Rod, at 06:12 on Apr 02 1996, you wrote to Bill Grimsley...

BG> so unless you specifically wanted to buy a Rockwell-based
BG> V.34, there's no real reason to hang off any longer IMO.

RS> Cant agree with that either. Yes, the current Courier is useable
RS> enough. BUT its still obscenely overpriced, and I really would
RS> like to have a decent external continuous status display too,
RS> particularly with modern V34 modems which may well be changing
RS> their speed and stuff on the fly in most real live sessions.

Not everybody sits with their eyes glued to their modems though Rod.  The
whole point of V.34 is that it's pretty much automatic and should
continually adjust itself for the best possible throughput, so I can't see
any real need to be monitoring the connect at all, not like with say
V.32bis or V.FC.

RS> I cant get within a bulls roar of justifying a V34 on the
RS> saving on phone call costs. And a Courier would buy a 2GB
RS> hard drive too with plenty left over for a CDROM as well.

Who needs to justify it?  I thought people bought the latest hardware these
days simply because it IS, and for no other reason.  In fact, you're the
one who generally goes on about other people's mediaeval hardware, aren't
you?

RS> My problem with Netcon is more their obscene ripoff charges for
RS> fixes outside warrantee and they have FAR too any new models as well.

Don't they have 4 years warranty now though (or is it 5) ?

RS> They can play silly buggers proclaiming that you have to buy an upgrade to
RS> the new model far too much for my taste tho. Fuck them, I am a great 
RS> believer in punishing obscene business practice by withdrawing my cash.

Exactly.  I'll sure as hell never buy another NetComm.

RS> I expect to see Netcon go down the tubes any day because I wont buy one of 
RS> their V34 modems |-)

Don't worry, people lke Paul will probably keep them afloat...

BG> It's only Paul's rabid insistence upon using only Austel approved
BG> modems which is why the Courier would cost him $200 more than the M34F.

RS> Nope.

Yep.  He could just as easily have bought a US/Canada Courier on their
sysop deal for US$249 if he wanted.

BG> I presume that like me, when the time comes you will be buying from
BG> the US anyway.  At US$249 for my Courier, I'm expecting to pay no more
BG> than A$450-odd, freight and sales tax paid, delivered to my front door.

RS> Oh come on Bill, these figures are completely bogus. Thats the
RS> tradin price, and they havent even delivered after a full year
RS> of bullshit. A landed price for an external would be over A$700.

Retail from a dealer, sure.  But there's nothing bogus about those figures,
as that's exactly what I'll be paying for mine.  If I qualify for the
trade-in price, I'd be a fool not to take advantage of it.

BG> Not being a sysop, I can't even buy an M34F for that price locally!

RS> Well, its not hard to satisfy Netcon on sysop pricing,
RS> thats one of the few things in Netcons favour.

It is if you're not a sysop.

Regards, Bill

--- Msgedsq/2 3.20