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From: Terry Lambert <terry@lambert.org>
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.development.apps,comp.os.linux.development.system,comp.os.linux.x,comp.os.linux.hardware,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.unix.bsd.386bsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc,comp.unix.bsd.netbsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: Why to not buy Matrox Millennium
Date: Sat, 20 Apr 1996 15:55:03 -0700
Organization: Me
Lines: 119
Message-ID: <31796B47.5E7DCA65@lambert.org>
References: <3176AFE0.28146F7@lambert.org> <stephenkDq3B99.FDq@netcom.com> <31785BB6.99F81FD@lambert.org> <stephenkDq62u3.7En@netcom.com>
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Stephen Knilans wrote:
] Actually, FASTER DOES imply that it WORKS! If it is the
] fastest card on the planet, yet can't run your application,
] it isn't very fast afterall, now is it?
"The Concorde isn't the fastest commercial passenger aircraft
on the planet because I can't buy replacement parts at Checker
Auto Parts and it won't run on unleaded gasoline from a Circle
K gas pump".
] What an odd way of stating things. Yeah, and people actually
] bought YUGOS! SO? Gee, I wish every company that was bad went
] bankrupt! THEN, we wouldn't have such problems.
Clearly, your idea of "bad" and that of the free market at
larger differ greatly. You lose; there are more of them than
there are of you... you have been outvoted.
] BTW it does NOT come with drivers for BSD, LINUX, windows 97,
] dos 8, and perhaps not even for SCO!
It doesn't come with a 6 inch man in the box to connect up
your 15 pin VGA connector for you, either. What *is* your
point?
] >If you assume something, and then spend money on the basis
] >of your assumption, and your assumption was wrong in the
] >first place ("VGA means a generic driver will make the card
] >run", etc.), then you will suffer.
] >
] >Eventually you will learn not to make stupid assumptions.
]
] COME ON! YOU make assumptions! Do you know how I know? If
] you DIDN'T, you wouldn't even have a computer to use! Do you
] assume that a PC compatible computer runs PC software? Do
] you assume a pentium 100 is compatible with a pentium 90?
I don't make *stupid* assumptions, because I understand the
concept of a feedback loop and have the ability to generalize
based on past experience.
Please make a note of the distinction between "assumptions"
and "*stupid* assumptions". Consider your Matrox exprience
as the universe putting evoloutionary pressure on you to
evolve the capability to not make unfounded ("stupid")
assumptions. If you fail, the universe is then free to
squash you like a grape at its convenience.
] Should I REALL have to ask the salesperson "Is this register
] compatible with VGA?", or similar questions?
If you are buying the thing to poke at registers you need
to exist in the first place, >*YES*<. I won't implictly
agree that the registers you want to poke are VGA registers,
unless you can quote line items on the VGA standard requiring
them for all implementations claiming conformance.
] I'll tell you, MOST salespeople don't even understand the
] questions, and MANY lie!
Unfounded assumption #2:Salespersons understand what they sell
Unfounded assumption #3:Salespersona will tell the truth, even
though it might cost them a sale, because
they are there to server the public, not
to make as much commision as they possibly
can.
Stupid corrolary #1: A salesperson won't pretend to understand
a question and tell you what you want to
hear.
Stupid corrolary #2: It is safe to make purchase decisions
solely on the *assurances* of the person
selling what you are purchasing.
] I couldn't even get a person at a number listed in an IBM ad
] to answer questions about a particular card listed there (The
] ONLY item in the AD!)! To answer a SIMPLE question about an
] ADVERTISED attribute! I LATER found out that that was all
] HYPE! The card couldn't display 132 column, unless you used
] a driver which hadn't even been written yet. That driver was
] to use graphics mode! In OTHER words, they were advertising
] that their card could do something no other card could do
] (although ALL could), using a driver that they hadn't even
] written! NOW, should I have assumed? Luckily, I had ALREADY
] found that 80% of people asked about this particular feature
] LIE! Why should I have expected more from IBM?
So what are you saying here: that the universe isn't intrinsically
just? Or are you leading up to some profound statment about what
God would do about all of this if only here were inpossession of
all the facts that you have at your disposal?
This is the way things work.
I could explain advertising lead time, and ad preparation lead
time, and production of camera-ready PMT's, and then explain
software schedule slippage and Common Time Estimate Mistakes
Software Engineers Make...
But I have a feeling it would be lost on you, since you want
to impose moral restrictions on the way in which the universe
is allowed to operate.
[ ... irrelevant blossoming side discussions deleted ... ]
Terry Lambert
terry@lambert.org
---
Any opinions in this posting are my own and not those of my present
or previous employers.