is: 408 279 0700 Brad Banko ...!decvax!cwruecmp!ncoast!btb Cleveburg, Ohio "The heart of Rock n Roll" -- Bradley T. Banko
frankr@oz.UUCP (Franklin Reynolds) (10/28/86)
In article <1637@ncoast.UUCP> btb@ncoast.UUCP (Brad Banko) writes: >Has anybody heard of, or actually have one of the Symmetric 375 machines >from SYMMETRIC Computer Systems, San Jose? I am pretty sure I saw them at UNIXEXPO `85. At the time they were selling their box for ~$10k. At the time it seemed like a pretty good deal. I didn't spend a lot of time checking it out, but it seemed to run 4.2. I was impressed. $5k sounds like an excellent deal to me. Franklin Reynolds EnMasse Computer Corp. decvax!linus!alliant!enmasse!frankr seismo!harvard!rclex!enmasse!frankr (The opinions expressed above are my own.)
paul@vixie.UUCP (Paul Vixie Esq) (10/30/86)
In article <1637@ncoast.UUCP> btb@ncoast.UUCP (Brad Banko) writes: >Has anybody heard of, or actually have one of the Symmetric 375 machines >from SYMMETRIC Computer Systems, San Jose? [...] it is a portable box [...] >running BSD 4.2 with all utilities... everybody's favorite languages (f77, >Pascal LISP PROLOG BASIC apl, and even C)... it has half the speed of a 750, >a 50 meg Winchester drive... four serial ports... AND, you can take it home >at night! They sell it for $4995 (~$9000 with ethernet) and their number is: > > 408 279 0700 Yes, I own one of these. It is all it's advertised to be. Useful options are: replace 50Mb/45ms drive with an 86Mb/27ms: ~$1200 scsi port: ~$850 replace 800K floppy drive with cartidge tape drive: ~$600 replace 2Mb RAM with 8Mb RAM: ~$2900 All prices from memory. Call SYMMETRIC for exact details. Although I have had some software problems with this machine, they have evened out as of the latest release, and many were my own fault anyway. I can reccommend the machine. I don't work for SYMMETRIC. -- Paul A. Vixie arpa: paul@vixie.UUCP, nike!ptsfa!vixie!paul@seismo.CSS.GOV San Mateo, Calif uucp: {ptsfa,qantel,fortune,crash,winfree}!vixie!paul
bdale@winfree.UUCP (Bdale Garbee) (11/05/86)
In article <1637@ncoast.UUCP> btb@ncoast.UUCP (Brad Banko) writes: >Has anybody heard of, or actually have one of the Symmetric 375 machines >from SYMMETRIC Computer Systems, San Jose? I just got info from them today >from BYTE... what they offer seems incredible... it is a portable box with >a "750" inside running BSD 4.2 with all utilities... everybody's favorite >languages f77, Pascal LISP PROLOG BASIC apl, and even C... it has half the >speed of a 750 (hence the name "375", a 50 meg Winchester drive... four >serial ports... AND, you can take it home at night! They sell it for >$4995 (about $9000 with ethernet) and their number is: This machine does exist. I have owned one for just shy of a year. With recent software upgrade to full 4.2bsd with extensions/utilities, I'm VERY happy with the box. Has a couple shortcomings, and a couple lingering software bugs, but nothing that isn't fixable or work-around-able. Other than one bug in the current C compiler that I haven't chased yet which keeps ELM from compiling, everything I've moved off Vaxen and Suns has compiled on the first try... and run fine. There have been reviews posted in net.micro.ns32k before, I won't repeat it all here. Much of the review material is out of date with the new software release anyway. If anyone has any questions, send mail and ask. If I get too many responses, I'll summarize. In addition to winfree, I know that 'crash' and 'vixie' are also S375 sites on the net... and we have a sort of informal user's group going with a private newsgroup. Other S375 owners who are interested, give me a call or send mail and we can add you... -- Bdale Garbee, N3EUA phone: 303/593-9828 h, 303/590-2868 w uucp: {bellcore,crash,hp-lsd,hpcsma,pitt,vixie}!winfree!bdale fido: sysop of 156/8 packet: n3eua @ wb0blv, Colorado Springs