From: jseymour@medar.com (James Seymour)
Subject: Re: Silly Hayes bashing (was  +++ sequence problem with USR DS 16.8k)
Organization: Medar, Inc.     Farmington Hills, MI
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 17:18:31 GMT

In article <1688@frackit.UUCP> dave@frackit.UUCP (Dave Ratcliffe) writes:
>In article <1992Oct10.082236.8757@u.washington.edu>, tbr@hardy.u.washington.edu (Todd Barnreiter) writes:
>> 
>>  issue the + + + escape sequence on my USR Dual Standard 16.8k
>> I immediately get a NO CARRIER and the modem hangs up.  I want
[remainder deleted]
>> -BarryB
>
>The Subject: line above displays the dreaded 3 + signs but I have yet to
>see anyone flame this person for his seeming indiscretion. C'mon guys,
>the flamfest went rampant when Toby posted that message with the dreaded
>3 +'s in a row yet here is another example of the very same thing and
>there are no objections. Is it because he doesn't WORK for Hayes so it's
>ok for him? 
>

Methinks not.  The problem is this: the judge in MN enjoined
Hayes from their "Tick, Tick, ..." campaign in part because
he felt that the plaintiff in that case (MultiTech) had
adequately demonstrated that a valid TIES sequence was
unlikely to occur in "normal" data (roughly speaking).  With
the type of thing they're doing with the press release, Hayes
*appears* to be trying to make it appear normal for TIES
sequences to occur in "normal" data.  Strikes me as pretty
low, but I don't see how anybody can stop 'em.  Don't know as
anybody should try.

IMHO, Hayes has gone off the deep end.  I can understand
Hayes' patent fight (don't agree with the patent tho), and I
can understand them at least taking a shot at discrediting
TIES (I'm not insulted as I don't think it was aimed at
professionals - I'll give 'em that much credit).  But after
the judge's decision, to massage the TIES-breaker kit and
make it available under another guise strikes me as
dangerously flirting with angering the court.  (I am told
they've done a similar re-work on their ads.)  Then to
follow that up by distributing press releases with embedded
TIES sequences as if to prove the judge's decision wrong -
after the fact - seems to me like spitting into the wind.

It seems to me that Hayes is certainly *not* going to win
any points with the court by "pushing the envelope" of the
obvious intent the court's decision(s) - no matter how much
within the letter of the law or any rulings.  Further,
every time Hayes does something like this, it seems they
alienate even more of the folks in this newsgroup.  Many of
whom are, like myself, computing professionals.  People
that make some of the larger datacom purchasing decisions
and possibly influence countless others.

>
[disclaimer deleted]
>            ...  Refusing to buy because of something as trivial as a PR
>release is ludicrous. 
>

Why?  Said PR is part of Hayes' business practices.  I
personally have boycotted a number of companies for various
business practices I disliked.  (I boycotted a beer company
for advertising their Consumer Reports rating in spite of
CU's policy against that.  I boycotted 7-11 stores for
giving in to Meese's terror campaign.)  I fail to see the
difference.  I, personally, am not boycotting Hayes.  I
simply don't buy their products because they traditionally
have been over-priced and under-performers IMO.

>Is it time for a reality check here or what?
>

No, but it's time for a yet another DISCLAIMER:  (Just so
there's no misunderstandings.)  I have had a fairly long
association with MultiTech.  I've been beta-testing for them
for several years.  I like them.  I like their products.  I
am not paid by them.  I  don't represent them or their
opinions.  And while I'm probably biased in my opinions,
they are my own and nobody else's (except by coincidence).

>
>-- 
> ...uunet!wa3wbu!frackit!dave -or-                       |  Dave Ratcliffe  |
-- 
Jim Seymour				| "If NT is the answer, it must
...uunet!medar!jseymour			|  be a really silly question"
jseymour@medar.com			|      Warner Losh
CIS: 72730,1166  GEnie: jseymour	|      Computer Power Software