CompuServe Thread

#R2 ?

12 messages in this thread
#70274From: merlin farmerDec 7, 1993 11:31 PM
Gee, Looks like everyone is runnin'n R3, Sure hope we can still ask r2 questions. Not that I have one at the moment. just kidding Merlin G. Farmer Crysta Cave Animagix
#70315From: Yost GroupDec 8, 1993 10:09 AM
R2's obsolete, Merlin! – G
#70354From: merlin farmerDec 8, 1993 2:02 PM
Yes, It is obsolete indeed, however, I just bought my r2.01a from a dealer at the end of July without any hint from the dealer that there would be a new release soon, so I am stuck with this one for a while. Merlin BTW how long will the $495 upgrade stand for, I simply cannot afford it at the moment but I do intend on upgrading.
#70451From: Yost GroupDec 8, 1993 10:48 PM
Sorry to hear it. The $495 upgrade price will be in effect for as long as R3 exists. – G
#70522From: merlin farmerDec 9, 1993 5:07 AM
Glad the $495 upgrade will be in effect for the existance of R3. I can't wait to get it but I have to move some of this Christmas stock first. I geared up for a rush but there hasn't been one yet, Sheesh, Wal-Marts around here are giving away PC's Merlin
#70554From: James M. MurphyDec 9, 1993 10:41 AM
Merlin, >> Wal-Marts around here are giving away PC's << If your trying to make a living selling hardware….you better do a reality check….<g>…I started handing out copies of Computer Shopper to these type of clients two years ago…then when they need "Real" help they can pay _MY_ Support Rates to get it running correctly. Murph'
#70608From: merlin farmerDec 9, 1993 4:42 PM
Here Here! No, I do not sell hardware for a living, but I do sell it. I am really an RF tech with a $20,000 RF workshop and I tune telemetry receivers in house for the Fish and game , etc. I am a computer consultant as I am in a zoned area. Animation is where I am trying to get to, but the area I am in is pretty tough selling that too. I could use a roving salesperson working on commision that visits the cities. Nearest city here is 120 miles. BTW, got any work you need done? I build ROM drives and SRAM disks too, any address you like, any size.
#70777From: James M. MurphyDec 10, 1993 1:03 PM
Mr. Wizard! >> Nearest city here is 120 miles. BTW, got any work you need done << Sometimes I wish I could move that far away. How _do_ you sell anything? Ya' Got Reps' all over the place or sumthin'?<g> Murph'
#70883From: merlin farmerDec 11, 1993 6:54 AM
Murph, My isolation seems to be the problem. I am NOT selling much of anything. (I hate sales anyway). We were doing fairly well at first but CIPS (electric company) and local coal mines have been on strike for close to a year and well, the trickle down theory is real, everyone in this area is feeling it. No reps anywhere. I have considered trying to hire a rep of the sort to work the St. Louis and Chicago and Evansville area if they were willing to work on commision only. Not real sure how to find somewone like that, I am referring to selling T.V. commercials and video production at this point. We just coraborated? with someone who has a TOASTER and an SVHS A/B/C roll system. He is a photographer, not an animator, so between the two of us we can kick out some really nice video. With my deck added we'll have an A/B/C/D roll sys. However, he cannot find much work either but we were both able to broaden our services a bit. Selling hardware is obviously out the door, selling engineering services is rather bleak also. I have sold two designs only, and I got ripped off on one. I thought for sure I'd get bogged down with work for T.V ads due to the holidays but nooOOOOooooo. I 've done three ads and that was it, and they were only bit parts in the ads. I may consider relocating, but I won't know if I can do that for a few months yet. Well, enough complaining. If you get overloaded with work and get up against a deadline and can use an extra machine and SVHS deck gimme a hollar, we're willing to use up some of our head time for a few dollars. Merlin G. Farmer Crystal Cave Computers, Inc. Crystal Cave Animagix
#70921From: James M. MurphyDec 11, 1993 1:05 PM
Merlin, "isolation"….Hmmmm…I always thought I bought that ol' line about "The Passing of Remoteness" with the coming of the computer age and our good ol' information highway….then again, I've learned [ The Hard Way ] that you can't always rely on what you've been told or promised whether it's face to face or on CIS. Generally I've pretty much given up on trying to "Sell" Electronically….It just doesn't work very well. Oh..There's a _lot_ of great people on this forum but I think that's an exception as I have tried traveling to other forums and the "Flake" factor has increased expotentially. <g> This forum seems to have more professional people..but then your preaching to the choir so what's the point? We need to get the word out locally and regionally for the least amount of money. Since most of us are small or startup businesses. I'm certainly open to ideas as my last two months have been shit. The last quarter was unbeleivably Great though so I shouldn't really complain it's just that I started to beleive that kind of money was going to keep coming in….BIG MISTAKE! I've been running 4" x 5" ad's in the regional Business to Business Magazine called "MarketPlace Magazine"…It's costing me $187. per month and since January I've gotten 3 calls as a result..two from Architectural Students looking for work! I've got a 14 month contract but unless I find some different ad copy that grabs em' they won't get me on that one again either. I've been somewhat successful by trying to network with other non-related type of dealerships sales departments and trading leads. Of course I got bit big-time once on that but overall mostly there pretty straight folks. Schools are worthless! and while students do usually get hired someplace…by the time they could return any favors you'd be out of business waiting. What works best has been the old fashion cold calling and qualifying with follow up letters and visits but just like you I really hate sales…It doesn't show though because I've been relying on my sales ability for many years despite the fact I hate to do sales grunt work. As I get closer to my 50's I feel this type of work is better suited to the younger men and women that like to go golfing…sports…schmoosing type of stuff, I've lost my patience for that kind of thing. Don't get me wrong…I love people…It's just that I can't be phoney….If I don't really care about the "Big Game" I'm not gonna get all excited about sitting in some smoky sports bar for lunch watching the pre-game B.S. " I also don't smoke or drink…so that kind of intimidates people who do…sometimes. I did all my Smoking and Drinking on the back of a Harley in the 60's and 70's. Ya' Know..Been There….Done That!…NEXT! HEY! I got an Idea MR. Wizard!….Let's do an UnderGround Biker Video and either sell it to Easy Rider or Advertise in the Rag's and market the beast independently….Any Thoughts? Murph' Formerly (MAX of FatBob Land).
#70985From: merlin farmerDec 11, 1993 8:19 PM
Electronically I am not isolated, but electronically is the ONLY means I have to break isolation at the moment. I have never even MET anyone who is a 3D artist and or uses 3D Studio, kinda weird. People around here think I am some kinda nut, (particularly my wife, who is considering a divorce) I say the word animation and everyone say Bugs or Popeye? Know what I mean? Hickville city. Guys are still askin' me for 286's. I have given away demo tapes in the area and I know of a few who did not even take the time to look at them. Hell even if I wasn't interested in making an advertisement and someone gave me a 3 min animated demo I'd watch it, and go WOW! and probably call up just to say "how'd you do that?" Never even got a bloody response. I tracked a few companies doing local T.V ads and I animated their logos and sent it to them and never even got a call back. I KNOW my work is not THAT bad. It must be the location. Lot of strange people here, and not in the good sense of strange either. I tried some advertising myself and did not get anything out of it other than a big bill. I ran three of my own ads on t.V for a short while, ran ads in the paper, no responses. Unbeleivable! Maybe I am weird. I am not , never have been, nor probably ever will be a salesman. I know that is hurting me, but I do get excited about my products and that in itself is a good sales pitch, but it don't work in Hickville. Either nobody has any money or they could care less. I know what you mean 'bout BIG MISTAKE, I too had a very good quarter and thought (for some dumb reason) that it was gonna be steady income, boy can I ever get ignorant sometimes. I know about the school trip. I sold parts and pcs to a local community college and even did some free (donated) animation work on a video that I thought I would get exposure on. Sheeeet. I ain't heard a thing. They told me they were getting a grant to beef up their video department and I made a pitch to build it for them but NoooOOOoooo, they never got back with me, I too have a problem with intimidating people. I worked with their video department for a couple of weeks and those guys did not know beans about what they were doing. I think they sensed a fear of loosing their jobs if I got too close. Oh we got the video done, with about 70% my input. Never even got a letter of thanks, Live and learn. I am not pushin' 50 but am 38 years of age. I got an early start on the road at 15, was livin the party life at age 12 (ye ole sike-o-del-ic era in the days of Hendrix and Joplin, (they are still my heros), hitchhiked my way across the USA and all that jazz, play flute and harmonica and sang for my supper, etc. (I feel like I'm pushin 60 sometimes) and I still smoke those stinkin cigarettes. (hardest habit I have ever tried to break and I have broken some pretty hard ones). I don't drink anymore, (not on a regular basis anyway) and I don't ride a scooter anymore (they tend to make me wanna drink). I don't party anymore either. Since I quite partyin' , drinkin' and putt'n 'round I put all of my time into my work and my machine, (3DS and Video) love that stuff! Some ol' time friends have blown me off as burned out or whatever, but I look at them and think, "man, they ain't going nowhere", and I look at me and think "man, I SHOULD be going somewhere but ain't YET!" , if that makes any sense to ya. I will get there one of these days if the bloody cigarettes don't kill me first. I LOVE the work I am doing now, my wife HATES it and calls me a work_aholic, (she use to call me a alcohoic 'till I quite drinkin) Gee, I guess if I quite working she'll call me a bumoholic, Whatever kind of holic I may be called I know my true self, and its not a holic at all, its a mutant, a 3DS mutant! (heh) Yeah I partied alot back in the late 60's early 70's and some early 80's but as you say, Been there,,,,, done that,,,,, NEXT! Here! Here! As for an underground biker video to easy rider and the rags, Good idea! I have been toying with the idea of an underground animation like the ole ZAP comics or sumpin' but did not think of my ol' subscrip easy rider, Very good marketing idea, bikers always have money (or think they do). I even have a brother n law that (still a big bad biker) use to have a contact with someone from easy rider if he hasn't blown that. Good idea, lets expound on that one for a while. I like the tune of it. Merlin (Puff, Poof! Splat) Wizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
#71259From: merlin farmerDec 13, 1993 8:07 PM
Murph, The CD-Rom with the Harley mesh is on the Syndesis CD available for $199.95 you probably got a flyer from them, if not let me know, it looks like a very useful CD full of meshes. The Harley, according to the flyer is by Imagination Works, perhaps Imagination works has several Scooters. We could use a Rice Rocket for TRASHing out too! ie, Big sledge hammer coming down on the kawsiwaki, and or use EXPLODE IPAS as it runs down the road, etc, etc. For a Fourth of July Biker party, instead of just shooting fireworks into the sky, we could launch Rice Rockets and have them EXPLODE into FIREWORKS display, and a race 'tween a Ninja Turtle Two Wheeler and a Real Motor cycle where the Rice Rocket MELTS into the pavement and the Harley, well, just keeps on Chooglin', Man, this could be fun. Merlin The royalty free music is from Wolftone Multimedia Publishing Company on CD for $89.95 both MIDI on CD and audio on Standard CD for a stereo. can't tell ya anything about it other than the phone number, 404-992-7500 or 1-800-949-TONE I do understand that they employ their own musicians and they do some rock, etc