pete@octopus.UUCP (Pete Holzmann) (05/16/88)
In article <21624@amdcad.AMD.COM> phil@amdcad.UUCP (Phil Ngai) writes: >In article <221@octopus.UUCP> vote@octopus.UUCP (Pete Holzmann) writes: >.during 1988. At this point, it sure looks like the PS/2 will go the way of >.the PC-JR, XT-286, Convertible, etc, rather than the PC or AT. Ever notice >.how, even with all the hoopla, IBM is just as capable of producing a market >.dud as a market winner? They are already farming out the PS/2 in Europe to > >I read the PS/2s had sold in the millions already. That doesn't sound >so bad. Ahhh- but what does "sold 2 million" *mean*? Wouldn't it be nice if you didn' have to read between the lines, and could just assume that IBM is doing wonderfully well? Consider: 1. When IBM says "we have sold", they mean "we have shipped to dealers". Once at the dealer, it is no longer IBM's problem how to sell them. The dealers are stuck with bloated inventories, and are SCREAMINGLY mad. Even with street discounts for small quantity purchases going over 40% off (that's called 'give away the store' pricing), the stores for the most part are not selling their quotas (i.e. IBM is shipping far more than can be sold). 2. The vast majority of "PS/2" machines shipped by IBM are the not-really- PS/2 model 25 and 30. They are updated PC/XT's, using the same old PC bus (not MCA compatible) and an 8086 (not OS/2 compatible). Does that help make the picture clearer? Pete -- OOO __| ___ Peter Holzmann, Octopus Enterprises OOOOOOO___/ _______ USPS: 19611 La Mar Court, Cupertino, CA 95014 OOOOO \___/ UUCP: {hpda,pyramid}!octopus!pete ___| \_____ Phone: 408/996-7746