busch@math.sdsu.edu (Richard Busch) (08/19/90)
Accompanying my relatively newly purchased copy of "MINIX for the Atari-ST"
is a registration card that contains a checkoff item that reads:
>I would like to receive all MINIX updates for $29.95.
When PH says "all," do they really mean ALL, as in the soon to be released
v1.5 Minix package?
Has anyone actually taken advantage of this offer? If so, what exactly does
PH send for $29.95?
Please don't tell me to write PH and ask. I have. Mailing a letter to PH is
the functional equivalent of dropping it into a black hole.
============================================================================
Richard Busch San Diego State University busch@math.sdsu.edu
============================================================================mitchell (Bill Mitchell) (08/20/90)
In article <1990Aug19.055428.12063@ucselx.sdsu.edu> busch@sdsu.edu (Richard Busch) writes: >Accompanying my relatively newly purchased copy of "MINIX for the Atari-ST" >is a registration card that contains a checkoff item that reads: > > >I would like to receive all MINIX updates for $29.95. > >When PH says "all," do they really mean ALL, as in the soon to be released >v1.5 Minix package? > >Has anyone actually taken advantage of this offer? If so, what exactly does >PH send for $29.95? > When I returned a similar card which came with PC Minix 1.3 along with a check for (I think) $39.95, PH sent me a duplicate copy of the distribution disks. Apparently, in PHese, a Minix Distribution includes both disks and manual and a Minix Update includes the disks but not the manual. I think Andy said some months back that he would try to get PH to correct this.
ast@cs.vu.nl (Andy Tanenbaum) (08/22/90)
In article <1990Aug20.134228.2606@mdivax1.uucp> mdivax1!bb29c!mitchell (Bill Mitchell) writes: >In article <1990Aug19.055428.12063@ucselx.sdsu.edu> busch@sdsu.edu (Richard Busch) writes: >>Accompanying my relatively newly purchased copy of "MINIX for the Atari-ST" >>is a registration card that contains a checkoff item that reads: >> >> >I would like to receive all MINIX updates for $29.95. That card is basically obsolete. It was designed at the time of MINIX 1.0, when the whole thing was 8 disks. Somebody at PH (without my knowledge) figured that at most 1 or 2 disks might change some day, so they could afford to send updates. It was also envisioned that I would have the time and inclination to make upgrade kits for each previous version. Such is no longer the case. There will be no upgrade kit to 1.5. Instead, people who send back their boot disk (or the label from the disk--not the jacket) will get a discount on 1.5. It was just too much trouble for me to make a separate upgrade kit, and its size would hardly be smaller than the full 1.5. Progress is being made on 1.5. Except for the Macintosh version, it is supposed to be out by Aug. 31. I'll post something in a few days. Andy Tanenbaum (ast@cs.vu.nl)
anderson@udder.macc.wisc.edu (Jess Anderson) (08/22/90)
In article <7361@star.cs.vu.nl> ast@cs.vu.nl (Andy Tanenbaum) writes: >Progress is being made on 1.5. Except for the Macintosh version, it is >supposed to be out by Aug. 31. I'll post something in a few days. I'm assuming this PH 1.5 will be what we now call 1.5.10. Is that correct? -- Jess Anderson Madison Academic Computing Center University of Wisconsin Work: Rm. 3130, 1210 West Dayton St., Madison WI 53706, Ph. 608/262-5888 Home: 2838 Stevens St., 53705, 608/238-4833 Bitnet: anderson@wiscmacc Internet: anderson@macc.wisc.edu UUCP:{}!uwvax!macc.wisc.edu!anderson
fortinp@bcars223.bnr.ca (Pierre Fortin) (08/23/90)
In article <1990Aug20.134228.2606@mdivax1.uucp>, writes: > In article <1990Aug19.055428.12063@ucselx.sdsu.edu> busch@sdsu.edu (Richard Busch) writes: > >Accompanying my relatively newly purchased copy of "MINIX for the Atari-ST" > >is a registration card that contains a checkoff item that reads: > > > > >I would like to receive all MINIX updates for $29.95. > > > >When PH says "all," do they really mean ALL, as in the soon to be released > >v1.5 Minix package? Here's what happens when you send in the ***ST*** registration card: - PH sends you 5.25" (fit well into 3.5" drives, eh?) ***IBM***-PC 1.3 diskettes - PH includes an invoice - you send letters to PH explaining the problem - PH continues to send invoices - you send more letters to PH - PH TOTALLY IGNORES your letters and CONTINUES to SEND D*MN INVOICES - your turn: you ignore the invoices - PH turns to a collection agency Today (and my turn): - waiting for PH's next move; I really WANT them to try legal action... > > > >Has anyone actually taken advantage of this offer? If so, what exactly does > >PH send for $29.95? See above. > > > > When I returned a similar card which came with PC Minix 1.3 along with a > check for (I think) $39.95, PH sent me a duplicate copy of the > distribution disks. See my summary. > > Apparently, in PHese, a Minix Distribution includes both disks and manual > and a Minix Update includes the disks but not the manual. Correction: a Minix Update includes the "IBM-PC 1.3" disks... REGARDLESS of "type" of registration. > > I think Andy said some months back that he would try to get PH to correct > this. Based on my experience so far, maybe Andy should try to find a proper software distribution channel whose knowledge of computers is a little more than automatic invoice generation. Pierre Fortin fortinp@bnr.ca PH is doing for Minix what Atari did for the ST. I like Minix and my ST, but I HATE(!!!!) PH and Atari.
ast@cs.vu.nl (Andy Tanenbaum) (08/24/90)
In article <1990Aug22.232908.10410@bnrgate.bnr.ca> fortinp@bcars223.bnr.ca (Pierre Fortin) writes: >Geoff Kratz) >Based on my experience so far, maybe Andy should try to find a proper software >distribution channel whose knowledge of computers is a little more than >automatic invoice generation. I suppose we could start a thread about war stories of all kinds (the company that kept billing for $0.00; the time DEC was in our machine room for SIX MONTHS trying to fix a VAX 750, etc.) Suffice it to say that a new person is in charge of MINIX now, and I have reason to believe that at least the mechanics of buying the software will get better. Technical support will continue at the current level--zero--but it was not claimed that for this price you would get any. While it is true they screw up royally from time to time, as a percentage of the whole I don't think they are any worse than other big companies. Remember, you only hear about the times they mess up. When everything goes normally, nobody mentions it. Andy Tanenbaum (ast@cs.vu.nl)
wayne@csri.toronto.edu (Wayne Hayes) (08/24/90)
In article <7375@star.cs.vu.nl> ast@cs.vu.nl (Andy Tanenbaum) writes: >they are any worse than other big companies. Remember, you only hear about >the times they mess up. When everything goes normally, nobody mentions it. Well, OK, fine. I ordered Minix from PH in Toronto, Canada. The lady on the phone was very helpful. I asked if there was a Minix-AT in stock. No, she said, but we do have Minix-PC, will that do? Yes, I said, I think. She said we also have 3 versions, a book, a binneries (that's how she pronounced "binaries" :-) and a source and "binneries". I got the "source and binneries", and it was in my mailbox (just ordinary package mail, no special delivery) within 5 business days. I was happy. -- "The number of programs that can be done with the Hubble Space Telescope has always greatly exceeded the time available for their execution, and this remains true even with the telescope in its current state." -- HST Science Working Group and User's Commitee Report, 1990 June 29. Wayne Hayes INTERNET: wayne@csri.utoronto.ca CompuServe: 72401,3525
fortinp@bcars223.bnr.ca (Pierre Fortin) (08/24/90)
In article <7375@star.cs.vu.nl>, ast@cs.vu.nl (Andy Tanenbaum) writes: > Suffice it to say that a > new person is in charge of MINIX now, and I have reason to believe that > at least the mechanics of buying the software will get better. Can you share the name (either privately or with the net) so that I can try again to get this ridiculous situation cleared up? > > Andy Tanenbaum (ast@cs.vu.nl) Thanks, Pierre Fortin fortinp@bnr.ca