AT&T, arrogance, and previous message

[Mike O'Dell]

I admit it - I broke the First Rule of electronic mail: I sent it
while I was excited.  My tone was more than a bit cynical, but 
JEEEEZ!! 5.5 times the normal cost????   I will even agree that
it is probably worth it at some abstract level, but if this represents
AT&TIS's marketting sensitivity, then they are in Deep Sneakers.

Who did they think would be interested in reading that stuff?
Not J. Random Spreadsheeter, but people really  interested in,
and very likely dedicated to the sucess of Unix.  Is this the
thanks they get for arguing with managers who truly believe
"Noone was ever fired for buying IBM"??????  In spite of their
showings in every publication publishing 4-color adverts,  at
many places, Unix still comes in via the back door, often at the
insistance of the R&D or Product Development Group, who management
tolerates simply because they don't want them all to quit.

I understand AT&T knows they cannot continue to survive with only
this consituency, but without it, Unix wouldn't be alive in
the commercial marketplace to survive.  The least they can do
is be reasonable about publishing stuff which has at least partially
already appeared at other conferences and in some cases, other journals.

I hope someone who sees this is in a position to lobby someone
to reconsider their position. 

	Trying not to be cynical, but AT&T is making it VERY hard,
	-Mike O'Dell