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NUMBER OF LINES: 629 1 WELCOME TO BWMS (BACKWATER MESSAGE SYSTEM) 2 ************************ REMOVED: 9 AUG 82 ************************** 3 BACKWATER MESSAGE SYSTEM (BWMS) MIKE DAY SYSTEM OPERATOR 4 5 GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION PLACED ON 6 THIS SYSTEM. 7 8 BWMS WAS CREATED AS AN ELECTRONIC BILL BOARD. BWMS IS A PRIVATLY OWNED 9 AND OPERATED SYSTEM WHICH IS CURRENTLY OPEN FOR USE BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC. 10 NO RESTRICTIONS ARE PLACED ON THE USE OF THE SYSTEM. 11 IT IS INTENDED THAT THE SYSTEM IS NORMALLY USED FOR MESSAGES AND 12 ADVERTISMENTS BY THE USERS. AS THE SYSTEM IS PRIVATLY OWNED, I RETAIN THE 13 RIGHT TO REMOVE ANY AND ALL MESSAGES FROM THE SYSTEM WHICH ARE OFFENSIVE 14 TO ME. ADDITIONALLY BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED SIZED OF THE SYSTEM, IT WILL BE 15 PERIODICALLY PURGED OF OLDER MESSAGES. (ONLY 629 LINES AF DATA CAN BE SAVED) 16 17 TO LEAVE A MESSAGE, TYPE 'ENTER' AND USE CTRL/C OR BREAK TO GET OUT 18 OF THE ENTER MODE. THE MESSAGE IS AUTOMATICLY STORED. 19 IF AFTER ENTERING THE MESSAGE YOU FIND YOU MADE A MISTAKE, 20 USE THE REPLACE COMMAND TO REPLACE THE LINE. 21 22 TO EXIT FROM THE SYSTEM TYPE 'OFF' THEN HANG UP 23 THIS WILL PREVENT THE FILE UNSAFE MESSAGE FROM PRINTING OUT WHEN THE 24 NEXT CALLER USES THE SYSTEM NO BIG DEAL IF YOU DON'T TURN THE SYSTEM OFF 25 IT USED TO MEAN THAT SOME DATA WAS LOST, BUT I HAVE SINCE MODIFIED THE 27 SOFTWARE TO SAVE IT. 28 IT WAS LEFT IN BECAUSE I NEED IT WHEN I AM CLEANING THE FILES UP. 29 ******************************************************************** 30 How quickly can you find out what is so unusual about this 31 paragraph? It looks so ordinary that you would think that 32 nothing was wrong with it at all and, in fact, nothing is. 33 But, it is unusual. Why? If you study it and think about it 34 you may find out, but I am not going to assist you in any 35 way. You must do it without coaching. No doubt, if you work 36 at it for long, it will dawn on you. Who knows? Go to work 37 and try your skill. Par is about half an hour. 38 >>FOR SALE<< 39 APF Computer:16K-Expandable. Tape sy,joy sticks on board. 6800cpu-based--Machine language programmable 40 Hi-res,lo-res graphics,sound.Good first machine,or as hardware freak's delight! 41 Call xxx-xxxx any time. Leave message. 42 ****************************** 43 :<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Shugart 850 sale >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 46 $250.00 47 Laurence Gilbert 48 (503) xxx-xxxx afternoons please 49 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 50 ******************** 51 FM: CISTOP MIKEY TO: ANYONE WHO CARES (AND ANYONE WHO DOESN'T CARE FOR THAT 52 MATTER) 53 DRIVE B IS CURRENTLY DISENGAGED FROM THE SYSTEM. IF YOU SELECT DRIVE B YOU WILL 54 ONLY GET DRIVE A (EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS YOU ARE ON DRIVE B) THE REASON BEHIND 55 THIS DEVIOUS PLOT TO CONFUSE YOU THE USER, IS THAT DRIVE A IS A TEST DRIVE 56 CURRENTLY. IT IS BEING USED TO SEE HOW MUCH PUNISHMENT IT CAN TAKE (LORD KNOWS 57 IF IT CAN SURVIVE THIS SYSTEM IT CAN SURVIVE ANYTHING!) AS SUCH, IT IS BEING 58 LEFT ON ALL OF THE TIME (EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO ONE ON THE SYSTEM) TO TRY TO 59 GET IT TO CROAK. THEN I CAN TRY TO ANALIZE WHAT HAPPENED TO SEE HOW GODD A 60 DRIVE IT REALLY IS. THE DRIVE BY THE WAY IS A 1/2 HIGH TEAC SINGLE SIDED DRIVE. 61 BECAUSE OF THIS HIGH INTENSITY TEST PROCEDURE, I HAVE DISCONNECTED DRIVE B 62 WHICH IS MY NORMAL EVERYDAY SHUGART SA400 SO THAT I DON'T DESTROY IT IN 63 THE PROCESS. SOME RESULTS OF PREVIOUS TESTS: MPI MODEL 51 DIED AFTER 2 WEEKS 64 MOTOR SEIZED SPURATIC ERRORS THOUGHOUT THE TEST PERIOD. THEY SEEM TO HAVE 65 ALIGHNMENT PROBLEMS. CDC 5" SINGLE SIDED TEST TIME ONE WEEK TEST TERMINATED 67 TANDON 5" SINGLE SIDED DIED AFTER 3 WEEKS, MOTOR SEIZED, LUBED THE MOTOR, AND 68 IT RAN FOR ANOTHER WEEK, BUT HAD SPURATIC ERRORS. TEST TERMINATED AFTER 4 69 WEEKS. SHUGART SA400 (WHATS NORMALLY ON HERE) DIED AFTER 4 WEEKS MOTOR 70 SEIZED. BASF NEVER COULD GET IT TO RUN ON SYSTEM SO NO TEST RESULTS AVAILABLE. 71 THAT IS THE EXTENT OF THE DRIVES THAT HAVE BEEN TESTED SO FAR, THE RESULTS 72 SEEM TO INDICATE SEVERAL THINGS, IN HEAVY DUTY TYPE INSTALATIONS YOU SHOULD 73 USE A DRIVE WITH A BRUSHLESS DC MOTOR. (THE BRUSHES IN THE MOTORS IN THE 74 DRIVES THAT HAD SIEZURES SEEM TO BE THE MAIN PROBLEM GENERALLY DUE TO GETTING 75 BRUSH DUST GUMMING UP THE INSIDES OF THE MOTOR) THE BAND STEPPERS WHILE BEING 76 NICE AND FAST SEEM TO HAVE DIFFICULTIES MAINTAINING CONSISTANT ALIGHNMENT.) 77 I WOULD RECOMEND USING A SCREW TYPE STEPPER IF RELIABLITY IS OF GREATEST 78 IMPORTANCE. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE BAND STEPPER IS NO GOOD, THERE 79 HAVE BEEN SOME IMPROVMENTS MADE IN THIS AREA. THE TEAC DRIVE THAT IS CURRENTLY 80 ON HERE HAS A BAND STEPPER, AND IT IS ONE OF THE BEST IMPLEMENTATIONS I HAVE 81 SEEN TO DATE. (MPI HAS THE WORST CLOSLY FOLLOWED BY CDC, TANDON IS A LITTLE 82 BETTER.) THERE APPEAR TO BE TWO MAIN PROBLEMS IN THE BAND STEPPERS, ONE IS 83 SLOP IN THE CARRAGE MECHANISM AND THE OTHER IS GREAT DIFFICULTY IN 84 REALIGNING THE DRIVE IF IT HAS TO BE WORKED ON. THE TEAC THAT IS ON HERE 85 USES A BRUSHLESS DIRECT DRIVE DC MOTOR. IT LOOKS GOOD, AND I DOUBT THAT 86 THERE WILL BE ANY PROBLEMS FROM THAT AREA, AND IN FACT I EXPECT TO NOT HAVE 87 ANY PROBLEMS FROM THE DRIVE AT ALL, IT IS ONE OF THE BEST LOOKING DRIVES 88 I HAVE SEEN TO DATE. OF COURSE THERE IS ALSO THE POOR OL' SHUGARTS WHICH WHILE 89 THEY HAVE PROBLEMS OF THERE OWN, THEY DO HAVE ONE THING TO SAY FOR THEMSELVES 90 AND THAT IS THAT THEY HAVE MANAGED TO SURVIVE OVER A YEAR OF USE 91 ON THIS SYSTEM. THAT WHILE BEING SIGNIFICANT IN ITSELF MUST BE TAKEN WITH 92 THE ADDED REALIZATION THAT THEY WERE RESURECTED FROM THE JUNK PILE FOR USE 93 ON THIS SYSTEM. (YOU JUST CAN'T BEAT THAT WITH A STICK...) 94 ******** CIST OP MIKEY **** 9 AUG 1982 ******************************* 95 While we're at it, let's zap some com- 96 ments, good or bad, at Radio Shack. I'm 97 sure those of us with Trash-80's might 98 have some things to say about some Tandy 99 policies. Not all necessarily bad, 100 either. 101 -me- 102 **************************************** 103 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 104 re: Radio Shack/Tandy 105 ********************* 106 My biggest gripe with that outfit is the 107 crap one has to go through to make a 29 108 cent purchase! Name: Address: etc. When 109 you refuse they make 110 you feel like a less 111 than person person. 112 I am sick of getting all those junk 113 flyers in my mail box, plus the fact 114 that the information asked is none of 115 their damn business!! 116 I don't own a Trash 80 and never will, 117 no matter how low they might price them 118 or good they make them mainly because of 119 the above mentioned practices. It does 120 no good to write to the main offices as 121 have already tried this and they didn't 122 even have the courtesy to answer. 123 Now when I absolutly have to have some- 124 thing from them, Igive them a totally 125 inaccurate name and adress: 126 Hope that this ploy will add to their 127 postage and printing costs. 128 129 Radio shack customer (only under 130 protest) 131 132 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 133 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 134 Well I am glad that someone else finds 135 that Radio Shack's pushy attitude about 136 a person's name and address is a pain 137 in the neck. I couldn't agree with you 138 more about it being none of their buis- 139 ness about my name and address. Cash 140 should be the extent of it. 141 I also give bullshit names and address 142 to the sales people. One of them told 143 me once that they are given some sort 144 of incentive if they get the names and 145 addresses of their customers. 146 I told him that i was already on the 147 mailing list 148 but he wasn't intrested in that 149 . 150 Consumers trying to find parts have a 151 hard enough time without the hassle 152 of a sales inquisition. 160 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 161 IN DEFENSE OF TANDY 162 MAYBE THE REASON THEY ARE A 2 BILLION DOLLAR A YEAR PLUS COMPANY IS THAT 163 THEY HAVE AN AGGRESSIVE MARKETING APPROACH. IT SEEMS TO WORK FOR THEM, 164 BECAUSE IF YOU LIKE THEIR PRODUCTS OR NOT, THEY HAVE ONE OF THE MOST 165 ENVIED AND PRAISED MARKETING DIVISIONS OF ANY LARGE CORPORATION IN 166 THE COUNTRY. THEIR CONSTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT NAMES AND ADDRESSES CAN 167 BE TIRING, BUT THE FLIERS THEY SEND OUT DO CREATE BUSINESS. THEY 168 PROMOTE SALES OF THEIR PRODUCTS, AND THAT MAKES THEM MONEY. I AM 169 NOT SAYING IT IS GOOD OR BAD FOR THE CUSTOMERS TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH 170 THE "SALES INQUISITION", I AM JUST SAYING FROM A SALES STANDPOINT, 171 IT WORKS, AND IT WORKS DAMN WELL ! 172 173 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 174 AFTER MAKING SEVERAL PURCHASES AT SOME LOCAL RADIO SHACK'S 175 I FEEL AS THOUGH I WAS NOT RIPPED OFF. OVERALL THEY SEEM TO 176 DO A VERY GOOD JOB WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING THEIR PRODUCTS 177 ACROSS. I DON'T LIKE GOING THROUGH ALL THE NAME AND ADDRESS 178 BIT EITHER. BUT LETS FACE IT, IT WILL PROBABLY NEVER EVER 179 CHANGE. TANDY SHOULD MAKE PLASTIC CARDS FOR ALL THE REGULAR 180 CUSTOMERS THAT INCLUDE EACH PERSON'S NAME AND ADDRESS. THEN 181 EVERY TIME THAT CUSTOMER BOUGHT SOMETHING, THE SALESPERSON 182 WOULD JUST PUT THE CARD THROUGH A CREDIT CARD IMPRINTER 183 WITH THE SALES RECEIPT. IT WOULD SAVE REGULAR CUSTOMERS 184 TIME AND THE HASSLE. THE INTERPID. 185 ****************************************** 186 187 What about the lousy packaging at R/S, you only want to buy one thingamagig but 188 are forced to buy 2,43,4 or more regardless of your needs or wants!! Then 189 There's those damn plastic packaging, Impossible to open like the child-proof 190 pill bottles. Who ever invented shrink-plastic wrap should be strung up by his 191 you know whats!! 192 193 ******************************************** 194 195 Returning to the subject of the Byte (the customer) shops: 196 It would seem to me that if their products and service were just half as 197 good as they would have us believe, they could give a satisfaction guarantee 198 like Tom Peterson's. In fact I dare them to!!!! -- but I know they won't, 199 because there's a sucker born every minute and as long as the Byte Shop 200 can get them into the store they will never clean up their act. 201 All this customer relations BS they put out is just part of thier con. 202 They have no intention of solving any of the real problems. 203 Their real intention is to corner the market in particular brands and 204 that will give them a free hand to do and charge what they want. 205 206 Again, I dare the Byte Shop to put their money where their mouth is and 207 GIVE THE CUSTOMER A WRITTEN SATISFACTIONGUARANTEE!!!!!!! 208 *************************************************************************** 209 To the person who can't open the packaging at RS. Maybe you just arenn't 210 advanced enough to open such a complicated device. RS is simply trying 211 to protect you from yourself. If you can't open the packaging, get a 212 grown-up to do it for you ! 213 ******************************************** 214 Opening the packages is no problem if you are not handicapped as I am. I only 215 one good hand and I dare any one out there to get any package (hard plastic or 216 shrink-wrap) open without difficulty, especially if one is trying to save the 217 package in case the item enclosed is not right in any way and it might have to 218 be returned! Also such packaging is not Tandy's alone, every retailer in the 219 country has adopted this wasteful practice. Just use your head and think of all 220 the Mid-East oil and 221 our own dwindling timber resources that end up at some land fill. I for one 222 would like to see the European system of taking your own bags etc. or having to 223 pay extra for the container to carry your purchase home in. 224 This includes groceries etc. 225 As for asking an adult to open bottles, packages etc. most that I have talked 226 to agree that this practice is totally a sales ploy to get you to buy more than 227 you either need or want, and some retailers won't accept back a product that has 228 been opened no matter how carefully. 229 Now take your two "good" hands and respond to this if you can, that is unless 230 you are mentally handicapped!!! 231 ******************************************** 232 233 234 Although I have never been into the Tigard Byte Shop, 235 If they're anything like the one in Downtown Portland (on 4th 236 and Lincoln, they should be out of business. I went in there 237 Monday afternoon, to fund out some info. There were two people 238 working, one was chit-chating with a customer, and the other was 239 on the phone the whole time. 240 241 I was in there for almost 1/2 hour, and all he said to me 242 was "DON'T TOUCH THAT". I didn't even get an "I will be with 243 you in a minute." The salesman just ignored me as if I wasn't 244 there. JUST BECAUSE I AM ONLY 17, AND DIDN'T THINK I WAS THINKING 245 ABOUT A PURCHASE. For that I will never go back there. I would 246 rather go by mail order, and wait the 2 months for the idem I 247 want SIGHT-UNSEEN. The friend that was with me also feels the 248 same way about the rotten service (if you even want to call it 249 service) we got. 250 251 252 DBBS SYSOP 253 **** ***** 254 255 **********************To T.B.S 256 257 Why don't you offer a lifetime subscription to any person who gives you a 258 valid complaint. That way you can close up for bgood as I'm sure your resources 259 could not handle the expense, even if you did charge for coffee breaks & lunch. 260 If you want positive praise you should start your own BBS with passwords issued 261 to your 'satisfied' customers with the understanding that any dissent would auto 262 matically crash the users system and would be charged double to get it up and 263 running again, provided your staff have this knowledge. 264 265 Mail-order customer. 266 SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY OF CLEARING OFF THE GARBAGE FROM THIS MESS 267 I HAVE BEEN RATHER BUSY LATLY AND HAVE NOT BEEN ON HERE. BY THE WAY, 268 THAT WAS A RECORD FOR BWMS. - AN ENTIRE DISK FILLED UP WITH THE SAME 269 SUBJECT. - WELL, HERE'S SOME MORE ROOM NOW SO GOT TO IT!!!!!!!! 270 ********** CIST OP MIKEY ***** 19 AUG 1982 **** 8:30 PM *********** 271 P.S. DON'T FORGET THE PORTLAND COMPUTER SOC. MEETING IS THIS SATURDAY 272 AT THE RAIGHLY HILLS FAR WEST FEDERAL SAVINGS IN THE RAIGHLY HILLS SHOPPING 273 CENTER THE MEETING IS IN THE COMMUNITY ROOM DOORS OPEN AT 1:00PM 274 ...................................................................... 275 Well where in the Hell am I...I am calling from Tigard...I am not familiar with 276 this system . . . if you feel that you cal\n help call Rich at (503(\)xxx-xxxx 277 The problem with the Byte Shop (and probably with Computerland 278 too, since their 'service' is just as bad) is that their sales 279 people are on a commission. So if you go in the store looking 280 like you are going to buy $5000 worth of iron they will wait 281 on you hand and foot, but it you are just browsing, forget it. 282 When I was computer shopping, I got so turned off by their 283 behavior (both stores) that I have never bought anything but 284 magazines at either store. Instead I have purchased two 285 computers (and influenced the purchase of three more) at the 286 Radio Shack Computer store, which apparently pay their sales 287 people a decent salary (as well as commission). For R.S haters, 288 The Computers and Things store in Aloha is also a friendly 289 place, and I wouldn't have to think twice about giving them 290 business. 291 292 Tom Almy (First time on this system) 293 ***********************************************************: 294 I think one of the major problems with the BYTE shops is largely 295 an identity problem, they would perfer to sell to businesses 296 rather then John Q Public off the street, yet they operate out 297 of a store front like they are in business for John Q Public. 298 It would probably save a lot of hassels all around if they would 299 close the stores and open a regular business type operation 300 instead. Alas I have found little of interest in any of the Byte 301 shops the Magazines tend to be old and out of date, and I am 302 not really interested in any of the equipment on display. I can 303 go to Fredies to get an Atrai (cheaper too!) and I really don't 304 have much interest in an Apple. An Altos is hardly in line with 305 my needs. I might be interested in an IBM PC, if I could ever 306 see one and a sales type that actually could answer a few 307 questions about it. 308 As with most, I am not exactly in love with RS, but on the other 309 hand I will say this, they are incredibly mediocur. This can be 310 taken as good or bad depending on where you are comeing from. 311 Yes they do sell some poor quality junk, but I would like to 312 remind you that it priced as junk too. It is simply the old 313 'you get what you pay for' problem. Too many people think they 314 can pay next to nothing for something and get the world. RS 315 does sell some good quality stuf if you want to pay they same 316 price that you would pay anyplace else. They don't sell super 317 quality stuff that cost you $1000 just to look at it, but then 318 they are not in business for that sort of thing. I really cannot 319 find fault with RS for serving the needs of thier customers 320 they are doing exactly what the market they are in demands. 321 (After all if they weren't they wouldn't have stores in just 322 about every major city in the US.) I don't care for they name 323 address 3rd degree myself, but I can live with it. As far as 324 those who complain about recieving the flier, I find it amazing 325 that you don't want to recieve it after all, it is free and 326 sometimes even has something interesting in it. I never object t 327 to junk mail there is always something of interest in it sooner 328 or later and it certainly lets you know what the people who are 329 advertising in it are doing. 330 *** irrespectivly submitted by the IN SANE SCIENTIST *** 20 AUG 331 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^You had better chang 332 e your name if you think those junk mail flyers are free. Who 333 the hell do you think pays for them? The next time you purchase 334 stamps or anything else at our U.S.Postal service see if you can 335 get the same rates that businesses pay. 336 The Postal workers spend up to 86% of their time dealing with 337 this crap. Besides if you want to be on these mailing lists you 338 should have to request it. Granted there are some interesting 339 items at times but as a rule it costs me $7.00 a month just to 340 have them hauled away. Mailing lists are sold for profit all 341 time and I personally don't appreciate having my name on all 342 the sucker lists. what ever happened to personal privacy!! 343 Also about the multipackaging, it should be illegal to sell more 344 than one needs or wants. There may be some out there that need 345 3 item since they ruin the first two, but some of us know what 346 we want and shouldn't be forced to subsidize those that don't!! 347 348 ***************************************************** 349 I agree that RS is a terrible place to buy things. I only 350 go there if by some unfortunate act of stupidity I forgot to 351 buy a part by mail order and need it QUICK. Otherwise, 352 forget it. As for Computerland: I bought my IBM PC at 353 the Portland Computerland. The dealer margin on an IBM 354 PC is 40%! And I haven't even gone back once for advice/ 355 help/etc. I feel that service and hardware should be sold 356 absolutely separately, so that those of us who know what we 357 are doing don't have to pay for worthless help. 358 *********************************************************** 359 to those complaining about bubble packages with 2 resistors. 360 There is a good reason:it's cheaper! A resistor is worth about 361 $.01, or so. The handling is about $.30. Do you really wany to 362 pay 30 times as much for the package as for the product? Throw 363 the extra resistor away, it didn't cost you anything. 5 at $.35 364 isn't really more expensive than 1 at $.31. 365 I don't like to deal with RS because of their terrible quality 366 control, or rather lack there of. They didn't become the big kid 367 on the block by being better, but by pure volume and advertising. 368 This means is cheaper for them to buy things, and there advertising 369 is more effective. To the buyer this means they are there, and will 370 still be there tomorrow. It means they can be less expensive and offer 371 more than their competitors. (Where else can you buy a card of 372 resistors? Especially if you aren't in a big city? Their biggest 373 problem is the way someone becomes a dealer: he just decides he 374 wants to, and buys a franchise. Typically he knows less about what 375 he is selling than his customers. RS dealers aren't dishonest, just 376 ignorant. Here in Portland there is little need for RS, because there 377 are other stores that sell cheaper stereos, and part stores that sell 378 better, cheaper (i.e. in bigger packages) parts, but there is a radio 379 shack in just about any town I was ever in. By the way, their repair 380 shop sucks, but it is fast. A trash 80 can be fixed quicker than any 381 other brand. 382 *************************** a RS fan ******************************** 383 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Whats wrong with a parts cabinet with several hundred 384 resistors, pin-outs, PC boards, etc so that the sales person can just sell you 385 one item for 1cent or whatever and to hell with the wasteful packaging. 386 As stated elsewhere here all that plastic just ends up in the trash can. 387 Having worked in auto parts stores for many years I know that the 388 one item sales work. Think about having to buy two mufflers or valve cover 389 gaskets just because they are packaged that way. After all gaskets are just as 390 fragile if not mor so than electronic parts and some almost as small. When I 391 buy something it makes me mad As hell to have to pay 30cents for a 1cent item 392 all because of that damn package. It's like paying $35.00 for a pair of pants 393 and then having to walk around advertising the maker on your Butt, (come to 394 think of it that's where their name belongs)! 395 .................................................. 396 I HAVE SOME NEWS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO TAKE OFFENSE 397 AT RADIO SHACK'S NAME AND ADDRESS POLICY... THE 398 SALES PEOPLE DON'T PARTICULARLY GO FOR IT EITHER. 399 sOMEONE STATED A NUMBER OF LINES AGO THAT SALES 400 PEOPLE HAVE SOME KIND OF INCENTIVE TO PESTER NAMES 401 AND ADDRESSES OUT OF CUSTOMERS... THIS IS NOT SO. 402 thERE ISN'T ANY OTHER REASON THAN "JUST COMPANY 403 POLICY" EXCEPT THAT THE DISTRICT MANAGER GETS UPSE 404 WHEN LESS THAN 80% OF THE SALES TICKETS COME IN 405 WITH NAMES/ADDRESSES. AS A RADIO SHACK EMPLOYEE, 406 I FEEL THAT NAMES/ADDRESSES ARE NONE OF TANDY'S 407 DAMN BUSINESS. FOR ONE THING, SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT 408 WANT TO BE PLACED ON THE MAILING LIST, BUT DON'T 409 REALIZE THAT'S WHAT THE N&A STUFF IS FOR. THE 410 BETTER WAY TO HANDLE IT WOULD BE TO ASK THE CUS- 411 TOMER IF HE/SHE WANTED TO BE ON THE LIST, AND GO 412 ACCORDINGLY. IN FACT, MANY TIMES I WRITE "CASH" 413 INSTEAD OF ASKING FOR N&A JUST BECAUSE I DON'T 414 THINK THE CUSTOMER WOULD APPRECIATE BEING BOTHERED 415 BY IT. MANY PEOPLE FEEL THAT ALL RADIO SHACK EM- 416 PLOYEES ARE TOTAL MORONS WH KNOW NOTHING ELSE BUT 417 HOW TO TURN THE STEREOS ON. GRANTED, A LOT OF THE 418 RADIO SHACK PEOPLE IN PORTLAND ARE MORONS, BUT 419 THERE ARE ALWAYS A FEW WHO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALK- 420 ING ABOUT, AND REALLY TRY TO HELP THE CUSTOMER. 421 I HAVE CONCLUDED IT'S THE MORONS WHO PUSH HARD FOR 422 N&A, AND WE NORMAL ONES WHO TRY TO BE DECENT ABOUT 423 IT. 424 WANT TO HEAR MORE? I THINK THE PLASTIC BUBBLE 425 PACKAGING SHIT REALLY SUCKS. IT'S REALLY PRETTY 426 STUPID TO FORCE THE CUSTOMER TO BUY 25 DIODES FOR 427 $1.98 WHEN THEY ONLY NEED 1, AND COULD GET IT FOR 428 A PENNY OR TWO SOMEWHERE ELSE. ONE OTHER THING 429 THAT I CAN'T STAND IS THAT MANY THINGS COME IN 430 "ASSORTMENTS" OF VARIOUS SIZES IN ONE PACKAGE. sO 431 IF YOU WANT 25 OF THE SAME THING, YOU HAVE TO BUY 432 TEN THOUSAND PACKAGES. I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND WHY 433 "WE" (MEANING R/S) DON'T HAVE SOMETHING LIKE A 434 PARTS BARREL, WHERE ONE COULD REACH IN AND PULL 435 OUT ONE OR TWO OF WHATEVER HE/SHE HAPPENS TO NEED. 436 I COULD GO ON AND GRIPE FOREVER ABOUT TANDY 437 POLICIES... OVERPRICING (400% ON PHONE STUFF!!), 438 THE N&A ROUTINE, ETC., BUT I BETTER NOT. I JUST 439 WANTED TO GIVE THE VIEW FROM "THE OTHER SIDE OF 440 THE FENCE" AND SAY THAT R/S PEOPLE DON'T 441 PARTICULARLY LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON EITHER; 442 BUT, EVERYONE HAS TO WORK SOMEWHERE... 443 A R/S SALESMAN 444 R/S CUSTOMER FOR 10 YEARS 445 TRASH-80 OWNER (BOUGHT BEFORE I BECAME 446 AN R/S EMPLOYEE) 447 448 BY THE WAY... ALL THE EXTRA GIZMOS 449 I HAVE HUNG ONTO MY TRS-80 ARE NON-RADIO 450 SHACK STUFF. TANDY'S BASIC COMPUTER IS 451 VERY NICE, BUT THE PERIPHERALS, WELL... 452 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 453 To The previous message: 454 455 Sure would like to meet you. You sound like a p 456 person Who's got his head on straight! Too bad 457 you are in such a small minotity as to R/S people. 458 I have asked to have the ticket on my purchases 459 marked cash and they usually write REFUSED 460 on it. I too, have written to Tandy about their 461 policies and asked to be removed from their mailin 462 g list. Alas, in spite of postal regulations I am 463 still getting all that junk in my mail. 464 465 Greetings: 466 Speaking as a FORMER employe of Ye Byte Shoppe, I would like to make 467 a few points. There is absolutly no connection between any Byte Shop any 468 where and BYTE Magazine. There is absolutly no connection between the 469 local Byte Shops and Byte Shops in other cities. Also, say what you will 470 about the way they do business, but you must admit that they are still in 471 business after six plus years. (the path to success is paved with the star- 472 ving bodies of salesmen....) Yes, the salesmen are on commission. Yes they 473 take one look at you and think !SALE! or [waste of time]. If you where on 474 this merry-go-round, you would think that way too. And yes, it gripes me 475 like hell to be treated like a dummy in a building I worked in for five 476 years. 477 If you think you can do better, try it. I am. 478 479 A Former Inmate. 480 481 *************************************************************************** 482 Two comments: 483 1) packaging at Radio Shack -- the reason for the plasic 484 packaging is to give the customer a fresh product, 485 not a shop-worn and defective item. Also handling just one low- 486 cost item is very expensive in terms of manpower and many customers 487 prefer self-service. 488 Like it or not, I'm afraid that the ecomomics of the situation dictate that 489 the packaging will continue. 490 491 2)The Byte Shops -- we recently did business with a Byte Shop and also 492 with a Business Machine retailer. I can garantee you that the Byte Shops do 493 NOT!!! 494 know how to deal with business people. The item we purchased from the business 495 machine people was half the price of the item from the Byte Shop, yet we 496 got (and continue to get) 10 times the service -- the Byte Shop's idea of 497 a quick respons is six months (if you call them every day). 498 The Business Machine people (REMTEK) realize that if the equipment works 499 for us, that we will return and buy more and more product!!!!!!!! 500 The Byte Shop is geared for the first-time sucker and the cornered market. 501 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 502 Having only been in a B.S. twice (I gave them a second chance), 503 I can only agree with the many adverse comments. However, 504 they must be doing SOMETHING right (God only knows what!), 505 or they wouldn't still be in business. 506 ............................................................. 507 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 508 Some helpful? info for computerists: 509 1 Before you spend a red cent, read and investigate all the equipment info 510 you can get your hands on. 511 2 Don't expect any salesperson to be able to answer your questions above the 512 "How much is it"! 513 3 Find a knoweledgesble technician to answer your inquiries. 514 4 Pay him/her if necessary, that is money well spent. 515 5 Continue to complain any way you can, pass the word to others, if we all do 516 this I'm sure the message will come through loud and clear! 517 6 When in a store with a modem set up, dial this # try to have the person there 518 read the entire ramblings from list down! 519 520 Hope all you out there are up to this challange. 521 522 signed: 523 Been there and back. 524 525 526 **************************************************************** 527 I would do the last one, except I plan never to enter another 528 BYTE SHOP again (If I can help it.) 529 530 531 DBBS SYSOP 532 **** ***** 533 534 Well Radio Shack sure gets a lot of attention. I have been a customer 535 of Radio Shacks for over 15 years. Let me tell you they are a hell 536 of alot better at sales and follow through than any one else I 537 have dealt with. A majority of the sales people DO know more than how 538 to turn the stereo on, as was so eliquently stated before. The problem 539 with people who complain is thaty they only remember the bad things, not 540 the good things. They don't remember when they needed that crazy 541 part at 8:00 PM, and could run over to the local RS and get in 542 and out in a couple minutes. This has happened to me more than once, and 543 I thank heaven for RS when I make one of those desparation runs. Oh sure 544 there are bad stores, but every large family has bad eggs. Tandy has 545 a cleaner nest than most other corporations. I go to RS all the time, 546 and I have bought everything from computers to intercomes to power supply 547 parts to transistors to books. I have never been sorry I bought anything 548 from them. I have never seen this "poor quality" stuff some poor misguided 549 soul yelled about. If enything ever went wrong with something, a 550 run down to the store would yield me a replacement, or a quick return 551 on my original. I make friends with the local RS manager, treat him like 552 a human being, and he returns the favor. Bread cast apon the water returns 553 tenfold...The local manager has done me all kinds of favors, including 554 taking personal time to run something from another store, and special 555 order parts for me. It is a good business relationship. People who gripe 556 about RS are a dime a dozen. They know what they are doing, obviously. 557 ############################################^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^To the above: 558 Some people cast their bread upon the water and it comes back Chocolate cake 559 I usually cast mine and it comes back soggy! I'm probably not alone. 560 TO THE ABOVE... 561 MAYBE YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO CAST RIGHT. GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELPS THEMSELVES. 562 MAYBE I DO IT RIGHT 563 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^"GOD" has nothing to do with anything. You seem to forget 564 that you are dealing with 'human beings' If god had invented computers there 565 would be linefeeds, godubs, mid