Conference 7.286::digital

Not automated but fairly easy is to use VTX. Specifically IR. Search by word
in title [1] and select SU (sales Update) and SO (System & Options Catalogue ).

Entering ALPHASTATION get the following:-
   1   23-Nov-94  AlphaStation 200 4/166 and 4/233 Desktop Workstations  SO000K
   2   23-Nov-94  AlphaStation 400 4/233 Mini Tower Workstation          SO000L
   3   25-Oct-94  Next Generation AlphaStation and AlphaServer Systems   SU1AWX
                  - SUAG
   4   25-Oct-94  Next Generation of AlphaStation and AlphaServer        SU1AWY
                  Systems
   5   25-Oct-94  Selling Opportunities and the AlphaStation and         SU1AWZ
                  AlphaServer Products
   6   25-Oct-94  AlphaStation 200 Family of 64-bit Desktop              SU1AX0
                  Workstations
   7   25-Oct-94  AlphaStation 400 4/233 -- 64-bit Computing in PCI/ISA  SU1AX1
                  Based Workstatio
   8   25-Oct-94  PCI Graphics Accelerators for AlphaStation Systems     SU1AX2

   1   25-Oct-94  New Warranty and Service Offerings for AlphaStation    SU1AXA
                  and AlphaServer Sy
   2   25-Oct-94  ADVANTAGE-UPGRADES for the New AlphaStation and        SU1AXB
                  AlphaServer Products
   3   23-Dec-94  AlphaStation 400 4/233 Rackmountable Solution          SU1B61
   4   23-Dec-94  New Prices for AlphaStation 200 and 400 SBBs, Options  SU1B62
 
Documents with ID SU are Sales update SO are Systems Options Catalogue.
With something like the ALPHAStation range you really need to go a bit deeper
into the actual config to get the correct part number. OPENVMS systems have 
very different PART Numbers from OSF/1 Systems.

I get the SO or SU information I need and then goto VTX PRICE for the next step

Stephen Davies

    Sorry, but my oxymoron detector activates at "fairly easy is to use VTX".

    WWW: the customer home page (http://www.digital.com/) has pointers to
    newsletters such as Customer Update, which is basically the same
    content as Sales Update referred to in .1, censored for customers. Then
    use the search engine and look for whatever you need. OK you'll need to
    do some filtering afterwards, but it's a start. 
    
    Maybe you can do this easier and quicker with the WWW online DECdirect
    catalogue (http://www.digital.com/info/DECdirect/ ?) but I haven't
    tried as it's of limited relevance here in Europe.
    
    More traditionally, but maybe quicker: In Europe there is a thing
    called the Advantage Menu: popular product configurations which are
    expected to sell in what we consider "volume". Salesfolks typically get
    inserts for Filofaxes which contain part numbers, details of what they
    contain, some performance info, etc. Basically everything except
    PRICES.  (Now, if only there was an online, non-Postscript version...)
    
    regards
    john

>   <<< Note 3627.2 by LJSRV2::KALIKOW "Pentium: Intel's Blew-Chip Special" >>>
>
>    Sorry, but my oxymoron detector activates at "fairly easy is to use VTX".

Well,  I just tried this to see how MY oxymoronic detector works.

$ VTX IR

and then followed the instructions to see if I could get information relative 
to my product by using its advertised name.  It was not "fairly easy to use", 
it was VERY easy to use and to get to the information I need.

Perhaps if more salesfolks knew about and used this tool, my phone would ring
less often for answers to questions that could have been answered in already
published documents.  I would prefer to spend more time bringing new products
to market and less time reading the SOC and/or Sales Update articles over the
phone. 


As always, Just My Opinion,

Dave

    Sorry the answer to this should be that AQS lets you put in a system
    description like "AlphaStation" and then it lists all matching part
    numbers since all part numbers do have descriptions matched to them. 
    Having to know the part number to get what you want is bizarre ... well
    at least now it doesn't want to know the whole part number ... it does
    let you give it partials.
    
    I like all the previous noters use Sales Update and other tools to
    overcome this handicap.  Keeps us advisory folks in jobs!  ;^)

    
    	Suggest base noter get a US price book EC-N4206-98 which has name
    part number references for nearly everything. Then send in the little
    business reply card to put yourself forever on the mailing list. This
    methodology works, saves much time, and is accurate enough for Digital
    work!
    
    	We sales types use this almost exclusively since the pricing files
    in AQS and on VTX tend to cause more trouble than their worth (ie: last
    two months AQS pricing file has had to be "fixed" three times). Also
    the price book has all warranty, software tiers, and third party
    products listed as well.
    
    	You all have a real nice day, now :-)
    
    		the Greyhawk
    
    
    

    To the basenoter,
    
    If you're in sales/support/MCS/Base etc. (located in the US/Canada)
    you can call 1-800-DEC-SALE for pre-sales, configuration assistance.
    
    

re .all

Thanks for the assist. I tried VTX IR, and it is a good start, but it
doesn't reliably return all DEC product descriptions that match the
search string. For example, I'm fairly certain that we sell a graphics
tablet, but "tablet" returns only 

  1   26-Jul-93  TLZ6L 4mm DAT Tabletop Autoloader                      SU12QN

Also, I then still need to read the SU article to dig out the part numbers.

Ideally, I'd like to see VTX PRICE improved to search by keyword in description.
(Or a WWW equivalent.)

I haven't tried the US price book EC-N4206-98. As a paper document, it's
presumably hard to search unless it has a keyword-in-description cross reference.
Is this document on line somewhere in ASCII form? 

--RS

    
    One real problem is that there is not just one "product name".  The 
    VTX CEO database has addressed this problem by identifying an
    "Engineering Name" and a "Marketing Name".  The database will then
    cross these to 2-5-2 part numbers.  There are also fields for "Product
    Category" and "Part Type".  If you are confused, there are references
    to responsible engineers and product managers, who presumably should
    know the correct info.


    To use it, you have to wend your way through the usual maze of menus:

    	Just now: $ vtx ceo
    
    		  Screen 1:	1. OPTION/MODULE LOOKUP

    		  Screen 2:	4. MULTI-FIELD INQUIRY

    		  Screen 3:	1. Multi-Field Inquiry Form

    		  Screen 4:	Finally, you get a chance to enter 
    				  the search parameters.


    I've noticed that many of the "Engineering Names" are missing, and that
    some of the "Product Categories" are incorrect, but I expect that, if
    enough of us use it and feed back errors and omissions, it could emerge
    to be really useful.

    Cheers,
    		John

    
    I just tried to search VTX CEO for the name given in .0 and came up with 
    no matches.  Then I searched under 'Alphastation*' for marketing name and
    got 54 matches, which don't take long to look through.
    
    There's a screen which allows you to customize your display.  I chose
    PART NUMBER, ENGINEERING NAME, MARKETING NAME, and DESCRIPTION, which
    gives you a bunch of info.
    
    Happy Hunting,
    			John