[comp.sys.mac] I want my AUX!

dlw@hpsmtc1.HP.COM (David Williams) (12/01/87)

Alright, I've got my Mac II, I've got 8 megs of memory, I've got an Ethertalk
board on order....now where oh where is A/UX??? I want it I need it I have to 
have it!!! C'mon Apple turn it loose! I'll cut a PO for it and the 80 meg
external drive to put it on (I've got a 90 meg internal for MAC OS based stuff)

Or better still can I join the legions of A/UX beta testers? What I really want
to be able to do is run X windows and gain access to our internal Unix machines
as an X terminal.

Phil are you listening?

David Williams
Hewlett Packard
Software Development Technology Lab
Distributed Computing Environment Project
408 447-5425

fnf@mcdsun.UUCP (12/02/87)

In article <11540055@hpsmtc1.HP.COM> dlw@hpsmtc1.HP.COM (David Williams) writes:
>Alright, I've got my Mac II, I've got 8 megs of memory, I've got an Ethertalk
>board on order....now where oh where is A/UX??? I want it I need it I have to 
>have it!!! C'mon Apple turn it loose! I'll cut a PO for it and the 80 meg

So far I've resisted relating my frustrating experience trying to get
a copy of A/UX so I could proceed with some commercial software development
on the Mac-II.  But since I'm feeling particularly grumpy today, here
it is...   :-)

The saga starts about mid-summer, and ends a couple months ago.  This is
a rough transcript of my interaction with Apple's "evangilism"
group:

Me:		Hi, I just bought a Mac-II and want to develop some
		commercial software, how do I get a Beta copy of
		A/UX?

Them:		Well, are you a registered developer?  No huh, ok we'll
		send you an application, call us back when you get
		registered.

(get forms, fill out, weeks go by)

Me:		Hi, I just got my developer registration confirmation,
		now, how do I get A/UX?

Them:		What's your hardware configuration?  1Mb memory huh, 40 Mb
		disk huh, well you need at least 5Mb memory and an 80Mb
		drive.  Call us back when you get those.

(more weeks go by, and $6K more dollars spent, now up to ~$12K)

Me:		Hi, I now have 8Mb of memory and two 80Mb drives, how
		do I get A/UX?  Also, I can't seem to get a PMMU on
		the open market, how do I get one from Apple.

Them:		Well, we really don't have any PMMU's at the moment,
		but if you can scrounge one up, call us back.

(more weeks, much scrounging, finally buy an X68851 for a few $100)

Me:		Hi, whew!  I now have all the hardware I need for
		A/UX.  How do a get a beta copy?

Them:		Sorry, we aren't seeding A/UX anymore...

Me:		@#$%&*&*!!!!!!   (hangup)


-Fred

-- 
# Fred Fish    hao!noao!mcdsun!fnf    (602) 438-3614
# Motorola Computer Division, 2900 S. Diablo Way, Tempe, Az 85282  USA

russell@acf3.NYU.EDU (Bill Russell) (12/03/87)

Apple's developer support comes in two flavors: insider & outsider.
If you are an outsider you will find out important info at least
6 months after insiders.  You will never be seeded with anything.
The only thing to do is to try to find some area of development that
does not require direct competition with an insider ( you have to GUESS
about this of course, because you will not be told ) and work as best
you can.  My experience with ordinary (outsider-level) developer
support is that I find things out ang get copies of important software
about 2 weeks before they are generally available to the public. At best.
I hope this doesn't sound bitter, because I don't mean it that way --
insiders got to be insiders because they are BIG or have a track record
of "important" Mac developments.  It is kind-of a "job needs experience/
experience only from job" bind, but that's the way life is.  Good luck.
-r
(Richard Reich as russell@nyu)

milo@ndmath.UUCP (Greg Corson) (12/03/87)

in article <170035@acf3.NYU.EDU>, russell@acf3.NYU.EDU (Bill Russell) says:
> 
> Apple's developer support comes in two flavors: insider & outsider.

I know the problem...I've been wanting to port my BBS and conferencing 
software to AUX so I could sell it to the Apple market when AUX is finally
released.  I'm already a Certified Developer...but as far as getting AUX
goes, no-go.  Luckily, I found out about this before spending $10K+ on a 
development system.

Greg Corson
19141 Summers Drive
South Bend, IN 46637
(219) 277-5306 (weekdays till 6 PM eastern)
{pur-ee,rutgers,uunet}!iuvax!ndmath!milo
 

phil@apple.UUCP (12/05/87)

In article <11540055@hpsmtc1.HP.COM> dlw@hpsmtc1.HP.COM (David Williams) writes:
>Alright, I've got my Mac II, I've got 8 megs of memory, I've got an Ethertalk
>board on order....now where oh where is A/UX??? I want it I need it I have to 
>have it!!! C'mon Apple turn it loose! I'll cut a PO for it and the 80 meg
>external drive to put it on (I've got a 90 meg internal for MAC OS based stuff)
>
>Or better still can I join the legions of A/UX beta testers? What I really want
>to be able to do is run X windows and gain access to our internal Unix machines
>as an X terminal.
>
>Phil are you listening?
>

Yes, I (Apple) is listening. Like most companies, we let the sales and
marketing folks issue the availablity dates. But, like, it will be available
REAL SOON now (your check is in the mail ... :-) ).

Seriously - if you are, or want to be, a certified A/UX software development
entity, contact Glenn Fiance, the A/UX evangelist, at (408) 996-1010. BUT,
PLEASE NOTE - this is for serious software developers who do this for a
business, not hobby, and can convince Apple that they "is" a serious
professional software developer. Otherwise, please don't bother Glenn,
he is a VERY VERY overworked guy.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Philip K. Ronzone, A/UX Technical Manager                   APPLELINK: RONZONE1
Apple Computer, Mail Stop 27AJ, 10500 N. DeAnza Blvd.  Cupertino, CA  95014
UUCP:  ...!{sun,voder,nsc,mtxinu,dual,unisoft}!apple!phil