rdippold@cancun.qualcomm.com (Ron Dippold) (06/05/91)
Okay, I decided to buy OS/2 to get a head start and cheap upgrade to version 2.0. I live in San Diego, which has a much higher than average number of computer stores per capita, it's quite a hotbed of computing. So how come I couldn't find OS/2 1.3? I called more than 15 Authorized IBM dealers (I just went through the computer section of the yellow pages and called every place that had an authorized IBM dealer symbol), including one which claimed it was the #1 IBM dealer in San Diego. The results I got: "OS/2? What's that?" "Is that for the Macintosh?" "I'm not sure. Let me check. Nope." (the most frequent). "What?" "Who makes that?" "Please hold." (ten minutes later I hung up). "We have that in our Warehouse in Chicago, but we don't carry it here." "That's too new, we don't have it yet." Only two of them even had knew of OS/2 1.2! No wonder IBM is doing so horribly. When I call real computer dealers they always know what's going on! In desperation I called a couple companies that weren't authorized IBM dealers. They said they didn't carry it, but they knew what it was and suggested I call the authorized IBM dealers! I'm _very_ glad I don't have to depend on the IBM dealers if my computer dies. I write articles for the local computer magazine (circulation 80,000) and inquired to IBM about getting an OS/2 2.0 Early Experience for upcoming articles on operating systems, and perhaps one exclusively on OS/2 2.0, because I felt that this was finally something everyone should have. I got bumped a few steps up the corporate ladder and haven't heard anything since. That's when I decided to get OS/2 1.3 and the frustration ensued. So, what I finally ended up doing was calling Egghead's 800 number (their local store doesn't carry it, I checked). I was told that they couldn't find it. Knowing that someone had posted Egghead as one of those being able to carry it, I pressed. She asked who it was made by (IBM, of course), was able to find it, and I have it on order. I was tempted more than once to give it up, and if I wasn't so darned stubborn I would have... and I can guarantee you that every one of those dealers had a couple dozen copies of Windows 3.0 they would have loved to sell me. Whatever happened to IBM's famed marketing? If I knew Ackers's address, I'd mail him a personal copy of this. I may get a few "IBM Authorized Dealers aren't really IBM" messages. Well, to me and to most people they are. I can't deal with IBM directly, I have to go through their dealers, and when one posts a big IBM Authorized Dealer logo I expect it to be familiar with IBM products, never mind computers in general. One bad seed I could imagine, but over a dozen? This is root rot. -- Standard disclaimer applies, you legalistic hacks. | Ron Dippold