Hardware Wars

Thursday, May 18, 1995

Last winter, I helped Mary create a list of hardware and software for the upcoming Professional Room. I put together a wish-list that was pared down by both Mary and Jack Knight. Knight, however, did fill out and submit requisitions for the hardware. Both Mary and I were shocked. I had wanted PowerMac AV units. He had ordered PowerMac AV units. We were surprised, but I thought I would believe it when I saw it.

Well, today, the day after I bemoan the lack of any hard-core technology on our campus, that day and the hardware arrives. Ta DA!

One problem. It's the wrong computer. PowerMac. Not the AV. No video in, no video out... no way at all to connect it to a laserdisc player or a VCR or a camcorder to create multimedia. Hell, it doesn't even include a CD-ROM drive. Sure, it's faster. But so what?

Oh, and it doesn't have a monitor, either.

There has been a screw-up of Biblical proportions.

Now, after following up with Mary, here's what happened:

Jack gets list from us. Jack types up one requisition with everything on it (as opposed to different req's for different vendors). D.O. sends back req. needs it refilled out. Jack does this, only now the D.O. says that the AV we wanted isn't on the new updated list from Apple. Jack comes down to Mary, Mary gives him the right number to order. Jack gives the number over the phone to Purchasing at the D.O.. And SOMEHOW numbers got screwed up and now we have the wrong computer.

Readers's Digest version is complete.

We're sending the computers back... we want the real thing, but for now we have nothing.

A farce.