Comtrol

[Super user]

In article <1991Feb5.152919.7614 at ns.network.com> robp at gumby.network.com (Rob Peglar) writes:
>
>I am posting this as a warning to those of you who previously have or
>are considering purchasing products from Comtrol Corporation.  This article
>is being cross-posted.  The entire article represents the opinion
>of the author only and not any other person or organization.  If you don't
>know about the multiport serial market and/or Comtrol, just hit "n" now.
>
>This is a very sad story.  The year 1990 was a very tumultuous one for
>Comtrol.

Although there are a lot of companies selling serial port cards it seems
like there's less and less 'serious' contenders, at least in the intelligent
Unix I/O marketplace. At At Uniforum, I remember Digiboard, Arnet, Specialix,
Stallion, Stargate,Chase,  Comtrol, and Intellicon. I couldn't find Computone's booth. 

Though they were there.

>As I said, the first strategy was working out.  However - the second was
>not, and between it and one heckuva bad decision by the GM of Comtrol
>during the spring of 1990 led Comtrol on an ugly downward balance sheet
>spiral.  

Rob, I think we all noticed that Comtrol was really doing some neat stuff.
Comtrol was the first serial board company in the US I think and recently the
In 1990, I noticed a lot of new products from Comtrol (including rumours of
a Comtrol board running 38.4K baud full duplex, no degredation (or close to
it. The marketing in Unix World was spiffy. We knew we had a company to watch. 
>
>new products are "there" - but there is hardly anyone left to continue.  In
>no way can the current staff maintain the 1990 pace.  Comtrol is certain to
>revert back to its "sleepy" posture in the market.  The R&D engine was gutted.
>To continue the automobile analogy, the car is now coasting.  1990's rapid
>acceleration is now lost; the car will slow down.  It may take a few months,
>but it is inevitable.  Comtrol is still in the red, according to internal
>sources.  

Sorry to hear that and about the layoffs. I was at Arnet and they've had big
turnover too. Sometimes people don't realize how important jobs are to people.
For instance, I heard one ex-manager refer to her layoff as "the closest thing
to a death in the family.". We had a good team at Arnet, too. We still stay
in touch, too. We're good friends from having worked 8-12 hours a day with
each other for a couple years. Even though we may work for competitors now, we
still are great friends.

>From a customer point of view, I would heartily recommend products and
>services from either DigiBoard, Equinox, or (esp. internationally) Specialix Ltd.  All have proven themselves to have directors that realize the value of
>employees and know how to run a business.  In fact, Digi stock has recently
>soared;  they are splitting 2 for 1 (in the form of a dividend);  their
>revenues are up 71 % for the most recent FY quarter relative to last years'
>same quarter.  There is talk of Digi buying Arnet.  This is not an accident.

The Nashville paper said Digi buying Arnet was a done deal. Interesting story
how Terry Neu of Chase Research verified the rumours. He called Digiboard and
asked to speak to Gary Deaner. "He's not in the office". so Terry called Arnet.
"Is Gary Deaner there??" asked Terry. "Just a moment..." the receptionist said,
and put Gary on the line. "Just wanted to check if the rumours were true,"
said Terry. "I guess they are." .

>People like Gene Olson at Digi, John Pettit at Specialix, and Craig "Wolf"
>Kozel at Equinox are fine people.  They won't steer you wrong.  In contrast,
>hear a (paraphrased) quote from a current Comtrol employee about the Comtrol
>GM:  "every time I talk to (him/her), I feel like I'm getting the big run-
>around".  If this happens with employees, what about you, the customer?

Thank you for recommending our product, and thanks for the kinds words.I
think a posting like this about your ex-employer takes a lot of courage.
Everybody advises you NOT to do it. A co-worker of mine at Arnet, John,
did something similar--he sent inflammatory email about the leadership
of the company to everyone in the company. It was terrible, really 
nasty stuff. (Though he did make some really good points.). I remember
one: "We (arnet) say that we're number 1 in the Industry. What are we
number 1 in? Not in sales, new products, or performance. We base it on
a 1987 InfoWorld Review of boards. Isn't that like the Chicago Bears calling
themselves World Champions???". John's letter set a record for being fax'ed
to ex-employee's. An Engineer chastises John and said "He shouldn't have
done it, because you never know...he might want to work here again someday...".
When I told John that, he said something like "Never in a billion years
would I work there again" --actually his language was probably stronger.
And people who didn't really know John while he worked at Arnet, respected
him for saying some of the things they wish they could have said. 

A few months ago, I got into an argument with a friend. He said it
was "good business to lie to customers". I disagreed, and quoted Abe
Lincoln in "You can't fool all the people all the time...". He responded
by "Who cares about the long-term? If I make a couple million in a 
year or two, retire to Bimini!".  "Or wind up, like Jim Baker" I said,
"in prison for forty years with your cellmate being 'Rollo, the Mad Dog
Rapist`.

>Don't get me wrong, now.  The people that are left, for the most part,
>at Comtrol are wonderful.  I especially want to tribute the remaining engineering
>
>-- 
>Rob Peglar			Network Systems Corporation
>Internetwork Group		7600 Boone Avenue North
>robp at anubis.network.com		Minneapolis MN 55428	(612)424-4888 x1028

Best of luck in your new endeavors, Rob...

Regards,
Craig "Wolf" Kozel

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Subject: Re: Comtrol
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