BRAD@SU-CSLI.ARPA (Brad Horak) (04/24/85)
According to a friend who spoke with TAPR at 3pm PST yesterday, they had 50 (fifty) TNC kits left at the $160.00 price. They had sold 120 units up to that point yesterday. --Brad N6BDE -------
brian@sdcsvax.UUCP (Brian Kantor) (04/29/85)
I bought one of the TAPR ``fire-sale'' TNC kits, and one of the cabinets during this sale. But I'm not happy. Let me explain: I own one of the original TAPR Beta-test boards, and I like it. I had been planning to buy another TNC for some time, and was just waiting until my finances would permit me to do so without some strain. Then TAPR announced that they would no longer be producing the TNC, and were selling off the remaining stock at a lower price. So, to make sure that I had one, I bought one. It was really nice to get it at a lower price, but it was the pressure to get one before they were all gone that moved me to buy it. Sure, I could have bought the same thing from Heathkit, or AEA, or GLB, or one of the other manufacturers now making TNCs, but out of some sort of loyalty to TAPR (after all, they were the ones who went out on a limb to develop these wonderful things!), I bought a TAPR one. That was Tuesday. Saturday morning, I find out that TAPR is not going out of the TNC business. What they ARE doing is introducing a new nice little TNC that should be on the market in a while (I'd guess 3 months or so, but what do I know?), and were dumping the older TNCs so they could get started on the new ones. Not a word of this in the advertisement - just a sort of veiled hint that they were going to move on to ``other things''. Now understand: I'm not pissed that they are coming out with a new TNC, nor with the fact that I bought one of the older kits. I think I'd rather have the kit that's been on the market for a while, rather than buy a new unit that isn't debugged yet (look, NOTHING is fully debugged until its been out a while - and six months frequently isn't long enough for some things I've seen. TAPR does amazingly well in this regard). No, what annoys me is the feeling of having been used. I resent the ``cleverly worded'' message, and the feeling that I this was my last chance to buy a TNC from TAPR. Perhaps its my imagination, but I somehow see some people at TAPR smirking at how clever they were. I'm still glad I bought the TNC. I'll put it to use as soon as it gets here. I know its a good product, and will work well for me. But I don't trust TAPR anymore. I can no longer think of them as fellow hams, trying to advance the state of art on a shoestring. No, now I have to regard them as just another bunch of ``clever'' businessmen. And that makes me sad. I don't think I'll buy my next TNC from TAPR, no matter how nice it may be. Somehow I feel betrayed, and ``once burned is twice shy''. Brian Kantor, WB6CYT UC San Diego decvax\ brian@ucsd.arpa akgua >--- sdcsvax --- brian ucbvax/ Kantor@Nosc
jcp@BRL.ARPA (Joe Pistritto) (04/30/85)
Actually, I don't feel upset about it at all. I bought one of the fire sale kits as well (although it hasn't arrived yet). Personally, I'd MUCH rather have the kit version of the old reliable board at a good price (which is probably lower than what the new one will be, I bet). Their note said exactly what they meant, that they were not going to be producing the old one, and wanted to clear stock for other things. Considering their past history of being heavily involved with packet, I ASSUMED that the other things would include packet equipment... What they did was convey a large amount of useful material to a large group of hams at what probably amounts to cost or only a little more. My high opinion of TAPR stands. They're not out to rip anyone off, they just don't want to get stuck with a lot of parts when everyone starts buying Heathkit TNC or some such. -JCP-
hageman@asgb.UUCP (George W. Hageman) (05/01/85)
> According to a friend who spoke with TAPR at 3pm PST yesterday, they had 50 > (fifty) TNC kits left at the $160.00 price. They had sold 120 units up to > that point yesterday. > > --Brad N6BDE > ------- I called TAPR yesterday 4/29/85 at about noon and all of the sale boards are gone. However there are about 200 manuals which will probably be cleap to get. ($10.00?) The person I talked to said that they are planing to sell a new kit which has more features for approximatly the same price soon. George Hageman ( ...bmcb!asgb!hageman )
louie@umd5.UUCP (05/01/85)
At least you got your TAPR TNC at a discounted price. I ordered on many
moons ago, waited for about 6 or 7 weeks, saw the announcement of the
new, reduced price and then received the one that I ordered at full price
a few days later. I could have canceled and reordered and saved about $100.
Oh well...
--
Louis A. Mamakos WA3YMH University of Maryland, Computer Science Center
Internet: louie@umd5.arpa
UUCP: {seismo!umcp-cs, ihnp4!rlgvax}!cvl!umd5!louie