[Info-vax] What is VMS?

[Doug Phillips]

On Dec 25, 9:32 am, seasoned_geek <rol... at logikalsolutions.com> wrote:
> On Dec 21, 7:08 pm, Doug Phillips <dphil... at netscape.net> wrote:
> > You know, I don't get what you're trying to say. What "shining
> > example" are you talking about? The fact that Amazon has a new book
> > and is offering it for $146.74? So, if anyone shops for your book they
> > won't order it from Amazon. That's one less book you'll sell. A 3rd-
> > party selling through Amazon wants $494.51 for his/her used copy! That
> > must be the rare collector edition, eh?
>

>
> Well, if you don't think someone selling a book (which is still in
> print and available for list price from the publisher) [*] criminal fraud,
> there is little I can do to help you.
>

[* is guilty of]  Is that what you meant? Or are you referring to a
book entitled "criminal fraud."

Before you state something as fact, do a little research. You're an
author, act like one. Look up the legal meaning of "criminal fraud."
Don't guess and don't assume. So far you have demonstrated a total
disregard for the facts, but it's hard to tell whether that's from
ignorance or pure malice. Either way, it's not becoming.

If you look at Amazon's site you'll see that your book is shown as
"Available from these sellers" and is not being sold directly by
Amazon. But fact-checking does take a little effort.


> >I wouldn't buy your book *new* for $90 from anyone, though, especially
> >sight unseen and a paperback at that. The last time I looked at the
> >local B&N they didn't have it in stock so I haven't seen it. For that
> >price it would have to be bound in gilded fine leather.
>
> Believe what you want.

Believe what I want about what? Maybe, "do what you want" or "do as
you wish" would have made some sense in the context of my post since I
was stating something that I would not do and why I wouldn't.

But yes, thank you, I will always believe what I want.

>  If you are actually a good customer of the
> local BN (probably not since you sing the praises of Amazon),

Your assumption is unfounded and contrary to the statements I made.
But you, too, may believe what you want. You may not, however,
question my integrity based purely upon your blind assumptions. If I
question yours it is based upon what you have written, not on
assumptions.

> why
> don't you ask them to stock a copy at the store because you are
> interested in purchasing it, but don't want to spend that kind of
> money until you are sure?  Any store manager (at least in the U.S.)
> can pull to inventory any title listed on their Web site when a
> customer requests to see it.
>

I don't want it. I already know the minimum I need to know on that
subject. There are too many other books to read.

As I stated in the post you redacted, I am very satisfied with the
service I've received from Barnes & Noble, both on-line and in-store.
Sometimes they have the best price and sometimes they don't.

Until Borders closed I shopped there, too. There are some small book
dealers in the area and I go there when I'm looking for something
special.

I buy from sellers who have what I want for the best price and who
give me good service. There are places I don't shop because of my
personal bias, but Amazon is not one of them.


> I'm happy with the content of the book and the reviews it has gotten.
> I'm happy that several companies now order multiple full sets each
> summer because, as they have told me, they hire from a local college
> and manufacture VMS developers to fill their needs.  They use my books
> as the training manuals.  I'm happy with that.
>

I'm glad to hear you're happy and I hope you are successful. I've read
a little bit of your "The Minimum...Developer" book on Amazon and it's
hard to believe it was written by the same person posting here.


> Please don't jump into one of my threads and sing the praises of
> Amazon.

If you take even a quick glance at the beginning of this thread you'll
find it is not yours.

Here is your first post in this thread:
##
 >On Dec 17, 3:47 pm, seasoned_geek <rol... at logikalsolutions.com>
wrote:
 >>On Dec 11, 6:42 pm, Connor Cooper <rockyc... at gmail.com> wrote:
 >>
 >>> What is VMS? What is it good for? How come it has the prefix
'Open',
 >>> yet it is not open source? what are some good guides for using
it? I
 >>> have already registered for a hobbyist VAX license, but I am not
sure
 >>> how I should install it on SIMH. Anyone have anything good to
say?
 >>>
 >> If you are serious about learning how to develop software and use
the
 >> various utilities you should obtain a copy of "The Minimum You
Need to
 >> Know to Be an OpenVMS Application Developer".  Of course, I'm
biased,
 >> I wrote it.  You can find it at Barnes & Nobel.
##

It isn't your thread. An author who makes false claims of ownership
and shows disregard for fact-checking in even his casual writing won't
be taken very seriously.

> You haven't been in the book business for 20+ years.

You don't know what business I've been in for 20+ years so you are
making a statement without having even a passing knowledge of the
subject. I would have worded that: "I've been in the book business for
20+ years. Have you?" But, I'm not an author.

I've been buying and reading books longer than you've been alive and I
did the minimum amount of research I needed to verify that statement.

Through the years I've had more than a passing acquaintance with the
book industry, from publishers and printers to published authors, both
personally and professionally. I've learned that statements of fact
need a citation and writings of fiction or personal opinion need a
disclaimer. You should know that.


> That
> company can only accurately be described as the rectal sphincter of
> the anti-christ.
>

Statements you've made in some of your posts show us your personal
prejudices but you make them as fact without citation. And some of
them:

>>> criminal fraud

>>> can only accurately be described as the rectal sphincter of the anti-christ.

>>> Enron accounting going on at Amazon,

>>> you can blame Amazon for soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many federal and international crimes.

sound to me like slander unless you provide supporting evidence. 'The
minimum you need to know to spread FUD' might be a good title for your
next book.

> Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year.