Conference 7.286::digital

Looks like good news all around.  The 30-day moneyback guarantee isn't
exactly "new", unless they've dropped the $100 restocking fee.

				Steve

> * This is NOW a worldwide EPP program!
> 
> * And much more, CALL 1-800-EPP-1237, pick option #1 for
>   all the details!!!!
    
 Unless there's another phone number, these two bullets contradict each other.

> ANNOUNCING.....DIGITAL'S NEW EMPLOYEE PURCHASE PROGRAM!!!!!!

Another outsourcing effort, I see.
What's the going rate for a slightly-used employee this time?

    
    	What comes to mind is the continuing saga of having somebody else
    execute normal business functions for us which we cannot do *right* 
    ourselves.
    
    	And the heart of it is - why not?
    
    
    		the Greyhawk

    
    greyhawk this is Savoy 6,
    
      incoming..................................................
    
    1st sgt.

    
    bc -
    
    Glad to see you back. As you well know I like to send 'em out too.
    
    Whoop...........AIRBORNE
    
    
    	the Greyhawk

    Walkin' point has its hazards, doesn't it, Steve? :^]

Is this a U.S. only program?

Dave.

    
     RE: -1
    
     No Dave,
    
     Read the message it is a WORLDWIDE program, just call the 
     800 toll free number for further details :-)
    
     Mark.
           

for the benefit of those who think that the USA is the centre of the universe,
1-800-xxx-yyyy telingbone numbers are about as mush use as {insert own phrase
here}.

Seriously, toll free numbers (1-800...) are getting to be a real problem.
A very large part of the world cannot use them so all this misinformation is 
utterly useless. Some vendors do provide paper lists of offices in other
countries to call but many numbers obtained through the www are US only.
Perhaps www should be renamed usww, but I digress. 

Stephen D

           

> Perhaps www should be renamed usww, but I digress. 
    
    Yes, you do.

NOTE: I correctly predicted the change in EPP back in April!

         <<< HUMANE::DISK$CONFERENCES:[NOTES$LIBRARY]DIGITAL.NOTE;1 >>>
                        -< The Digital way of working >-
===============================================================================,
Note: 3796.20              hmmmm.. the PCBU has been sold?           20 of 28
STAR::JACOBI "Paul A. Jacobi - OpenVMS Developme     8 lines  10-APR-1995 12:56
                               -< EPP changes? >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Does the sale of DEC Direct effect the Employee Purchase Plan (EPP)? Is
    it possible that PCs Compleat may actually be able to provide a better
    price than EPP for PC systems?


                                                        -Paul

You don't yet know if the "better price" part is true, though even if it's
the same price, the additional warranty benefits are worth something.

				Steve

    
    re: .12
    
    	Paul,
    
    	You have now qualified for a vice-presidency. Good luck....
    
    
    		the Greyhawk

Paul Jacobi, VP of Predictions.

RE: .15

	With the sign on his desk that says "Well, I coulda told you that"

							mike

    Re: 1-800 numbers....Its just going to get more confusing since other
    countries are now catching on to the 1-800 craze. Free calls in
    Australia are now 1-800 numbers. I don't believe they are the same
    numbers as can be used in the US though (since the phone company always
    gives me a different number to call from the US). But if it isn't the
    same, then numbers listed in the www will be VERY confusing. If they do
    interwork between countries, then I'm impressed that the telcos are
    cooperating.
    
    caveat: One of the long-distance carriers in Australia, OPTUS, IS
    partially owned by US phone/long distance companies, so it might be
    something special they have worked out.
    
    Debbie
    

    
    I thought that should have been missed (not mis) Predictions;
    but I see someone else already has that title.
    
    bc
    
    Airborne

    re .16
    
    Or the sign that says...."Bad numbers will get you everytime"
    
    
    "Maverick, 3/4's of a mile, call the ball"
    "Err...Roger ball, Tomcat 4.2"

    Just got a "Digital PC @PCs Compleat" catalog.  There is indeed no
    restocking fee and they're the ones offering the unlimited technical
    support.  Also, shipping is just $19.95.
    
    				Steve

I am pleased to know that PCBU-Japan has a kind of sense of making money.

By EPP,I placed order(on April 19th) Hinote Ultra 475CT at 35% off. The PC came
on May 27th(good,delivery time became much shorter!) and ten days later,PCBU
had announced new models and 100,000 J-Yen price down to 528,000 for the model
(8MB/340MB)I bought!!

/Hiroshi


 

    RE. * This is NOW a worldwide EPP program!
    
    
    Well I've always thought that we all existed in the same "world" , but
    now I have to change my opinion :-(
    
    According to VTX EPP Purchase Information: (as of June 19)
    
    "EPP is considered a benefit available to U.S.  employees and retired
     U.S. employees."
    
     Regards,
    / H�kan Widman / Digital System Services / Stockholm / Sweden
    
    

The reason I asked if this was a U.S. only programme was because although .0
clearly states it's worldwide, everything else pointed to a U.S. centric
approach. I suspect that if this is a worldwide programme that .0 is the U.S.
area announcement and the rest of the world will get their area or subsidiary
specific announcement really soon.

Dave.

    re: 800 number service in non-U.S. countries ...
    
    Here in Singapore, the phone system now allows you to dial U.S. 800
    numbers via IDD (International Direct Dial). However, it is not a
    toll-free call, so you do get charged international connect rates.
    
    So, it's a plus if you need to call someone who hasn't published any
    non-800 numbers, but I certainly wouldn't recommend calling any tech
    support places that leave you hanging on the line for hours at a time.
    
    I suspect more countries will begin offering this service in the
    future, as many of the old regulations and tariffs that controlled
    international telecommunications get revamped or discarded. Even then,
    I don't expect international toll-free dialing to appear anytime soon.
    
    Geoff

    RE: .23
    
    Dave, it could mean "world" as in "World Series Baseball".
    
    Laurie.

    If you are within DEC, I believe there is a DTN you can dial to place
    800 calls into the US; used to be 223-1800, but I think its changed..
    
    Dave

    re Note 3949.20 by QUARK::LIONEL

>    Just got a "Digital PC @PCs Compleat" catalog.


    Steve,

    How did you get this catalog?  I just recieved a Digital PCatalog
    (Summer/Fall 1995) that says nothing about PCs Compleat and actually
    doesn't appear to have a telephone number one can call if they want to
    order something.

    -Bruce

Re: .27

I opened my mailbox at home and pulled it out.  I've been getting the
Digital PC catalog fairly regularly.  It is pretty much like the earlier
catalogs except that it has the PCs Compleat info and the newest products.
(I'm still scratching my head at the disk drive prices, though!  $800 for
a 1.2GB IDE drive which I can buy at a local store for under $400.)


I just called and was told:

	1.  The phone number for international callers is +1-508-460-8894

	2.  The discount is "about 20%", but not exactly.  The rep I spoke
	    with said she had been unable to figure out how the prices were
	    calculated, but it tends to be around 20% - except for Starion
	    systems which have lower margins so the discount is lower.

	3.  PC software with Digital part numbers is discounted 20%

	4.  Other PC software sold by PCs Compleat is cost+10%.

The rep I spoke with had been with Desktop Direct a long time and she was
very excited and enthusiastic about the change, saying it would be better
both for them and for their customers.  PCs Compleat has the infrastructure
needed to accurately track orders and predict delivery - Digital did not.
I think this is a good thing.

					Steve

     re. .26 Yep it says to call " Your local Reseller" Page 47 of the
    catalog gives a 1-800 # for InstaFacts Service to get a list via FAX.
    
    

    
    	What I do not understand is why the list was not published in the
    Catalog in the first place. Just a simple tearout would have been fine.
    
    	But on every page "For latest pricing, Call your local reseller"
    is borderline brain-dead.
    
    		the Greyhawk

    
    I still consider that I'm a DECie and Greyhawk just took the word right
    out of my mouth - The whole thing (for us 'outside' the real world) is
    brain-dead :-(
    
    Regards,
    H�kan Widman / Planet Earth
    

    Who can I speak to as regards finding out wether people in the UK
    participate in THIS scheme or have to wait for a local announcement?
    
    Greg (maybe this how Europe gets Starions) 

    Probably actually using VTX EPP and calling the person listed under
    EXPORT ISSUES would be a start.

    If you are having problems find out about your specific country (at
    least with COMPUSA), ask for the International Order Desk. It's at
    extension 5770.
    
    For Canada, I discovered that we can order at cost + 11%. The exchange
    varies and shipment is via DHL and is priced by weight. I'm waiting to
    get a catalog to see the prices.
    
    The Canadian order desk is manned by Steve who can be reached at
    1-800-332-9263 extension 5727.

    
    Not as good as is described...
    CompUSA discounts have been there for quite a while now...	
    I went to CompUSA a couple of months ago and the final price for an
    entry level Venturis 466 after all the wait time, discounts, etc, was
    around $1390.
    The sales person said "you will save around $170 if you buy it without
    using the Digital discount". He was correct, and I walked away quite
    embarrased...
    
    RO.
    
    
    

    Contact MKOTS3::TSCHOFIELD with EPP questions.  VTX EPP under General
    Information also lists two names for export issue, but this is probably
    customs issue not EPP per se.
    
    The deal with CompUSA has been cost+12% for some time.  As the last
    reply said, sometimes the marked price is below this, so you get which
    ever price is the best.  I recently ordered some cache chips and saved
    $5-10 each.  I asked about a price for MS Flight Simulator 5.1 ($39.95
    on CD) and was told this was below their cost.  I've seen it as high as
    $64.95 at 'the mall'.  The best part is that the pricing is for
    anything they sell so you get a bigger selection than under the
    previous program.
    
    Hopefully similar deals will be made with outlets closer to those of
    you that are not US residents.  In the mean time it looks like it will
    have to be shipped to you.

      I picked up Altec Lansing ACS-53 Multimedia speakers for $117 when 
    the sticker was tagged at either $169 or $179. Not a bad discount for
    just having to show your badge and make an appearance at the corporate
    counter.

>    The deal with CompUSA has been cost+12% for some time.  As the last
>    reply said, sometimes the marked price is below this, so you get which
>    ever price is the best.  

    The new EPP discount and the CompUSA in-store discount are not the
    same. Call EPP and you'll probably find the EPP price is better than
    the Compuserve in-store Digital discount. The EPP person I spoke to 
    answered all my questions and was very helpful (FAX'd a quote within 
    an hour).
    
    Some details on the new EPP discount:    
.28 
>I just called and was told:
>
>	1.  The phone number for international callers is +1-508-460-8894
>
>	2.  The discount is "about 20%", but not exactly.  The rep I spoke
>	    with said she had been unable to figure out how the prices were
>	    calculated, but it tends to be around 20% - except for Starion
>	    systems which have lower margins so the discount is lower.
>
>	3.  PC software with Digital part numbers is discounted 20%
>
>	4.  Other PC software sold by PCs Compleat is cost+10%.

    I was browsing in CompUSA yesterday and found that the most attractive
    Pentium system was our own Starion 700i (90 MHz Pentium, 8MB RAM, 256K
    cache, 1GB disk, quad-speed CD-ROM, modem for $1,900).  Out of curiosity,
    I asked about the Digital employee purchase price on the system.  I was
    told that the Digital EPP price was actually higher than the regular off-
    the-shelf price!  That was almost as surprising as the discovery that we
    have gone from overpriced PCs to ones that beat Compaq, NEC, and AT&T by
    hundreds of dollars worth of price or value!

    .39:
    
    A CompUSA store will only quote you the "Digital discount." The
    "Digital discount" is the lower of retail or cost + 12%. That is *not* 
    the EPP price.
    
    To get the EPP price, you need to call the EPP 800 (or direct dial) phone 
    number. I found the EPP price about $300 less than the retail price for 
    a Starion.
    
    Mike (waiting for catalog in mail)

    re: Note 3949.39 by SCHOOL::NEWTON "Thomas Newton"

>    I was browsing in CompUSA yesterday and found that the most attractive
>    Pentium system was our own Starion 700i (90 MHz Pentium, 8MB RAM, 256K
>    cache, 1GB disk, quad-speed CD-ROM, modem for $1,900).  

    I called DEC PC's by PC's Compleat(or whatever the official name is),
    told them I was a Digital Employee and asked for the price of the Starion
    700i.  The woman from PC's Compleat said $1691.33.  This is without a
    monitor.  If your price of $1900 is without a monitor, the EPP price is
    about 11% less than CompUSA.
    
    -Bruce
    
    btw: the DEC PC's by PC's Compleat number is 800-642-4532

    
    My wife was pricing systems at COMPUSA for a friend yesterday. I
    believe she said the 700 is selling for around 1800 (retail no
    discount). She said it was the best system in the store for the money.
    
    
    Pete
    

    I stopped by the CompUSA in Framingham last night, they have the 700i
    at $1899.97.  They didn't have any in stock.  They did have two 'as is'
    marked at 1699.97.  None of these prices include a monitor.  
    
    So PCs Compleat will give employees $208.64 off on the Starion 700i.
    
    -Bruce 

    
    Any idea on how to get the PC Compleat catalog ?!?
    
    Thanks,
    EG

    
    	1-800-642-4532 for those in the US, or with access to an 800#.
    Otherwise you can write PCs Compleat at 34 St. Martin Dr., Marlborough,
    MA 01752. Ask for the July 95 Issue which has the Starion packages
    also.
    
    
    			the Greyhawk

    
    Thanks !!!!
    
    EG
    

    I'm in the market for a HiNote or HiNote Ultra, and I stopped into the
    same CompUSA as did Bruce.  I saw a Starion, but when I asked the sales
    person where the Digital HiNotes were, he said that CompUSA didn't
    stock any.  He *did* say that I, as a Digital employee, could get any
    SW they sell on a cost +12% basis.  So I guess the EPP price is as good
    as it's gonna get.
    
    Anyone know whether one can get a better deal on any DEC (whoops, I
    mean DIGITAL) pc via financing thru DCU?  Methinks they've recovered
    sufficiently from their recent contretemps to warrant returning some
    business to 'em...?
    

>                He *did* say that I, as a Digital employee, could get any
>    SW they sell on a cost +12% basis.  
    
    ... thereby giving you the opportunity to pay *more* than the usual
    sticker price.
    
    
    12% over cost (as amply demonstrated in other notes) is a big win
    for small ticket items like cables, tapes, and CD-ROM caddies, a
    slight advantage with things like books, and generally a lose with
    things like software (esp. popular titles), printers, etc.

DCU does offer loans for Digital PC purchases.  Stop by your local branch or
call 800-DCU-8797.

Re: .48

I disagree - most of the software titles CompUSA sells are marked up
considerably more than 12%.  For example, I bought "Stacker 4 Multimedia"
there - their normal price was $99.95, but the employee discount brought it
down to $77 and change.  Accessory markups are even higher - I've gotten
discounts of 60% and more on some things.

					Steve

Re: .44

I got my PCs Compleat through their WWW homepage at

	http://www.ocm.com/pcscompleat/

-John

    .49> DCU does offer loans for Digital PC purchases.
    
    followup question:  Do you save any $ off the (already-discounted-for-
    DIGITAL-employee) price offered by PCs Compleat if you take out a loan
    from DCU?  
    
    (I think that No's the answer...)?
    

    re .49
    
    I guess I've been buying the wrong titles recently.

    Re: .51
    
    No.

    I called PC Compleat. There price for a 590 mini tower was $2,000 more
    than the quote I got for a NEC and the NEC had a color printer thrown
    in. This was at Circuit City.
    
    I then called CompUSA. He couldn't even get me a  price because We
    Digital are telling CompUSA that there are no more Pentium 90mhz
    systems available and that we won't be announcing a replacement product
    until August. This particular store had 50 on backorder that are
    already sold.
    
    Meanwhile I found a100mhz Acer with 16 MB, 1.3gig 4X CD, 15"mon, color
    printer and all the usual software they throw in for $2,999 at BEST
    BUY, so I guess that's what I'll end up with.
    
    I've bout DECmates, Rainbows and PC's under the EPP but I guess we're
    passed that now as well.
    
    Larry

I'm interested in purchasing a Starion 915i (100MHz Pentium, 8MB, 852MB disk, 
4xCDROM). The list price is $1,999. I checked with CompUSA and the PCBU and 
they were supposed to be in stores this week. There were lots of Digital
15" monitors for sale in the CompUSA store here in Rochester, NY; but no
systems to be found. There were tons of Packard Bell systems there, however.

I had to find the store's sales manager, who went and got his shipment
schedule and it showed ths Starion 915i arriving on 9/1. He then said that HP
systems were supposed to be there 8/8 and he's still waiting for them. He
wouldn't take an order for the Digital systems until he knew definitely when
they would be there (his allotment was 22 systems). He checked the pricing
right in front of me (they use an IBM AIX system for their internal business
systems, blecch!). Their price according to the screen he pulled up was $1,699
and my price would have been $1,903 vs. the $1,999 list. 

I also checked out my price for CoralDraw 5 which listed for $499.00, my price 
was $463.00.

I plan to call EPP/PCompleat to see if they can do any better.

regards,

Jim

    re: .55
    
    For an extra $100 (over your $1903 price), you can get the Starion 930
    through EPP/PCs Compleat.  The 930 has twice the memory (16MB) and a
    larger HD (1.2GB).  Also, if you're in NY, you'd save the sales tax by
    having it shipped from MA via PCs Compleat, which would compensate
    fully for the extra $100!  (OK, you'd have to pay $40-some for
    shipping).
    
    	Steve

    re:.55
    
    Corel 5 is available to employees directly from Corel for $99 plus $25
    shipping to the US.  However, they are currently out of stock, and I've
    been waiting over 8 weeks to get it.  For more info, see the bargains
    note in this conference.
    
    Ken
    

    OOPS!  make that the IBMPC notesfile.
    
    
    Ken
    

    Hmmm -
    
    So, what if I wanna buy a *real* PC, like a Celebris XL120 (Pentium 120,
    PCI machine) instead of one of those nasty Starions?
    
    jc

    If you want to buy a Celebris, get the GL, not the XL.  You call up
    PCs Compleat, if you can get through, and order one.  If you're lucky,
    you won't get the rude and incompetent "PC-BY-DEC" person who bungled my 
    Celebris order last fall.
    
    					Steve

    Thanks Steve - I've called twice and left voice mail...  no one has
    returned my call yet.  :-(
    
    Is DEC gonna lose a sale cuz someone won't return my phone call?
    jc

    I called EPP number at PCsCompleat last night at about 6:30est and got
    through with no wait.  The person I spoke with was very helpful I asked
    some questions on the Celebris GL.  The EPP price is around 15% less
    than the price in the catalog.  Only problem was they said they would
    not be getting the systems from Digital until Oct 9th.

    -Bruce

>    than the price in the catalog.  Only problem was they said they would
>    not be getting the systems from Digital until Oct 9th.

     only problem. yeah.

    
    	Another case of HiNoteitis.
    
    	DEC Mfg Guru to BOD "WE don't need no more stinkin' revenue this
    quarter, sell stock if you want cash".
    
    	This is only getting wierder and wierder...
    
    
    
    
    	"Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore"
    
    
    			the Greyhawk	

C'mon - this is a brand new model.  It's typical that it takes a month or so
after announcement for them to become available.

				Steve

Just in case anyone in Europe is interested in the EPP program, here is 
some complementary info :

o the 800 number can be dialed with DTN : 7-001-800-377-1237 (you may have 
to substitute the 7 with whatever other number your local prefix for DTN is

o the number is staffed on 24 hr. service (and it works !)

o a Starion 100MHz Pentium, 8MB RAM, 850 MB HD, Highspeed graphics board 
w/1MB4x speed CDROM, SB16, 14.4 Fax/modem board w/Windows '95 = $ 1618.-

o Shipping via UPS (2-3 day) was quoted for a system box at approx. $120.-

re .66

Calling U.S. 800 numbers may work from the Geneva office and some other places,
but it will not work from smaller offices.

This is discussed at length in the DTN conference.

/john

Re: 3949.66:

> o the 800 number can be dialed with DTN : 7-001-800-377-1237

From Sophia Antipolis: "Vous n'�tes pas autoris� ..."  Like the man says.
And we're hardly a small office.

Max, how soon you forget!  Ever since you returned to Geneva, the Home of
the Gods.

___Pete

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  <<< JETSAM::ENT:[NOTES$LIBRARY]DTN.NOTE;1 >>>
                      -< DTN - DIGITAL Telephone Network >-
================================================================================
Note 551.0      The new 800# note. Access to 800 services via DTN      5 replies
GVA02::BOWMAN "Mike BOWMAN, DTN 821-4767"            16 lines   4-APR-1995 05:06
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    It has been suggested that we have far too many different notes on the
    subject of access to 800# freephone services in the US, I fully agree.
    
    As the service was briefly withdrawn and is now again functional I have
    deleted all the old notes.
    
    Please use this new note for any subjects in connection with remote
    access to 800 services.
    
    Access is now being provided from European physical network sites,
    Canada and Mexico.
    
    The access method is to dial DTN 297-0800, wait for dial tone then dial
    the last seven digits of the 800 number.
    
    Mike
    

    re .69: Not from everywhere, as John pointed out. (It works in Munich,
    but you dial 7-001-xxxxxxx - in fact, it works for any US numbers, not
    just 800).
    
    Of course, if you have a suitable card, you can call US 800 numbers
    via operator, but that ain't cheap...
    

    Yes, the US 800 numbers can only be dialled from the 85 or so sites in
    Europe which are on the physical DTN. 297-0800 should work from all of
    them and some may support dialling the 10 digit international number
    which is routed over DTN.
    
    It is not possible to dial the US 800 numbers over the public switched
    network. Hopefully people know whether or not their particular location
    is on the physical DTN  but do they???
    
    Mike