Ingram Micro is a major distributor of NEXTSTEP, providing first-level support to VARs and resellers; the company won't even answer a question like "What's NEXTSTEP?" until you've been validated as an authorized dealer.
With the help of a friendly reseller, the Sleuth infiltrated the Ingram Micro sales department. The sales representative read a flowery description about NEXTSTEP and was able to quote prices off a price list. While it was easy enough to purchase the OS itself, the goal of filling your shelves with a full line of third-party shrinkwrapped productivity software remains elusive.
When asked about additional software, the salesperson said that NEXTSTEP came with several bundled apps. She couldn't provide any information on other apps, except to offer WordPerfect 5.1 for UNIX (which doesn't run under NEXTSTEP) instead of the NEXTSTEP version.
If the NEXTSTEP market is to expand, distributors need to remember that resellers are customers too and provide service that goes beyond mere rote order-taking.
Each month, the Sleuth will look at a different aspect of NEXTSTEP distribution.