There was a time, many moons ago, in the City of Chief Seattle, The Seattle Times [yesterday's news tomorrow (and, yes, they have HP 3000)] reported that Hewlett Packard contributed $250,000 of computers to the University of Washington.

This is the best of all worlds for HP, for, they can deduct it as a charitable contribution [to a land grant university which owns much of downtown] and, if all works well, when those graduates become VPs and *those who make decisions* in *BIG* corporations, they will think first of that computer they used at the University, and press the people who they manage to get one [or several] like it.

Better than that, HP can volunteer to teach computer classes for the computers they just contributed, allowing more deductions and putting the computer system in the best possible light for the generation of corporate managers to come.

>>> John Backus <[log in to unmask]> 08/18 7:30 AM >>>
It may be dreaming and it may be pie in the sky, but sometimes you just got
to get off your but and do something!

I like the idea of contributing to a charity too, such as school systems,
but...
if money could be contributed to educational facilities, which ones? at what
level? and how would one control the use of them?  Would they actually be
utilized for teaching students and would they learn about the HPe3000,
MPE/iX, Image, etc.?  A targeted, purposeful advertisement in the WSJ at the
time of HPWORLD does not involve such additional issues.

The saying goes, 'the journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single
step'.  I don't think we are stepping into dodo here.  The goal to raise the
awareness level (at a high level) of the HPe3000's value is a good one.
What will this all achieve?  Who can say for sure.  It is a risk.  To do
nothing though will result in nothing, nada.

I am choosing to be a part of this.  'If I sleep, will I dream?' -HAL from
2001 A Space Odyssey (I think.)

Now, back to work!  (Thank you Mike.)

John Backus
beechglen.com (My opinions only, insert standard disclaimer here :)