[Coco] CoCo3.com News

[Roger Taylor]

Numerous people have been asking about updating their CoCoNet EPROM 
in their Wireless Pak and Drive Pak.  More people have inquired about 
where their Drive Pak is.

Fortunately, I can rush you a 1.26 EPROM for $19.  1.26 has received 
0 reports as far as I know, and I use it daily.  Unfortunately, my 
past offers to give free ROM upgrades to pak customers can't hold up 
due to financial issues.  No, let me rephrase: I'm in a bind and can 
no longer sell break-even CoCo items, or below-cost CoCo items.  This 
worked to sell a lot of paks to build a base for future software but 
has hurt me in the long run.  In the background, it took a toll.

Another thing that has hurt me is the bashing of Both of my paks by 
two or three CoCo users who I consider my friends, but I 
wonder.  After the last major assault, sales took a snails pace.  I 
kept thinking "they have to eat, too".  "They have kids, too", and I 
dropped out of the arguments.   I won't drop out of the CoCo world.

To all my CoCo friends, far and near:  I have No Choice but to ask 
for all pending Drive Pak customers who have been waiting impatiently 
for their product to either submit an additional $29 for the "uDrive" 
module that the pak uses, or to accept the pak as-is and solder in 
your own module.  You'll have to order from 4D/Australia and the 
total/shipping cost might not be ideal which is why I order in bulk, 
10/15 at a time, or so I used to be able to.

Folks, this is not easy disclosing financial troubles.  I'm in a 
bind, and my absolutely family expenses to live must come first.  I 
raise two kids on my own and it has been a rough summer, to say the least.

Let me throw this in: The company I work for is the #1 indicator of 
the economic state.  Obama says we're doing better.  He 
lied.  Companies are suffering everywhere in East Texas (a huge chunk 
of Texas), and I know this for a hard fact.  The hours have been 
reduced almost in half since Nov 2008 and it has not let up 
since.  Volume crashed to 3/4ths of the regular and it has been 
riding steady at this pace for almost 2 years, and they just knocked 
another 15 minutes off our time starting Monday.  Oh, the good part 
is that my neighbors who refuse to work are Doing Just Fine Now with 
their new handouts, while my bosses who are of the same party as the 
current president (I'll leave it at that) dare us to file union 
grievances and continue to break one off in us on a daily basis.

In CoCo land, one of the products I make is sitting on the assembly 
line, and my chin has dropped in fear that I have failed to 
deliver.  I've delivered many paks already but there are at least 20 
orders pending.

I'm asking all my friends for a solution, or ideas.  I'm open for 
ideas but please hold the criticism.  I never expected my CoCo job to 
be easy, and by all means I'm not going anywhere.  I've got software 
in development and very cool stuff to come.

I can't talk too long on the phone but for the first time since 1990 
I will communicate by voice to anyone in CoCo land who either wants 
to say Hi or has an idea worth getting to me quick.  E-mail me on the 
site or write me privately, please.


Roger Taylor

-- 
~ Roger Taylor