rcd@ico.isc.com (Dick Dunn) (11/14/90)
duc@mport.COM (Richard Ducoty) writes about Bill Kennedy's disgruntlement with "Microport": > From your recent posts and others, it is obvious you have a grudge against > Microport Systems. We are not Microport Systems - we're Microport Inc. This > is an entirely new company; new people, new site, etc... I think Bill has pretty well explained that he's not confused by the situ- ation. There is room for confusion, but people seem to have sorted it out. More to the point, there is reason for people to make some connection be- tween the "old" and "new" Microports even if they are separate companies. Stephen Friedl had asked whether he hadn't seen a "we're back..." ad. Yes. (Well, actually I don't know if Steve saw it, but it did exist.:-) Now, it seems a bit disingenuous, to put it mildly, to say in this context: >...I would hope that > you would judge us on our actions and products, not those of another company > with a similar name. ...when the new company (Microport Inc) has acquired the logo of the other one, then advertised "WE ARE BACK IN SCOTTS VALLEY..." and notes its V.4 product as "another first to complement the other firsts from" followed by the big script-m logo. I don't think you can blame this ad, or the appear- ance of a connection, on your evil-twin company. Just as friendly advice, it's better to take the good with the bad; you can't expect to trade on the name only until you find an unhappy Microport Systems customer, then disavow any connection. Wouldn't it make more sense to try to establish yourselves as a successor-of-sorts, trying to take on what the old Micro- port was aiming at technically, but getting the business and support parts right? If you don't have or want *any* connection to the old Microport, why on earth would you want the name and logo??? > If you have ever been involved in the software business you must realize that > a few people inadvertently fall between the cracks... Another bit of friendly advice: It's not wise to address unknown people with unknown connections in a condescending manner. *I* sure-as-hell wouldn't say to Bill K, "If you have ever been involved in the software business..." It can be an unpleasant way to find out you just stumbled on someone who's been around for a loooong time and has lots of friends who buy and/or make purchase recommendations on a lot of systems. -- Dick Dunn rcd@ico.isc.com -or- ico!rcd Boulder, CO (303)449-2870 Cellular phones: more deadly than marijuana.
duc@mport.COM (Richard Ducoty) (11/15/90)
rcd@ico.isc.com (Dick Dunn) writes: >duc@mport.COM (Richard Ducoty) writes about Bill Kennedy's disgruntlement >with "Microport": >> From your recent posts and others, it is obvious you have a grudge against >> Microport Systems. We are not Microport Systems - we're Microport Inc. This >> is an entirely new company; new people, new site, etc... ... >>...I would hope that >> you would judge us on our actions and products, not those of another company >> with a similar name. >... >ance of a connection, on your evil-twin company. Just as friendly advice, >it's better to take the good with the bad; you can't expect to trade on the >name only until you find an unhappy Microport Systems customer, then >disavow any connection. Wouldn't it make more sense to try to establish >yourselves as a successor-of-sorts, trying to take on what the old Micro- >port was aiming at technically, ... ============================================== You make some good points here, but I don't consider the old company an 'evil twin'. Perhaps I put too much space between the two Microports, hoping that Mr. Kennedy would disassociate us from his rancor toward the old company. ---------------------- >> If you have ever been involved in the software business you must realize that >> a few people inadvertently fall between the cracks... >Another bit of friendly advice: It's not wise to address unknown people >with unknown connections in a condescending manner. ... Dick Dunn ================================= I have to take issue with you here. I wasn't being condescending here, and I don't appreciate it being cast in that light. I am appreciative of your advice, but please send the inflammatory comments via e-mail. Richard Richard Ducoty (*)(*) duc@mport.COM Microport Inc. \ uunet!mport!duc voice=> (408) 438-8649 < fax=> (408) 438-7560
bill@ssbn.WLK.COM (Bill Kennedy) (11/15/90)
It's good to see that articles 8 and 9 from mport.COM weren't in this thread. In article <10@mport.COM>, duc@mport.COM (Richard Ducoty) writes: > rcd@ico.isc.com (Dick Dunn) writes: [ Dick Dunn shows how R.Ducoty and B. Kennedy were exchanging grenades... ] > rduc>...I would hope that you would judge us on our actions and products, rduc> not those of another company with a similar name. > >... dunn>ance of a connection, on your evil-twin company. Just as friendly advice, dunn>it's better to take the good with the bad; you can't expect to trade on dunn>the name only until you find an unhappy Microport Systems customer, then dunn>disavow any connection. Wouldn't it make more sense to try to establish dunn>yourselves as a successor-of-sorts, trying to take on what the old Micro- dunn>port was aiming at technically, ... There's the operative phrase, "aiming at technically" That's worthy of pursuit.It's also appropriate to this newsgroup. Alas! I can't say the same for the balance of this article, so please hit `n' now if you aren't interested. > ============================================== > rduc> You make some good points here, but I don't consider the old company an rduc> 'evil twin'. Perhaps I put too much space between the two Microports, rduc> hoping that Mr. Kennedy would disassociate us from his rancor toward the rduc> old company. I'm really confused here... "not those of another company with a similar name" sure sounds like trying to distance oneself from an 'evil twin'. If I'm still able to read written English, "disassociate us from his rancor toward the old company." sounds like Dick Dunn called it pretty well. What escapes my comprehension is the naivete from Microport, Inc. R. Ducoty says (my words, not his) "We're the new guys, all brand spanking new; don't confuse us with them old guys" D. Dunn replies (not in his words) "Hi new guys, welcome to the marketplace, here's the water temperature"; and R.Ducoty bitches about that... Let's just accept that I'm dense, sounds like a helpful hand being bitten, but what do I know (see below)? rduc> If you have ever been involved in the software business you must realize rduc> that a few people inadvertently fall between the cracks... dunn>Another bit of friendly advice: It's not wise to address unknown people dunn>with unknown connections in a condescending manner. ... Dick Dunn rduc>I have to take issue with you here. I wasn't being condescending here, rduc>and I don't appreciate it being cast in that light. I am appreciative of rduc>your advice, but please send the inflammatory comments via e-mail. OK, now I'm insulted (nothing new for folks on the net :-). D. Dunn is dead nuts on target with "in a condescending manner" and R.Ducoty is off chasing a fly ball or a butterfly. To me, "If you have ever been involved in the software business" sounds like, in this forum, "If you have ever driven on an interstate highway". I can't conceive of how (rewritten) "If you've been anywhere near the subject matter of this newsgroup" could be read as anything other than condescending. Who, in this group, hasn't "ever been involved in the software business"? I guess I'm incredulous, R. Ducoty says (my quotes) "Hi, we're new here, and we're great", I say "You're predecessor name stinks" and D. Dunn extends an olive branch and gets flamed. I sent "inflammatory contents via e-mail" but they weren't dignified with a reply or an ack. Gosh, maybe those were articles 8 and 9 and I just don't get those groups. Let's not forget that this all started with Wolf Paul asking whether or not the current Microport incarnation would treat the predecessor Microport customers with any kind of fairness... -- Bill Kennedy usenet {att,cs.utexas.edu,pyramid!daver}!ssbn.wlk.com!bill internet bill@ssbn.WLK.COM or attmail!ssbn!bill