X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.3 PL11]
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.novell
Date:         Tue, 10 Nov 1992 09:32:43 PST
Reply-To:     Novell LAN Interest Group <NOVELL@SUVM.BITNET>
From:         Richard Warner <rick@SJSUMCS.SJSU.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Eisa, MCA, IBM, et al.
              10, 92 10:06 am

> Just to throw my .02 into the thread:
>
> My situation MAY be somewhat unique (I'm not sure) but we have a very
> strong tendancy to buy IBM.  We also have quite a number of non-IBM
> machines about the campus.  We regularly review our purchasing
> philosophy to make sure our reasoning is still sound.  I came here from
> a fairly busy IBM dealership (actually with several outlets, and I
> sizeable geographic region).  Here's my perspective on some of this
> stuff:
>
> Microchannel (especially the 32 bus mastering stuff) seems to
> provide a little better performance, at a slightly higher cost.
>
> I find access to parts, and technical support to be outstanding.  I
> happen to know the support structure at IBM, and have a very solid
> relationship with the local dealer.  When I call them and ask them to
> call IBM dealer support for me, they are more than willing.  Actually I
> think the dealer rather enjoys IBM's version of the installing dealer
> program too.
>
> We order service/spare parts directly from the IBM Parts center.  No
> problems - good turnaround.
>
> There have been noteable exceptions to the "legendary" IBM reliability,
> but often I think these get more (not less) attention because they are
> IBM.  For example:  The 12" vga color monitor problem - we have bought
> hundreds - a FEW have failed, they're also several years old.  The CMI
> drive fiasco - is cmi actually out of business now?  If so it's a shame
> - the real problem ended up being a T.I. chip on the Western Digital
> built FDDD adapter (that's my memory talking - could be questionable),
> on the other hand the Boca bay thing is the stuff myths and legends are
> made of.

The press may make hay of them, but MIS managers tend to forget the
IBM fiascos.

The 12" (8513) color monitor problem was HUGE - even by IBM's own
admission.  We dumped thousands of them.  When, in a sample of thousands
you have a 25% failure rate out of the box, there is a problem that
is real - no imaginary, and not a fluke of small sample sizes.

The CMI 20 Mb disk problem was a problem with the drives.  We hung a
variety of CORE (CDC), Quantum, CMS, ST, and IBM drives off those same
controllers without a problem (some of them are still running off
those same controllers).  We had 100% failure of the CMI drives
in the first year.  CMI deserved to get hit; they were a bunch of
entrepeneurs with no real computer industry experience.  When the
drive fiasco sullied their reputation, and with a bundle of venture
capital to spend, they went into the movie production business.  I
do not weep any tears for their departure.

And, BTW, the CORE promotion with the artificial reef was real.  Their
advertisements plastered all of the industry rags for months.  They
actually ended up with only a few hundred trade-in units, which were
dumped off Boca Raton complete with media fanfare.

> At any rate, enough of this:  IMHO, IBM continues to be a viable, cost
> effective, platform that provides excellent price/performance, for much
> of our OUR workstation, and server needs.
>
> We now return you to your regularly scheduled network catastrophe,
> already in progress...
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> Nick Cutry                         voice: (315)379-5971
> Network Manager                    Bitnet: NCUT@SLUMUS or CUTRY@STLAWU
> Computer Services                  Compu$erve: 76424,144 or 73257,2537
> St. Lawrence University
>



+-----------------------+-------------------------------------+
|   Richard M. Warner   |   Internet:  rick@sjsumcs.sjsu.edu  |
|                       | CompuServe:  71121,2257             |
+-----------------------+-------------------------------------+
|  ** DISCLAIMER:  All opinions are strictly my own.  I work  |
|                  hard enough at forming them!               |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+