pacolley@violet.waterloo.edu (Paul Colley) (07/06/90)
I ordered the serial cable for my HP48SX (IBM cable, part HP82208A), with the "Cable Only" option (Opt. 1aw). The bookstore I ordered from messed up, and ordered the standard kit. It took four weeks for the kit to arrive, and I was reluctant to wait another four weeks for a replacement. Particularly when I was _looking_ at the cable I wanted... I have no IBM nor compatible, and the software part of the package is of little use to me. It is in an envelope, unopened. If anyone wants this software, please make me an offer (of the form $x + shipping). Perhaps someone who built their own cable... The box says (in addition to transferring files to your computer): ``Access the power of your HP 48SX using the large keyboard and display of your PC. The Serial Interface software sends commands to the HP 48SX and returns results to your PC screen for easy viewing. ... In this box: [... hardware description ...], 5 1/4" and 3 1/2" disks with PC software, installation instructions'' There is no sign of the installation instructions, presumably they are inside the envelope. The envelope says: ``Copyright and warranty information is contained in the README file on the disc.'' There is also a Software Registration Card. For sale are the: - Sealed envelope with its contents. - Software Registration Card (seems like it should go with the software!). I'll guarantee the magnetic media, i.e., that the disks are in the envelope and that they are readable after shipping. (If they aren't ship the stuff back and I'll return $x). I've been leaving the envelope sealed on the theory that a buyer would prefer that. If someone wants me to inspect it before they buy it, that is fine also. Before anyone buys it, you should probably check with HP (maybe on their BBS). For all I know, the software may be available in the public domain, but the box and ``copyright information inside'' make it sound like there is something more. I make no claims as to the functionality of the software on the disks. I'll be visiting a friend who owns a PC on July 14. If I haven't heard from anyone by then, I guess I'll try out the software. Maybe I'll like it enough to buy a PC as a peripheral for my 48... old clones go for about the same price as the HP 48SX... - Paul pacolley@violet.waterloo.edu or .ca "Quantum Mechanics: The dreams stuff is made of" - Ken Burnside
pacolley@violet.uwaterloo.ca (Paul Colley) (07/06/90)
In article <1990Jul5.193124.11300@watdragon.waterloo.edu> I write: >``Copyright and warranty information is contained in the README file >on the disc.'' One beef to Hewlett Packard: Why is the warranty information on the #$%@! disk?! Can I return my cable if it is faulty? I may never know! Worse yet, this is a golden opportunity for HP to warranty that the media is readable without ever having to worry about a claim! If they can't read the media, they won't know that the warranty covers it... Seems kind of weird to me. I don't even know if a warranty on a disk has any legal value. How could I show a court that I hadn't changed the warranty on the disk? I know I probably sound nitpicky, but I would have preferred a warranty on paper to the duplicate copy of the Software and Accessories list that was in the box. - Paul pacolley@violet.waterloo.edu or .ca "Quantum Mechanics: The dreams stuff is made of" - Ken Burnside