Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: Why is Supra able to sell?
From: t9114145@phillip.edu.au
Date: 23 Nov 92 13:48:15 EST
Organization: RMIT (Bundoora Campus)

In article <1992Nov16.184545.7952@ntmtv>, west@ntmtv.UUCP (Andrew West) writes:
> From article <1992Nov16.114600.13310@phillip.edu.au>, by t9114145@phillip.edu.au:
>> In article <17375@mindlink.bc.ca>, David_Hunter@mindlink.bc.ca (David Hunter) writes:
>>> I have a Supra v.32bis.  I purchased it about 6 months ago based on its
>>> impressive list of features, price, and that the only things I had read in
>>> computer magazines were positive.  I was not reading net messages at that
>>> time.  Over the last 6 months I had many difficulties and have been able to
>>> eventually work around them at a considerable cost it time, money and
>>> frustration.  I am now at the point where I am getting what I want from my
>>> modem, but its performance was so far from "plug and play" it is ridiculous.
>> 
>> It's not a "plug and play" modem, no. It does work if you take the time 
>> to learn a bit about modems, but it's not the modem version of a Mac, and
>> the price reflects this. Would you be happier if you had paid a bit more
>> and got larger glossier manuals and lots of extras?
>> 
>> Hypothesis: People who write for magazines generally use lots of different 
>> products and can make things work even if the manual doesn't spell it out.
>> People who have been complaining heaps about their modems either can't work
>> it out without detailed, step-by-step instructions and lots of hand-holding,
>> or just like to whinge a lot. That's my idea anyway. My Supra has caused no
>> trouble. I have had prompt replies from Supra in all my dealings.
>> Basically I don't understand how some people have stuffed things up to the
>> extent that they report here.
> 
> Get a life...

Get a real computer...

> 
>> The net may be more honest, but just how reliable is it? You would think
>> that on the net lots of computer professionals would make opinions more
>> reliable, but there are heaps of Mac-using humanities-stream people here
>> too. (Not me though!)
> 
> I've met a lot of humanities-stream people who seem pretty
> knowledgable about their computers.  Furthermore, a lot of them aren't
> pompous jerks...

You seem a bit sensitive about this. I don't see it as belittling. I know 
bugger all about English Lit, and I don't care if someone tells me so.
Humanities people don't generally specialise in communications.

> 
>> 
>> Right, so it works now. Exactly what did you have to do? Modify an init string?
>> Get the right cable? What was it that stopped the modem from working?
> 
> I'll be interested to hear also--and and least now you're asking
> the right question.
> 
> As I described above, I finally ignored the Supra manual--and all
> those who kept saying "the defaults work fine"--and played around with
> settings until I found one that worked (or at least reduced the
> problems).

And that's the point. It's what you have to do to make it work, and if
you're not prepared to, then spend and extra $200 on pretty manuals and
hand-holding support. Your choice.

> 
> 
> Andrew West
> Northern Telecom    UUCP: {ames, amdahl, hplabs}...!ntmtv!west
> Mt View, CA   USA   Internet: ntmtv!west@ames.arc.nasa.gov  or
> 			      ntmtv!west@ames.arpa
> 
-- 

Adam Eberbach    Computer Science student, RMIT.   t9114145@phillip.edu.au
               "We don' need no stinkin' signatures!"
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems