Doug writes:

> It's great that AICS feels the need to give back to the HP community but
> lets get serious for a moment.  It's free that's good right?  Well
> maybe..... MiniSoft 92 installed in over 6,000 HP3000 sites sells for as
> little as $59.00/copy (educational/non-profit pricing) or $79.00/copy (for
> the rest of us) over here in the U.S. and we feature a toll-free 800 number
> for support (works from anywhere in the world) included with the license.
> One or two support calls to AICS long distance (assuming you can get a hold
> of them) and you have burned up the savings, especially from South Africa.

Hmm...the only vendor I've ever called where I've reached a human every
time I've called is........AICS

And, that's been via one of the easiest toll-free numbers for me to remember:

   800 AICS INC

(The other "easiest" one?  1-800-ANSWERS)

Sadly, we couldn't get 1-800-ALLEGRO :(


It's nice to hear that Minisoft has a toll-free 800 number (aren't they all?),
that "works from anywhere in the world"...but I'm a little dubious.

I'm somewhat familiar with the state of world-wide "800" lines ... and the
one thing I've found is that they don't work from "anywhere in the world".
If you're lucky, you'll get coverage from 90 to 95% of where most
business travellers go ... but even then, it will be with a myriad of
local "800" number equivalents.  (Check out an Adager ad to see this...
they've had 800-LDD-REGO for years, but the international toll-free numbers vary
country by country)

Still...Doug's point is a good one: Minisoft has toll-free access from more
places than AICS does.

--
Stan (still hoping the world will standardize on a phone number format) Sieler