To Jim Royce:
I will start out with my disclaimer that "These are definitely my own
opinions and not HP's". I cannot speak for pricing policies or the
actions of another HP employee, but I do feel that your posting
deserves a response. Also, before going any further, let me state that
HP does take customer satisfaction seriously and there are far more of
us that care than those that couldn't care less. There is also a
formal process called the Customer Feedback System to address customer
feedback, both negative and positive. If you wish, I will submit your
posting as it reads to the Customer Feedback System for review and
determination of proper process improvements. Or else, feel free to
email me privately(or to the list) of what you would like me to submit
to the Customer Feedback System team. Please let me know via email or
call me at 440-891-6427.
I would like, at this time, to address your original message and reply
to the few items that I can and that you were asking for:
>Forgive me for ranting to this list, but it doesn't seem to
>help ranting at our sale rep and I need to blow off some
>steam.
>Back in September 1997, I called HP to find out the price of
>the new 100Base-T Network Adapter (B5427AA) for the HP3000.
>We were given a verbal quote of $1,795.00 with Option 001.
>Now we're getting ready to order the 100Base-T card and I
>asked for a written quotation. When the quote arrived it
>mentioned that in addition to Option 001 there is an Option
>UAT (Unlimited user license) for $8,000.00!!!
Someone screwed up. Or else took you literally at your word and gave
you the price of the adapter without the forethought that the sofware
license would also be needed. In either case, IMO, it was an
incorrect way to respond to a customer request.
>The first rant is that there was no mention of this option
>back in September nor is there any mention of this option on
>the Technical Data sheet. (There was a post to this list
>about this option back in October 7, 1997, but I missed it).
The datasheet for the 100baseT adapter is severely lacking.
(Remember, these are my PERSONAL opinions!) Case in point, is the
verbage on the datasheet that "Configuration support is provided by
SAM, the System Administrator Manager." This, alone, caused me to run
from the room, hands flailing helplessly in the air. Also, the lack
of mentioning the software license is wrong.
>The biggest rant is that this very same card, with a
>different part number (A3495A), is available for the HP9000
>for the same price ($1,795.00), but (to my knowledge) does
>not require an Option UAT!
>If this truly is the case (please let me know asap if it's
>not true) then my third rant is that it seems to me that we
>have to keep on fighting the same battle over and over again
>to get the same software (remember NS, ARPA, and DCE) that
>is bundled into HP-UX to be part of MPE/iX FOS.
This is not quite correct. The HP9000 100Base-T adapter (A3495A)
requires the ordering of software license-to-use product J2759BA.
However, the pricing of the LTU is much lower on the HP9000 than it is
on the HP3000...I anticipate that would be your next question.
(Remember, I cannot address pricing policies. I am not involved in
that aspect of the business and do not know what criteria, etc. is
used) I only mention this to address the point that the HP9000 does
not have the 100Base-T drivers included in HP-UX.
>I'd like to end on a somewhat positive note thanking HP for
>planning to bundle Netscape FastTrack, Sambia/iX and DCE in
>MPE/iX 6.0. Now, can I get my money back for OpenMarket,
>NetWare/iX and DCE/3000? ;-)
I think the wink ;-) indicates no response is expected so I won't even
try.
Jim, there are times when even I don't know what else to say. I am
sorry for the experience you had and if you wish me to submit
something to the Customer Feedback System, please let me know.
Jon Broz
HP "El Nino abandoned us...it's snowing!" Cleveland
"Always my opinions...not HP's"
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