Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!uunet!spool.mu.edu!mixcom.com!Clint.Laskowski
From: Clint.Laskowski <Clint.Laskowski@mixcom.mixcom.com>
Subject: COMMERCIAL ROBOT SUPPORT
Organization: Milwaukee Internet Xchange BBS, Milwaukee, WI U.S.A.
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1993 12:50:32 GMT
Message-ID: <1993Mar11.125032.19650@mixcom.com>
References: <1ndhfkINNqb3@life.ai.mit.edu> <carr.731792505@tera>
Sender: jjwwjj@mixcom.com (Clint Laskowski)
Lines: 65

In <carr.731792505@tera> carr@tera.cs.umn.edu (Christopher L. Carr) writes:

>This is great.  Let me drop a few drops
>of rain on the parade.  If support bothers
>you so much, (costs too much for your
>company) then form a nonprofit company
>to distribute the robot, then you will
>have volunteers to help support it.

>Think about it.  Why should you get 
>volunteers to help you make money?

>Why not just ask those of us on the net
>to send you some cash?

>Chris

I think the tone in this message is
a little excessive. Many companies
with technical products rely heavily
on experienced users to support less-
experienced users. Look at DEC and
Apple, they promte their user groups
quite a bit in all their literature.
Consequently, user groups like BMUG
(a Berkeley, CA based Mac users group)
are condsidered important support 
assets for the vendors.

I for one support Joseph Jones because
he has realized the market needs a 
product (desperately!), and that he
can deliver it, but he may not be able
to support it properly (he even told us
why -- robots cover to many disciplines
to staff a full competent support group).

So hey, come on. The market needs this
product (I want one!), let's encourage
Joseph Jones and Anita Flynn, not
flame them.

I for one will be glad to provide
support for users of the "Robot Book."

And besides, no one said you couldn't
create a technical support service and
charge for it (it is more a question of
will someone pay a person with an
attitude like yours! -- oops a flame!).

- Clint



>--
>Chris Carr
>****************************************************************************
>carr@cs.umn.edu
-- 
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CLINT LASKOWSKI                                           Home:  (414) 571-0739
435 Southtowne Drive, Apt. J-202                    Voice Mail:  (414) 778-7675
South Milwaukee, Wisconsin  53172          Internet: clint.laskowski@mixcom.com
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