Obtaining Vax instruction timings

[sbq at verdix.UUCP]

I had an interesting experience trying to obtain Vax performance
numbers and instruction/operand timings from DEC.  First I called the
local DEC sales office and was given an 800 number for literature.  I
called there, but they had no idea what I was talking about.  They gave
me a different 800 number for new customer support.  I called there and
they also did not know what I was talking about and suggested I talk to
my local DEC sales office.

So I called back my local sales office (Portland Oregon).  It turned out
that the person who had given me the first 800 number is not a
salesperson, but is [apparently] in charge of obtaining literature for
local customers (this is presumably why she gave me the literature 800
number).  I was put in touch with a Digital salesman.

He really grilled me; we have a Vax 11/750 but did not buy it through
his sales office.  He wanted to know who we bought it from, why didn't
we buy it from his office, etc. (see footnote).  At the same time he
said he had an *internal* document that describes Vax performance.  He
claimed that it had benchmarks for system performance, along with
timings for the individual instructions and operand addressing modes.
This sounds like the document that I want.  The salesman said he would
have to ask his management if he could let us have a copy of this
document.

He explained that if we were his customer (i.e., had bought our Vax
from him) that there would be no problem, he would bring out the
document today.  I called him back a day later, after he had talked to
his management, and he said that he was sorry, but since I was not "a
Digital customer", his management said he couldn't let me have a copy
of the document.  I pointed out that we had a Vax that must have been
purchased from DEC at some point, doesn't that make us a Digital
customer?  Sorry, he replied, not according to his management.

He explained that Digital field service offices provide a lot of the
type of support I was asking for (a copy of a document) to "Digital
customers" as part of the "value added" of buying directly from DEC.
But they cannot provide this service to non-Digital customers.  I asked
if we bought our next Vax from him would he give us a copy of the
document?  "Absolutely, no problem," he replied.  I asked if I would
have to sign any documents to get a copy (e.g., non-disclosure
agreement), he said that wouldn't be necessary.  He also said the
performance document was free!

I figure that if this document is free, doesn't require signing
a non-disclosure agreement, and is easily obtained from your
DEC sales office (if you are a "Digital customer"), then a lot of
people out there on the net must already have it.  I would be
eternally grateful if someone who does have it (or can get it) and
did not sign a non-disclosure agreement, would send me a copy.

Sam Quiring
Verdix Corp.
19665 SW TV Hwy, Suite B.
Aloha, Oregon  97006

{decwrl!sequent allegra!ogcvax tektronix!ogcvax inteloa} !verdix!sbq
sbq.oregon-grad at csnet-relay

PS:  Does DEC always do business like this?

----------------
footnote:

DEC seems to be getting very aggressive on Vax sales.  Back when we
were shopping (4/83), you could only buy a Vax 11/750 system from DEC
that was bundled with a lot of stuff we didn't need and DEC's price was
about 30% higher than anyone else.  This salesman claimed that this
policy had now changed.  DEC is now selling "Vax building blocks" and
you can buy whatever part of the system you want.  He quoted me a price
of $48K for a Vax 11/750 with 2M of DEC RAM.  This seems like a
reasonable price to me.