[net.micro] Shifty Software Dealers

ags@pucc-k (Seaman) (12/16/83)

Some time ago in this newsgroup there was a report of shady business practices
on the part of Programming International.  The latest InfoWorld (Dec. 26/Jan. 2
combined issue) has some interesting information on this firm:

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"If you've ordered software from the Programming International mail-order 
house, never received anything and feel as though you've been ripped off,
you're not alone.

"The two-year-old company began in Palo Alto, California, but abruptly moved to
Nashua, New Hampshire in November.  Customers phoning the original Palo Alto
number are connected to a different mail-order/retail outfit, called
Software-to-go, that claims it has absolutely no relationship with Programming
International.

"...previous ads listed both names as if to indicate that the one firm was in
the process of switching its name.  Heather Islip, cofounder of Programming
International, claims that there were two separate companies involved that were
simply sharing ad space.  Now, ads for Software-to-go do not mention Program-
ming International's name at all, although Islip's name appears on Software-
to-go's ad billing orders.

"The company has, with frustrating regularity, left orders unfilled or mis-
represented what software it could deliver....Quite often, Programming
International would delay sending an order and blame the wait on the
manufacturer.

"At the time this issue went to press, the firm owed InfoWorld over $105,000
for past advertising.  It has also accrued debts up to $81,000 to Byte and
Popular Computing magazines."

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Just thought you might like to know.

				Dave Seaman
				..!pur-ee!pucc-k:ags