On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:11:45 +0000 (UTC), Gordon Henderson
<gordon+usenet@drogon.net> wrote:

>I work with small/medium businesses though, who're typically not geeks
>or even IT savvy - they want a phone to "just work", so the Betamax
>stuff or chasing this weeks cheapest isn't for them, nice though it
>is...

If ever there was a bad name to recycle then Betamax must be right
there at the top alongside Enron.


--

"Mike"  wrote in message 
news:h5h014db65bs6jr0gnnnbrfvtm4424pif3@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:11:45 +0000 (UTC), Gordon Henderson
> <gordon+usenet@drogon.net> wrote:
>
>>I work with small/medium businesses though, who're typically not geeks
>>or even IT savvy - they want a phone to "just work", so the Betamax
>>stuff or chasing this weeks cheapest isn't for them, nice though it
>>is...
>
> If ever there was a bad name to recycle then Betamax must be right
> there at the top alongside Enron.


I don't follow that at all Mike.
Betamax was a superior system to VHS in several ways.
Yes, it failed in the consumer marketplace, but not because
of technical shortcoming, and it could be said that it evolved
to become a success as a professional format (Betacam)

As for the VoIP provider, I have never had a problem with
them, and after all you only need to have 10 Euros at risk
at any one time. Yes you would need  a provider with a
deliverable SLA in Gordon's situation, but for my modest
domestic use they have some of the beat deals going.


-- 
Graham

%Profound_observation%

"Mike"  wrote in message 
news:h5h014db65bs6jr0gnnnbrfvtm4424pif3@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:11:45 +0000 (UTC), Gordon Henderson
> <gordon+usenet@drogon.net> wrote:
>
>>I work with small/medium businesses though, who're typically not geeks
>>or even IT savvy - they want a phone to "just work", so the Betamax
>>stuff or chasing this weeks cheapest isn't for them, nice though it
>>is...
>
> If ever there was a bad name to recycle then Betamax must be right
> there at the top alongside Enron.


I don't follow that at all Mike.
Betamax was a superior system to VHS in several ways.
Yes, it failed in the consumer marketplace, but not because
of technical shortcoming, and it could be said that it evolved
to become a success as a professional format (Betacam)

As for the VoIP provider, I have never had a problem with
them, and after all you only need to have 10 Euros at risk
at any one time. Yes you would need  a provider with a
deliverable SLA in Gordon's situation, but for my modest
domestic use they have some of the beat deals going.


-- 
Graham

%Profound_observation%

In article ,
Mike   wrote:
>On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:11:45 +0000 (UTC), Gordon Henderson
><gordon+usenet@drogon.net> wrote:
>
>>I work with small/medium businesses though, who're typically not geeks
>>or even IT savvy - they want a phone to "just work", so the Betamax
>>stuff or chasing this weeks cheapest isn't for them, nice though it
>>is...
>
>If ever there was a bad name to recycle then Betamax must be right
>there at the top alongside Enron.

I think there's a market for someone to make a shredder with the name:

  The Enron 5000

Don't know why I think this is a good name (or where the 5000 comes
from), but I think it's just a good name ;-)

Gordon

Mike wrote:

If ever there was a bad name to recycle then Betamax must be right
> there at the top alongside Enron.

You think so? Betamax was superior to VHS and would have won the format 
wars if the porn industry hadn't chosen VHS.

A better product at a lower price? Doesn't seem such a bad association.

>>If ever there was a bad name to recycle then Betamax must be right
>> there at the top alongside Enron.

>You think so? Betamax was superior to VHS and would have won the format 
>wars if the porn industry hadn't chosen VHS.

Technically the Phillips 2000 format was by far the best. Full, undistorted 
picture on fast fwd / bkwd or still,
tapes worked in both directions (like audio cassettes), and with LP (still 
pretty good quality) you could get 8 hrs on each side of the tape.
Unfortunately Phillips was too greedy in licensing the technology and their 
own VCR prices.
Regards,
Martin
(still have 2 V2000 VCR's, but can't get the tapes anymore !)