From: mrc@Tomobiki-Cho.CAC.Washington.EDU (Mark Crispin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.misc
Subject: more on why NeXT has not earned much credibility
Date: 15 Sep 92 18:02:21 GMT
Organization: University of Washington
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Well, I called up NeXT's 3.0 order management group, and learned some
interesting facts:

1) Officially, 3.0 is NOT YET SHIPPING.  They said `it is possible that some
   people got early copies, but we are not shipping until later this week.'  In
   other words, certain high-profile customers got their copies special to give
   the appearance of 3.0 shipping.

2) People who bought the CD-ROM drive/3.0 upgrade package are second-class
   customers.  [Note: NeXT vehemently denies this.]
   2a) People who call to order 3.0 and pay $295 are `revenue customers' and
       receive top priority.  The promised `same-day shipping' only applies to
       these customers.
   2b) The CD-ROM drive/3.0 upgrade package is not considered by NeXT to be a
       package, but rather that you bought a CD-ROM drive and got 3.0 for
       free.
   The upshot is, the people who purchased the package and have had 3.0 on
   backorder for ages are not going to receive any kind of priority, because
   they are not `revenue customers'.  In fact, since it is a `free' copy, they
   get bumped in line by the `revenue customers.'  We're supposed to be
   overwhelmed by NeXT's generosity in `giving' us a `free' upgrade along with
   an over-priced CD-ROM drive, and not mind our second-class status.

3) `Same day shipping' isn't really what most of us think `same day shipping'
   is.  To NeXT, it means `we will send your order to the shipping department
   the same day, WHEN we start shipping.  Of course, the shipping department
   has its own procedure so it will be some number of days before it is
   actually placed in the hands of a carrier to deliver to you.'

4) NeXT now says that 3.0's E.T.A. is next Wednesday, September 23.

This is not the way to build credibility.  This isn't a fluke either; NeXT has
never been timely in product shipping except in certain visible cases where it
is clear that people bumped to make a fast ship a visible recipient.

None of these delays would be all that objectionable if NeXT was honest.  But
NeXT isn't honest.  NeXT insists upon making sweeping statements such as "Order
NeXTSTEP Release 3 and we'll even ship it the same day!" (August 31) that they
cannot fufill.

Please NeXT, don't make promises that you can't keep.  Don't tell us you are
shipping when you aren't.  Don't ship on new orders when others who have had
the product on back-order for months are still waiting.  Don't write on August
31 that you will `ship it the same day!' when on September 15 a back-ordered
customer is still waiting.  Don't send that `same day shipping' promise to the
customer on September 14 in lieu of his product.  Don't promise `same day
shipping' when you aren't even shipping (in quantity anyway) yet.

Every time you lie to us makes it much harder to believe you the next time.
What's more, we talk to potential customers, and we tell them that you have a
habit of making promises you can't keep.  Lies cause much more damage than
over-modesty.  Reliable vendors with `pretty good' products end up winning out
over flakes with `insanely great' products.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.misc