From: gwebster@student.UVic.CA (Gord Webster)
Subject: IBM, are you listening? (Was: Windoze 3.1 is here.)
Keywords: Yesterday(4 April) I saw Windoze 3.1 for sale here.
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 92 23:10:16 GMT

In article <5APR199218042960@rigel.tamu.edu> rfs0838@rigel.tamu.edu (SCHAFFTER, RODNEY FRANK, JR) writes:
>Yesterday(4 April) I saw Windoze 3.1 for sale here.
>$45.99 for the upgrade and $88.00 to buy, and they were going to have a 
>guy from Microstuff here on Monday to answer any Questions.:-(
>
>IBM, ARE YOU LISTENING?????????????????
>
>		WE WANT OUR OS/2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>(Sorry to repost, but our news server was Hungry)
>Rod Schaffter                                 	
>Laboratory for Molecular Structure and Bonding	|Who cares if windows is or 
>Texas A&M University Dept. of Chemistry		|isn't an opperating system-
>Bitnet:   SCHAFFTER@TAMLMSB			|it barely operates at all!
>INTERNET: SCHAFFTER@LMSBVX.TAMU.EDU		|
>	"Standard Disclaimer, etc."		|An OOPerating system, maybe?

Attention IBMer's (I know you follow this newsgroup):

You've dropped the ball. Are you so afraid of Micro$loth that you are
willing to let OS/2 die a lingering and pitiful death?

I attempted to buy OS/2 locally before ordering through IBM Direct, but now
am not sure I want to even have OS/2 v2.0 (a superior product by any
standard) unless you are going to try to make a go of it.

I went to visit the local software dealers in Victoria, B.C. today. The
question posed was "When do you think you will be getting OS/2 in stock?"
I learned many things about OS/2 from this simple question. At one
place, the reply was "What is OS/2?" What is the problem? Does'nt IBM
want stores to know WHAT it is and that it IS available? At London Drugs
(a former IBM reseller), I was told that it has problems running on
non-IBM hardware (bullshit), that they don't plan to stock it, and that
I should wait for Windoze NT (and get Windoze 3.1 in the interim).

Then, as the crowning jewel, I went to the Futureshop (the only IBM
business partner left in Victoria (that I know of)) told me several
things. First: "IBM's dropped it. They are not making it anymore". (I
did not know that!) "What about the fact they just released Version 2?"
I said. "OS/2 is dead. It is going nowhere. Don't you read the trade
rags?" At which point I stormed out. You've let the magazines bury your
operating system without so much as making a rebuttal. You should have
started an ad campaign months ago.

You are not even telling your own Business Partners that it is out and
available? You don't want them selling it either?

I have yet to see one ad for OS/2 locally or nationally. Not on TV, not
one line in the newspaper. None. This is the capital of BC. This is where
the provincial government is. Don't you want the government to buy it
either?

DO YOU WANT ANYBODY TO BUY IT?

Newsflash for you. Micro$loth did not get where it is today by word of
mouth, and selling direct only. Ever thought of PROMOTING the product?
Or are you just going to set up a little stall outside the factory and
try an sell it there?

I want OS/2 to succeed. I was a IBM coop student when the OS/2 v2 FTN
was broadcast, and decided right then that I wanted to run OS/2 at home.
I follow all the OS/2 newsgroups, as well as conferences on a local
BBS. Sure, those of us who read this newsgroup know how to buy it from
IBM Direct (1-800-465-1234 in Canada, 1-800-3IBMOS2 in the US) but
selling it that way only will not get you any of the desktop marketshare.

US IBMer's: send a PROFS note to whoever is in charge of this turkey ad
            campaign in Canada and tell them they are dropping the ball.
            If they don't get their act together soon, Personal Systems
            business unit is gonna take a multi-million dollar bath on
            this one. Tell Toronto to stop ignoring the west coast.

WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE WAITING FOR??
-- 
________________________________________________________________________
| Gord Webster           | Be cool or be cast out - Rush               |
| University of Victoria | MACINTOSH - Machine Always Crashes, If Not  |
| Victoria, B.C., Canada |             The Operating System Hangs.     |