[comp.dcom.lans] Ungermann/Bass strikes again!

haas@wasatch.utah.edu (Walt Haas) (05/12/89)

Since I've never had (or heard of) a good experience with Ungermann/Bass,
I've avoided buying from them until we recently received two IBM 8232
Ethernet controllers.  IBM instructed us to purchase an Ungermann/Bass model
2273A Ethernet interface card for each 8232.  We sent the order in, and U/B
went through their usual first-order routine (checking our credit (we've only
been here since 1854!), entering us in their data base) etc.  Finally the
cards arrived - with no documentation.  We figured that there had been some
oversight in the shipping department and called their tech support people,
who walked us through the installation procedure over the phone.  I just
called the local U/B rep who informed me that all of their documentation was
unbundled.  I pointed out that this was not customary, and he replied that
the government made them do it! I said "Hunh?!" and he claimed that military
contracts required unbundled documentation.  I pointed out that we weren't a
military contract and so there was no reason to do this to us, and his reply
was basically, well that's just the way we do it!  So the upshot was, we
have to issue a PO for $35 to get a manual for this stupid Ethernet card.

You have been warned!

If I ever order anything again from these turkeys, will somebody on
the net please kick me?!


Cheers  -- Walt Haas    haas@cs.utah.edu    utah-cs!haas

mostardi@ux1.lbl.gov (David Mostardi) (05/12/89)

In article <1793@wasatch.utah.edu> haas@wasatch.utah.edu (Walt Haas) writes:
>Since I've never had (or heard of) a good experience with Ungermann/Bass,
>I've avoided buying from them until we recently received two IBM 8232
>Ethernet controllers.  IBM instructed us to purchase an Ungermann/Bass... 

OK, here's a satisfied Ungermann-Bass customer.  We have an
Access-One twisted-pair Ethernet unit, and it has functioned
flawlessly since January.  I wish I could say the same about
some of our other hardware.

Also, all the Ethernet cards in our IBM-RTs are Ungermann-Bass
(some OEM arrangement) and they work fine, too.


******************************************************************
David Mostardi			"Guess what, Dad!  Those chocolate
MSRI, Berkeley			   diskettes fit right into your
mostardi@ux1.lbl.gov		   computer, no problem!"