David, at 14:47 on Jun 01 1996, you wrote to Bill Grimsley...

db>> With programmers from MBE writing the controller/DSP code?  :-)
BG> Shit no!  I'd learn C++ and write my own in that case...

db> My point exactly - USR modems would no longer be as good as they were 
db> previously if they replaced the programmers with idiots.

Sure, no argument with that at all, although I am rather curious as to why
you used the past tense above.  Waddya mean "were previously" ? 
:)

db>> what a heap of shit, and I couldn't bring myself to tell the guy.
BG> Jeeze, I sure would have.  :)

db> It's political - the braindead "Computer Shop" in the same
Division sells 
db> the bloody things to equally braindead users, then poor me (Communications) 
db> has to help support 'em;

Yeah, I know the feeling well.  I used to do much the same thing with those
disgraceful TechnoVision VCRs that Chandlers imported and sold, and it was
all I could do to keep a straight face when somebody reckoned how bad they
were.

db> to tell the user that they've bought a dud would be the equivalent of 
db> sticking a pitch fork in my rear, which is not something I'm planning to do 
db> anytime soon.

Seems that even business ethics can be had for a price these days...

db> My alternative is to be somewhat more cagey about the whole thing .. I'm 
db> starting my devilishly cunnin' plan next week, so we'll see how it works 
db> out.  ;-)

I found that a degree of tact worked wonders, such as saying to the
customer that "these are quite good VCRs when you consider their
price".  :)

BG> The TR-250 wasn't a bad modem in its day, but still way overpriced.

db> Agreed - which is why I stuck with the M5 (yeah, overpriced too - but not 
db> as much as the TR-250).

I think it was only in the last year or so that Marwick put his old TR-250
out to pasture too, and at V.32bis, they worked an absolute treat. 
Presumably your M5 was the 12kbps model, although I understand that around
50 or so full-on 14k4bps models accidentally found their way into general
release.

db> You've gotta admit, the rush of "Internet",
"Cyberwank" and "Disinformation 
db> Micropath" over the past couple of years has helped raise the
popularity of 
db> modems (and subsequently, drop their prices).

Yeah, they're finally getting down to around the prices they should have
been costing 5 bloody years ago.  Mind you, a new Courier costs around 1
week's salary these days, which is a far cry from the 5 week's that a
Telebit cost just 3 or 4 years ago!

Regards, Bill
@EOT:

--- MsgedSQ/2 3.30