In <01bc6b53$cbe1ed10$2ceb1fcc@kitana> [log in to unmask] writes:

> Brian Duncombe (3k's webmaster) <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(minor note; Brian maintains the vendor directory which he posts to our
server... he's not to blame for any other content on www.3k.com or any of
our other web servers. :-) I designed and do most of the maintenance on
our www.3k.com server)

> > The offer still stands, if you would like a listing for your company and
> > that company can be construed to be a vendor in the HP community, send me
> > the information and I will make it happen.
>
> Brian, I agree -- the 3k website is one of the best HP-3000 sites on the
> web.
>
> I'll take you up on your offer.  I request you include a reference to the
> INTEREX consultant's list on your website.

That sounds like a good idea - though is there any possibility that Interex
will also link to Brian's list on our server? (Not likely I suspect...)

<pardon my soapbox>
I used to write a monthly column for Interact (for a little over a year)... I
finally stopped (mainly) because Interex viewed our (3k) web site as
"competition" (?!) because we were providing all kinds of HP3000 info "for
free" where Interex wanted to charge for it. Even to the point that they
started to refuse to put our URL (www.3k.com) in my bylines anymore! Which
irked me enough that I felt it was no longer worth the trouble to write for
them...

I thought the purpose of a "Users Group" was to HELP the users... How does
keeping a vendor directory that only lists vendors willing to pay (relatively
steep prices) for a listing help "inform" users of their vendor and product
choices? Compare the numbers - I counted about 120 vendors in Interex's jan
1997 vendor directory (and some of those aren't even HP3000 related)...
Compare that to over 500(?) now in the on-line directory Brian maintains. If
you're a user looking for a software/hardware solution, which directory
"helps" you more? As the phonebook ads say - more choices are better.

</soapbox>

             -Chris Bartram