Re: Asimov performs a valuable service; so why fight over it?

[toddpw@ugcs.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel)]

Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net> writes:

>     The above does not place most "company reps" in a very good light.
>You appear to be saying that these reps prefer to hang out on some
>on-line service and avoid the mass of users because there, at least,
>everyone pats them on the nose.

You are assuming that users on csa2 make up the majority of on-line A2 land.

That assumption was wrong when there _was_ an A2 market to support; it is
probably still wrong now, and before it stops being wrong there will be NO
A2 market to speak of. Okay, maybe it's finally happened -- but that means
there are not enough users for companies to do proactive support anyway.

The vast majority of A2 users (until recently perhaps) logged into user
group BBS's or pay services. They were "normal people" who used their Apples
to write letters, do taxes, balance their checkbook, etc. Perhaps they
still do. My father used our trusty Black ][+ for his taxes every year until
he finally bought a PowerMac 8100 a few years ago. His ISP is tcs.wap.org,
which is run by Washington Apple PI, one of the biggest Apple/Mac user's
groups in the country.

There are many more users like my father than there are like us here on csa2.

>     You say that their absence from Csa2 says nothing about their
>interest in Apple II products. That may be. The question is: Do these
>guys want to _sell_ any Apple II products? Or, is the whole idea of
>selling just too much bother?

Selling to whiny students and cheapskates? Why bother when you can spend
your time targeting user group representatives on the pay services?

>     You mention user complaints. When you sell software to a user, he
>or she is handing you $$$. Part of the deal is that you are supposed to
>handle questions and complaints. If this presents terrible problems for
>you, you may be in the wrong business.

There's a phone number printed in your manual. You -did- buy a manual right?

It is not a company's responsibility to troll for product support on the net.

Am I reading this right? Do you really think that it is their job to wipe
your nose for you because you bought 1 copy of their product? Grow up buddy.
The golden days of shrink-wrapped software are very, very dead.

>     What is it about "the character of this particular newsgroup" which
>you find objectionable?

I cannot remember a time in which comp.sys.apple2 was not ARROGANT.
It turns lots of people off -- people who used to be very active here
when there was an A2 market worth supporting.

I think the real question here is what there is about the character of this
particular newsgroup that you think is so _admirable_.

Todd Whitesel
toddpw @ ugcs.caltech.edu