ast@cs.vu.nl (Andy Tanenbaum) (09/08/87)
In article <2183@eecae.UUCP> lawitzke@eecae.ee.msu.edu (John Lawitzke) writes: >I've been wondering, why is MINIX available mail order from PH only? Because it never occurred to P-H that anyone would want to buy it. Until fairly recently it was in the same category as instructor's manuals. The endless delays with delivery are also due to the same problem: they really couldn't believe anyone would want it, so they didn't make very many. I think they now understand. Starting with 1.2 there will be 2 different distribution forms. 1. The same format as at present, with a hard cover book (paper back outside North America) and a separate box of diskettes for $79.95 Nothing new here, except that the diskettes will contain 1.2 instead of 1.1 and there is an extra diskette because there is more software. 2. An IBM slipcase version. This will contain a modified version of the book in 3 ring binder style, with the diskettes in the back. This format looks more like standard IBM PC software. The diskettes are identical to the 1.2 diskettes above. The "manual" is about 200 pages shorter and leaves out most of the "theory" of the textbook. It is aimed at hackers who are only interested in MINIX and don't care about studying 10 different paging algorithms or 5 ways to solve the producer-consumer problem. This package will cost $110, which is slightly cheaper than the book ($36.95) + software ($79.95) combined. This version will be sold in bookstores, computer stores, and any other stores that want to carry it. The economics are funny, but this price includes some dealer margin; the $79.95 software only doesn't. Don't tell me that blank disks cost $0.79. I know that, but the real costs are the marketing and distribution costs, not the manufacturing costs. There will also be a registration card starting with 1.2. That way, if there is a 1.3 some day, P-H can at least track down people with 1.2 and perhaps offer some kind of update. They are going to start advertising MINIX in various places, and all the ads will be for the slipcase version. The book will continue to contain the order card for the software only, but there won't be any separate advertising for it. It is assumed that word of mouth is enough there. Please, let's not have an endless discussion in the news group about marketing issues. If you have something concrete to add, send me mail. Andy Tanenbaum (ast@cs.vu.nl)
lawitzke@eecae.UUCP (John Lawitzke) (09/08/87)
> 2. An IBM slipcase version. This will contain a modified version of the > book in 3 ring binder style, with the diskettes in the back. This When will this be available at my local store, or at least from P-H so I can pressure them into ordering it for me? Will there be three separate versions as there is now or will there just be the 640K PC and the AT versions? (I'm posting this because I'm sure there are many out there wondering about this same thing) -- j UUCP: ...ihnp4!msudoc!eecae!lawitzke ARPA: lawitzke@eecae.ee.msu.edu (35.8.8.151)
ast@cs.vu.nl (Andy Tanenbaum) (09/10/87)
In article <2385@eecae.UUCP> lawitzke@eecae.UUCP (John Lawitzke) writes: > >When will this be available at my local store, or at least from P-H so >I can pressure them into ordering it for me? Will there be three >separate versions as there is now or will there just be the 640K PC >and the AT versions? > There will be two slipcase versions, 640K PC and 512K AT. I've sort of given up on the 256K version. There will be a 256K 1.2 release in the software-only version, but then I will stop with 256K. P-H says that their orders are about 55% PC, 45% AT and less than 10% 256K. The target date is sometime in late October, if all goes well. All will go well if Murphy takes his vacations in October. Andy Tanenbaum (ast@cs.vu.nl)