Var Tech and other 3b1 vendors

Fri Mar 3 17:44:29 AEST 1989

Many thanks to the people who responded to my request for information
about Var-Tech.  Since I got some mail from others who were
interested, I guess I'll post the info.

Var-Tech's number is 312 810 1777; the guy handling the 7300's is
Steve.

The deal they are offering is a 7300, 1 meg/20 meg, for "about $650,"
with a 30 day warranty.  They seem to put together a customer list,
and then order (uncrate, whatever) a batch of 100-200 machines, and
then sell them off.  They took my name, phone no., etc., and put me on
the list; they take your money when the machines are in.  I'll post
the firm price as soon as I hear from them.

Steve said they set them up and test them for a day or so before they
ship them, which is encouraging.  Reports from other Var-Tech
customers was mostly positive.  There was one guy whose machine did a
melt down; he got a replacement, but it took a while.  (They don't
always have machines in stock!)

On a related note, I just got a price list from DDS (now Discovery
Electronics), dated Feb. 6.  (The prices seem about the same as I was
quoted in a call, last week.)  Some prices of interest:

	62meg/1meg & Unix 3.51		$1,595
	42meg/1meg & Unix 3.51		$1,295
	20meg/.5meg & Unix 2.0		  $649
	10meg/.5meg & Unix 2.0		  $495

	1/2 meg memory board		  $175
	2 meg memory board		$1,095
	2 port combo card with 0 meg	  $395
	2 port combo card with .5 meg	  $549

	7300 keyboard & mouse		   $30
	2 monitors in a box		   $50

I just got the combo card with 0 meg; it comes socketed for easy
addition of RAM.  I also got an extra keyboard and 2 monitors.  (Ok,
well, I *like* the monitor...)  AT $175 I've just got to order the 1/2
meg card; if I can't hack it to work on the bus with the combo card,
maybe I'll just give it to alex 8^).

They do have a $100 minimum order.  They also have Hard Disk upgrades,
and some interesting prices on fast modems.  Their Unix utilities seem
a bit...list, at $495, but with emacs, gcc, etc., floating around,
you'd never miss them.  I got my utilities from TRC, in CA (now
called...something else), for around $350, but that was a year
ago.

Actually, I've had pretty good luck with vendors.  I even squeezed a
hardware manual out of Convergent, in their pre-UniCyst days, but that
was wierd; it took 4 or 5 cycles of phone tag (but they *always* called
back) before they shipped it out, COD, even!

Note:  I have no relationship with any of the above companies, except
as a satisfied customer.  Prices, etc., are posted because many people
are interested in these things!

>From mvadh%cbnews%att at research.att.com Thu Feb 23 08:19:18 1989
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To: motteler at umbc3.UMBC.EDU
Subject: Re: Var-Tec
Newsgroups: comp.sys.att,unix-pc.general
In-Reply-To: <1691 at umbc3.UMBC.EDU>
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Date: 23 Feb 89 07:46:30 EST (Thu)
From: mvadh at cbnews.ATT.COM (andrew.d.hay)
Status: RO

In article <1691 at umbc3.UMBC.EDU> you write:
"A month or so ago someone posted a message saying these guys were
"selling 7300's, with a low price and a short warranty.
"
"Does anyone have their phone number?  All I have is a UUCP
"path that starts from some AT&T office...
"
"If anyone has delt with Var-Tec, or has any further info, I'd be
"very interested.

what's the path?
i'm interested in what they might have, and maybe i can figure out how
to massage the path for your use...

-- 
Andrew Hay		+------------------------------------------------------+
Apprentice Polymath	| Yes, the wages of sin ARE death, but after they take |
AT&T-BL Ward Hill MA	| taxes out, it's kind of a tired feeling really       |
mvuxq.att.com!adh	+------------------------------------------------------+
---
Andrew Hay		+------------------------------------------------------+
Apprentice Polymath	| Yes, the wages of sin ARE death, but after they take |
AT&T-BL Ward Hill MA	| taxes out, it's kind of a tired feeling really       |
mvuxq.att.com!adh	+------------------------------------------------------+

>From lgm%ihlpf%att at research.att.com Thu Feb 23 12:53:44 1989
Date: Thu, 23 Feb  08:49:28 1989
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To: att!umbc3.umbc.edu!motteler
Subject: Re: Var-Tec
In-Reply-To: your article <1691 at umbc3.UMBC.EDU>
Status: RO

> Does anyone have their phone number?  All I have is a UUCP
> path that starts from some AT&T office...

They're in Lisle, Illinois, in the 312 area code.  Ask for their
number from long distance information: (312) 555-1212.  [I don't
have a phone book with me.]

> If anyone has delt with Var-Tec, or has any further info, I'd be
> very interested.

I bought my 3B1 Computer (2 MB of RAM, 67-MB hard disk) from
Vartech.  I haven't dealt with them since, because I have had no
problems.  They seem decent and straightforward.

	Lawrence G. Mayka
	AT&T Bell Laboratories
	lgm at ihlpf.att.com

>From fmcgee%cuuxb%cuuxf%att at research.att.com Fri Feb 24 13:53:46 1989
Date: Fri, 24 Feb  09:54:35 1989
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Subject: Var Tec
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Status: R

Don't know if it's the same place, but I know of a VAR known as Vartech
that's located near here (Lisle, IL) which is outside Chicago.  They
may still have some 3b1's.  Their number is (312) 810 - 1777.

This shouldn't be considered as an endorsement, but I know of several
people that have dealt with them on a few occasions with no problems.

Also, I saw several ads for 3b1's in this months Unix World, but they
were kind of pricey.

Good Luck,

Frank McGee
attmail!fmcgee

>From uunet!swbatl!sw1a7!rcb Mon Feb 27 12:32:06 1989
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From: uunet!sw1a7!rcb
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To: umbc3!motteler
Subject: VarTech
Status: R

     I purchased my AT&T 3B1 from VarTech in Aurora, Il. in July, 1987.
It was sort of mail order, although I had no catalog.  Another
fellow at work heard that the had a good reputation in the
Chicago area, so we phoned in our orders and they shipped to St. Louis.
The fan in mine died after eight days and the case of the machine melted
down.  I was reluctant to accept repair on a machine that had
experienced that kink of heat stress.  I called them and explained
the problem.  They promised to take care of it, but they were
temporarily out of stock.  In September they finally said that
they had received more and would ship immediately.  Since the
original took about five days to reach St. Louis, I waited and when
the machine did not arrive, I called.  This happened about 
four times, each with a slightly different excuse as to why
they hadn't shipped.  Then they said that I would have to have
the original repaired.  I let them know what I thought of that
suggestion and their ethics.  I did receive the replacement machine
and they took the original one back, but it was painful.  Also
they originally shipped the 3.50 Foudation set and the 3.51 Development
set.  They promised me and another fellow here that they would
correct that and send the 3.51 foundation as they should have.
I never received the 3.51 and the other fellow didn't either.

			[1mRay Bretthauer[0m
			sw1a7!rcb

-- 
Howard E. Motteler       |  Dept. of Computer Science
motteler at umbc3.umbc.edu  |  UMBC, Catonsville, MD 21228