Conference 7.286::digital

    Mike:
    
    Use VTX PRICE to get the new price and then deduct 20% for EPP price.
    
    If you don't know the configuration part number, use the info in the
    Desktop catalog or VTX EPP to get the root (e.g., DJ-PC443) and use VTX
    PRICE to retrieve all configs that start with that number.
    
    -- Russ

    Call 1-800-PCBYDEC between 5:30 PM and 8:00 PM and tell them you're
    interested in the Employee Purchase Program.  It's the way to get the
    most up-to-date pricing.
    
    Chris Lane
    

    However to get a catalogue you cannot let them know you are an
    employee.  For some reason they can send you a catalogue if you don't
    work for DEC but can't if you do.  FWIW
    
    DAR

What?  I never had that problem.  I sent Email to someplace (sorry, don't
remember off the top), put down my address, CC, etc. and got a catalog in
about 4 weeks.  They most certainly knew that I worked for DEC.

--Scott

I followed the directions in this note and a catalog was delivered to my internal
mail stop.

From:	R2ME2::SIMONS "Al Simons DTN: 381-2187  18-May-1992 0805" 18-MAY-1992 08:16:28.73
To:	@CLT$DIST_LIST:33T_ALL.DIS
CC:	
Subj:	Change in Employee purchase of PCs

From:	CLT::ZKOMTS::ZKOMTS::MRGATE::"MROMTS::NRGATE::MRGATE::NEST::DICS_DIST" "15-May-1992 2008" 15-MAY-1992 20:09:53.46
To:	@Distribution_List
CC:	
Subj:	EMPLOYEE PURCHASE PROGRAM TRANSITION TO DESKTOP DIRECT

From:	NAME: DICS_DIST <DICS_DIST@NEST@MRGATE@NRGATE@NRO>
To:	See Below



NEW EMPLOYEE PURCHASE PROGRAM NOW A PART OF DESKTOP DIRECT  !!!

Today, May 18, the Employee Purchase Program will transition from 
DECdirect to DESKTOP DIRECT.  Now employees who are interested in 
purchasing PC systems and options, can get the same technical sales 
support from resources in place and trained to support our external 
customers.

To reduce administrative and printing costs, terms and conditions, 
order forms and loan application information is available in VTX.  
Access Corporate VTX and go to the Employee Benefit section.

If you need a DESKTOP DIRECT catalog.... Order EB-M4549-78.   
Send via ALL-IN-1 mail to ORDER @NRO or VAXmail to NEST::ORDER.
Include your badge number, cost center and location.


WE ARE READY TO TAKE YOUR ORDER

For order administration and free PC technical sales support.

CALL:        DESKTOP DIRECT is 1-800-722-9332.  
WHEN:        Monday -- Friday between 5:30-8:00 p.m. ET

Phone lines are for EXTERNAL customers only from 8:30-5:30pm  


Street-priced DESKTOP DIRECT products are eligible for a 20% discount.  
Discountable non-PC products from the DECdirect catalog receive a 40%
discount.  Software products are non-discountable.

Active US employees who order PC systems from $1,000-$10,000 no later
than June 26, 1992 are eligible for INTEREST FREE loans and weekly 
Payroll Deduction.  Deductions will begin in July.  All PC systems 
ordered with delivery requested prior to 26-JUN-92 receive * FREE *
LOTUS SmartSuite (R) software.  The SmartSuite software selection
includes Lotus 1-2-3, AmiPro, cc:mail and Freelance Graphics.

In addition to the new payroll deduction option, payment can be 
made by certified check or VISA.

Warranty is one year return to DIGITAL.  For service all products can 
be returned to any of the walk-in SERVICenters across the US.
 
BENEFITS:

-US employees can now enjoy state-of-the-art technology at 
 discounted prices.

-PC literacy will be increased throughout DIGITAL.  

-PCs are now affordable for every employee.  Many systems  can be  
 purchased under the payroll deduction option for as little as $15. 
 a week.

-Equipment ordered through EPP is new.  Employees receive the same 
 top quality products as our external customers.

-Interest-free loans for less than $10,000 are not considered a 
 taxable benefit. 

-MS-DOS 5.0 and Windows 3.1  are factory installed on PC products 
 excluding DECpc 400ST.
  

               *      *      *      *      *

A few months ago US employees received a special edition of DESKTOP 
TIMES, announcing our major new PC program.  

DESKTOP DIRECT has totally redefined the way personal computers are 
sold, serviced and supported to our external customers.  And now -- to 
all US EMPLOYEES -- DESKTOP DIRECT offers an exciting program with 
outstanding value.  Now you have the opportunity to see for yourself 
why DIGITAL is shaking up the PC industry.

EFFECTIVE 18-MAY-92

      CALL            PC BY DEC   1-800 722 9332
                      MON - FRI   5:30 - 8:00 P.M.  ET


SmartSuite is a trademark of Lotus Development Corporation.
**************************




To Distribution List:

ADAM KOJNOK@ZKO,
AJAY KACHRANI@ZKO,
AJU JOHN@ZKO,
ALAIN OZAN@ZKO,
ALAN ARSENAULT@ZKO,
ALAN BERENS@ZKO,
ALAN EWALD@ZKO,
ALAN FRECHETTE@ZKO,
ALAN HERRLICH@ZKO,
ALAN HODSDON@ZKO,
ALAN JAMISON@ZKO,
ALAN LEGERLOTZ@ZKO,
ALAN MARTIN@ZKO,
ALAN SUNG@ZKO,
ALAN VANDENBON@ZKO,
ALAN WHITE@ZKO,
ALAN WHITNEY@ZKO,
ALAN WITTBECKER@ZKO,
ALAN ZAVALICK@ZKO,
ALANNA DWYER@ZKO,
ALBERT BREVELERI@ZKO,
ALBERT COOLEY@ZKO,
ALBERT MENTO@ZKO,
ALEX CONN@ZKO,
ALEXANDER CONTA@ZKO,
ALEXANDER GLUMAC@ZKO,
ALEXANDER HEWITT@ZKO,
ALEXANDER SOKOLOVSKY@ZKO,
ALEXANDRA TYSZKA@ZKO,
ALFONSO DIIANNI@ZKO,
ALFRED DUPUIS@ZKO,
ALFRED POON@ZKO,
ALI FAKHARZADEH@ZKO,
ALI RAFIEYMEHR@ZKO,
ALICE AHO@ZKO,
ALICE GEBURA@ZKO,
ALICE HOWELL-WALTERS@ZKO,
ALICE SPICER@ZKO,
ALLEN CARITO@ZKO,
ALLEN HINNERS@ZKO,
ALLEN SIMONS@ZKO,
ALPHONSE WOJTAS@ZKO,
AMY BECKER@ZKO,
AN-JU DAY@ZKO,
ANDRE JANUS@ZKO,
ANDRE PAVANELLO@ZKO,
ANDRE STLAURENT@ZKO,
ANDREA ROY@ZKO,
ANDREA TRAUGOTT@ZKO,
ANDREAS KUEHNEL@ZKO

    re: getting a catalog
    
    I'm not sure what exactly happened but I had some questions about the
    employee purchase plan and called the PCBYDEC number talked with the
    guy who answered my questions.  When I asked for a catalog, he said
    that I would have to order it through the Digital library, or get one
    from some company in New Hampshire (I believe) who handled the
    distribution of catalogs.  When I asked the guy whose catalog I had
    borrowed about how he got his, he said that he called the same number
    but didn't tell them he was a DEC employee and had them ship it to his
    home address.  I didn't call back so maybe the guy I talked with didn't
    know how to get a catalog sent.  A long time ago I ordered two
    catalogs from DEC-DIRECT, one for myself and one for a guy who
    represented a supplier.  Gave them the CC, badge #, site, supervisor,
    addresses, etc., etc, sent all the info to NEST::ORDER.  Neither one of
    us ever got the catalog.  Maybe there was an export problem or
    something.
    
    Dave

    Re: .1
    
    hello Russ,
    
    Your suggestion would be well-taken except for one minor detail: 
    Desktop Direct has been changing the packaging and keeping the same
    part numbers.
    
    On June 24th I ordered a 450ST package with the BIG 852 MB hard drive,
    an extra 8MB of RAM and a 16" Multi-Sync VGA Monitor.  The same part
    number of that package now says that the hard drive is 245 MB, and the
    monitor is 14" Digital VGA.  
    
    What I am saying is that changes cause confusion, plus the obsolesence
    of previous packages associated with part numbers.  Admittedly, they
    reduced the total package price, but now we are talking TWO different
    packages which share the same part number.   Confused?  You bet!
    
    And I'm not slamming EPP, Desktop Direct, or ANYONE, I'm just saying
    that people can get confused with good reason, and VTX and part numbers
    do not always provide the answers that are appropriate for our
    questions.
    
    
    Bill Slater
    (soon to be the proud owner of a DECpc 450ST system from Desktop Direct)
    

    The catalog you are referring to is it DECdirect ? The reason I ask our
    entire office received about 100 hundred of them for the digital
    services engineers and software/sales people.
    
    Or is another type catalog ?
    MikeTurro

    One other thought. I thought the interest free plan was continuing
    thru until September or thereabouts. I haven't seen anything official
    or unofficially about it on either VTX or anywhere . What gives ?
    
    MikeTurro

    It's the personal computing hardware/software catalog.  That's the one
    I was looking for.
    
    DAR

    Everyone in our office automatically received the Desktop Direct
    catalog without request.  Some of us throw it away.  What a WASTE!!
    

    re: .7
    
    YOWWW!  Is this for real?  I would think it would be MUCH better to
    simply create a new part number and "unlist" the old one (I know they
    did this with a lot of the new packages).
    
    I hope this isn't a game we play too often!
    
    -- Russ

re: .8

Here's my experience (usual disclaimers, etc. included here)

The catalog in question is 'Desktop Direct', not to be confused with
DECdirect.  Desktop Direct is PC systems (and options). It makes it 
VERY easy (IMO) to configure PC systems.  I received my copy via US
mail sent to my Digital location. The publication # is: EB-M4549-78 /92/04/.

The prices in Desktop Direct are easily obtained by using VTX PRICE
and entering the part number in question.  (right, what's the part 
number in question you ask?)

Well, Desktop Direct catalog part numbers for 'A-La Carte parts' are the
same as the SOC (Systems and Options Catalog) or DECdirect except they
have been prefixed by 'FR-'.  Some/most DECdirect part numbers are listed
with the 'FR-' prefix.  For 'packaged' systems, the base part number is the 
same 'DJ-PCxxx'. While the SOC uses '-AA' or 'AB' or 'BA', ... for a variant,
Desktop Direct uses the -xx variant for the type of packaged system as 
follows; -01 thru -24 for 24 variants of the PC462.

Heres an example;	A-La Carte	Packaged System
				DECstation 325C

	SOC:		PC462-AA	DJ-PC462-AA or DJ-PC462-AB or ...
	DD:		FR-PC462-AA	N/A
	Desktop:	FR-PC462-AA	DJ-PC462-01 thru -24

Clear as mud now right.

Regards,
John

  Re .11

> Everyone in our office automatically received the Desktop Direct
> catalog without request.  Some of us throw it away.  What a WASTE!!

  I trust that the ones who throw it away inform Desktop Direct that they
  no longer want to be on the mailing list ... ?  If you don't, you will
  continue to be a potential customer, continue to get the mail-shots and
  continue to waste their [="our"] time & money.  These days, the cost of
  mailing a potential customer is far outweighed by the gain of a sale but
  if, as you imply, you are never going to be a customer, then why not save
  even that ?

  Frank

    re:.13
    
    Thanks for the info about using VTX to get to the correct product
    numbers.  Unfortunately the prices for the current PC products is NA. 
    I guess the only way to find out is to call.  And if I call I might get
    impulsive.....

    Re .15:

    You have to select the individual system by number to get a single
    screen for the system in question.  This screen has the "standard"
    price listed.  The employee discount is 20% off this number.  The
    "List" price (where all the NA's appears) is not relevant.

    L.

    
    Why the DECdirect program can't create some simple 1-2 pages 
    price fact sheet for internal employee, and distribute same way
    as DTW.
    
    There are two benefits out of this:
    
    1. Employee can pick it up easily from their facility entrance as 
       DTW did. No waiting, no grief.
    
    2. Within it, there's simple order information, if employee want
       some basic 386/486 system etc. If they need more details
    information, then 1-800 number is provided.
    
    Just my .02
    Michael.. 
    

    
    
    	Is there any truth to the comment in .9 about the interest free
    	loan plan continuing until Sept/Oct?
    

>    	Is there any truth to the comment in .9 about the interest free
>    	loan plan continuing until Sept/Oct?

    Yes, it's true. What confuses some people is that there was a "DECWORLD 
    Special" deal that included some software. That deal expired. The
    interest free loan was and is separate. There is not plan to stop the 
    interest free loans. Just a statement that it will be reviewed
    quarterly. So it may go away in the future but is still in place now.

    FWIW, I'm having a great time with the DECpc 420 I bought this way.
    Big improvement over the Rainbow I bought 7 years ago. :-)

    		Alfred

    In regard to a simple price sheet, your operations people should be
    able to supply one.  My operations person got one from someone by the
    name of Kathleen Kam, location unknown, in a postscript layout.  
    
    I have converted and updated this postscript sheet to an excell
    spreadsheet for my laptop.  Would anyone else be interested in this
    type of spreadsheet.  If someone could tell me how to put it on the
    network, I would be willing, or you could send me a disk and I will
    send it back, it is only about 60K bytes.
    
    I am also close to having a workable PC configurator on Excell.  Is
    this of any interest?
    
    I guess I won't ask why these type of things are not being sent out
    with the laptops?