#CBM Firings
41 messages in this thread
Can anyone confirm the following:
I have it on good authority that Commodore "cleaned house" on friday. A
number of people were let go. I don't know who or why but was told by a
dealer friend who called CBM friday that when he asked for so-and-so he was
told that they weren't in and wouldn't be in…ever. He got this response
with a couple of names he asked for. He was told that not only did the axe
fall, it wasn't an axe but a buzz saw.
-Chas
Sounds like they finished something (he said cynically). Isn't this what
they did when Unix was "done", etc?
Anyway, I have no info on this other than getting, for the first time
ever, no answer on the developer support line today; that may be due to
the DEVCON that's going on, rather than firings, although I do think it's
grossly irresponsible to have NO service because of DEVCON.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
True, they should have SOMETHING (or someone) answering the phone for tech
support. (Are you at DevCon? Or did you actually prefer to stay in
Montana in the middle of winter as opposed to sunny Orlando? 🙂
I'm afraid a quarterly report came in and wasn't up to snuff so instead of
doing what they should (take the buzz saw to the CEO's, Board's &
executive's salaries & perks) they took it out on personnel.
I hope I'm wrong. Akkk….I shouldn't be starting vicious rumors. Maybe I
can get a confirmaton from someone (heck, I'm in Orlando, maybe I can ask
someone who'll actually answer.
-Chas
I am not at Devcon – I've never gone to one, nor heard anything after one
that made me think "gee, I should have been there". Also, I used to live
in Florida and a most certainly do prefer Montana in the winter to Florida
in any season. I've lived a fair number of places, and Florida beats them
all for feelings of "never wanna go back". Montana, OTOH, is where I'd
like to stay, based on all the other places I've lived, and visited.. :^)
Let us know what you find out about this rumor – I'm interested, quite
interested in fact.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Hmph, I do remember seeing not too long ago something about -60 degrees
(not including wind chill!) in some parts of Montana… 🙂
Still, I've always wanted to go there.
I'll keep you informed on the rumor. I seriously doubt anyone (who knows)
at DevCon will tell me, but there are some who could get info…
While I have your attention….BBS updates their software so often
(specifically IM) it is real hard to tell what the latest rev is if you
don't yet own it (and occasionally difficult if you do). Any chance of
posting a short text file in your area in AmigaVendor with the names and
corresponding revisions of your products? I've just picked up a copy of IM
from my local dealer but it's been on his shelf for about two months, so I
doubt it is "the latest & greatest".
Thanks,
-Chas
Chas,
Cold isn't bad – it's just cold. I much prefer -60,0 humidity to +90,95
humidity… Montana, indeed this entire portion of the northwest, has
terrain which varies from desert to lush mountainside forest; lakes and
rivers you might know (the Missouri, Yellowstone… etc) and is a truly
wonderful place to live. Since I value these things highly, and beaches
only a little, Florida's just not for me.
About IM, you can get one free upgrade to the latest stuff just by
registering your copy and saying you want it. Moderately new policy, that
is, but being well received. The latest is 9.23; 9.24 is under
construction, and I'd say we're still a few weeks out on that; it's a huge
upgrade compared to most that we do. it'll be a darn sight more reliable
too. We do have a latest versions file on the company BBS – I'll try to
remember to post it here, too. Poking me in a week or so would help, if
it's not up by then.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Okay, that sounds good. The registration went out in this morning's mail,
after I get a chance to play with it I'll get the latest upgrade.
Yes, humidity is a killer. That's the biggest complaint most people
(including me) have. As for variety…I've been seriously thinking about
that. I've been looking at the Seattle, WA area as well as the Vermont/New
Hampshire area but all my work is here.
I've been to the beach 3 times in the last 5 years. It's not one of my
priorities, either.
RE: DevCon — the best part it the socializing with all the other
people…that's the only thing I like enough to attend. The news, reviews
& information can be acquired just as easily through other channels.
-Chas
Socializing is fine by phone, for me… plus I get a lot more work done
around here. I do talk to other Amiga developers almost daily.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Ben,
Like you, I'd rather be cold than hot. I can always put more
clothes on, I can't always take more off <grin>.
Don
Come on Don, loosen up………:^)
Yep – absolutely. Ditto, you can always humidify a room, the other way is
a bit more problematic.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
wind chill is a state of mind
m
???
You have not been in much -20F weather when the wind was blowing?
-bill
Charles,
I'm here in Orlando, too. If you see me around, please say 'Hello.' Among
other things, I'm trying to collect pictures of our CIS folk who are here
and we hope to upload them to the libraries.
And what was that about SUNNY Orlando? I've been wet and freezing ever
since I got here. Lots of fun at the conference, though.
First rain we've had in a month! (Honest! 🙂 This week should be much
better. 🙂
Actually, i never registered as a developer…I've just arranged to bump
into lots of people outside the conference. Let me know if you've got some
free time and I can swing down to the hotel (or elsewhere…it *is* my
hometown.)
-Chas
Charles
It'd be good to meet you if you're passing through the DevCon at some
point. Betty and I are there with friends from the UK and also Jim
Butterfield, and if we knew when you were about maybe we could say hello.
Mike (not from the UK)
Unfortunatly, I am not a registered developer. <gasp!> I *have* developed
stuff for some vertical markets (law enforcement, legal, etc.) but never
sent CBM my $$$. As such, I can't officially attend the DevCon. Still, I
think CBM doesn't have the $$ to rent out the entire Marriot World Center,
so I'll make it a point to have lunch there on Friday.
Hmmm…so you'll know me, I'll be wearing a bright blue baseball style cap
from a local bar. Lunch about 12:30 in the afternoon. (Don't ask me which
restaurant…one of them. 🙂
-Chas
Charles,
I'm in the hallways outside the conference rooms between every session.
Quite a few of us are. Please do drop by. Bill Eastburn is planning to
drop by sometime tomorrow afternoon, I think (Friday afternoon). If you
see me and I miss you, just yell at me. I'll be delighted to meet you.
Betty
Actually, Charles,
I plan to be here most of next week as well. I'm at the Quality Inn, just
down the street from the Marriott. If we miss each other at the DevCon,
please call me at the hotel and we'll manage to get together.
Betty
Rumor central says that it has to do with poor sales in Europe.
Read into that what you may.
Mmm … I'm actually at DevCon as I type (boy, it's been cold over here …
but makes me feel like I'm back home in England 🙂 and I can't say there's
been any mention of all this.
I'll try and ask around tomorrow and see if anyone has heard anything.
Mike (not from the UK this time)
I guess I'll wait until I find out who got hacked, if anyone, before I
read anything into anything.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
I talked to a good friend of mine who was layed off in this cut. He tells
me Engineering lost no one. Mostly marketing people were nuked.
-mark=
Mark:
I didn't realize C= _had_ any marketing people. <ducking>
Clint <VRLI>
YYYEEESSS!!! Now if they just aim a little higher they might clear up the
rest of the problem! (Put on your tin pot, Irving… :^}
(Actually, I hope they didn't ax any of the people behind the ads in
non-amiga publications, lik AVVideo, sometohte MM pubs and I believe I saw
one in Byte!?!
wmc – via Autopilot!
I hope they axed the guy behind the stupid "Bob's Big Boy" or is it Betty
Boop's boyfriend figure. Or are all Amiga users clowns?
-Richard
Well, if that's accurate, I'll be just as pleased as punch.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Mark:
Hopefully they're cutting out the dead wood so they can get a marketing
staff that truly CAN!
// -Mike Schiller
\X/ AMIGA! On AutoPilot in sunny Fort Lauderdale
Do you really think that, given an appropriate budget, that none of the
previous marketing types would have been able to 'get the job done'?
No question in my mind that it has nothing to do with the marketing
department, but rather, what we perceive as the problem, (the direction
and activities of the department) comes from the top.
Hmmm… I wonder why? Could it be that they F—ed up with the 1200
again? There are a lot of problems there…
Ben;
The CATs folks have been around but things are a bit tough when the bulk
of the crew is out of town.
-bill
Hm. Well, no answer today, either. Irks me quite a bit.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
FWIW, I heard today from a reliable source that C= did indeed have
major layoffs last Friday, and also that C= Germany, issued 200 pink slips
this past Monday. :-\
…Steve
====>>> Motorola 68030 Inside <<<====
200, huh? Yowzer.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
Ben:
It could be as simple as somebody forgetting to turn on the answering
machine, heck I've done that enough times here 🙂
// -Mike Schiller
\X/ AMIGA! On AutoPilot in sunny Fort Lauderdale
Yep, it could.
Someone responded to me in CBM's online support area and said that
everyone is inded at Devcon, and that no one is manning the phones.
They also said that no one from CATS or Engineering got axed.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
I don't know Ben. You are leaving a message I presume? It seems like
there are some things that CATs would still be doing even with all of the
technical people at DevCon.
-bill
The phone just rings and rings and rings – there is no way to leave a
message.
However, I got ahold of someone online and they say that they are all at
DevCon and that all CATS and Eng. personell are intact.
So it's not that they've been axed, it's just that they've abdicated the
support role wholsale.
–Ben
…via AutoPilot
OK, well I guess that is good new even if its prolly not a good idea to
completely clear the place out.
-bill
Charles,
I heard the same thing–I felt it coming some time ago.
I pray they left engineering alone. Our sales reps at Commodore
survived.
-mark=