Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 15:09:43 -0500
From: "David K. Schmidt" 
Subject: Status of Symbolics
Sender: "David K. Schmidt" 
To: Lisp User Group , SLUG mail ,
        The Usual Suspects 
Message-Id: <199803031510_MC2-3565-9BAB@compuserve.com>

In January Symbolics laid off the last 3 employees.  After 10 years
with Symbolics and two unsuccessful attempts to buy the assets, I am
off to other, yet to be determined, endeavors.  My last year and a
half as President, CEO, CFO, Director of Sales and East Coast Customer
Service Engineer was without a doubt the most interesting.  I want to
thank all those loyal Symbolics customers who helped keep the company
going well past its perdicted demise.


In anticipation of a number of questions that people might have, I am
providing the following information.

The person or persons who made the successful offer to buy the
Symbolics assets are using a Boston law firm, Ropes and Gray
(617-951-7000), to handle the purchase.  I have heard rumors that
Andrew Topping is involved in the deal, but I have no information
about him.  I do not know what their plans are and do not know
whether they will offer hardware and/or software maintenance.


The Symbolics phone numbers in Chatsworth, CA are still in operation,
but no one is answering the phone and I am not sure whether anyone is
checking the messages.

Princeton Capital Finance Co. (PrinCap), the current owner of the
Symbolics assets, told me they were shutting down their operation on
Friday, 2/27.

Their phone number (609-275-7100) is supposed to remain in service as
a voice mail box.  I was told that Steve Gander had been tasked by
ABN-AMRO Bank to hold Symbolics together until the purchase is closed.
His current E-mail address is gander@dinar.princap.com, but that will
change after they turn off the PrinCap computers in a month or so.
The only mailing addres s left for Symbolics is P.O. Box 389,
Princeton Junction, NJ 80530

Ron Drake is the representative of ABN-AMRO Bank who is supervising
the shutdown of PrinCap.  He appears to have significant influence
over what happens to the Symbolics assets and is directing Steve
Gander on what he is allowed to do for Symbolics maintenance
customers.  His number is 212-891-0621.  This is the only number for
the current owners where you will get a live person at the other end
of the phone.

Before I left, the second release of Open Genera for DEC Alpha
workstations was ready to go out for CD duplication.  Genera 8.5 for
Ivory workstations was close to completion, but had a few bugs left
to work out.  I do not know what the future of these two products will
be.

For those people with hardware problems while Symbolics is in a state
of limbo, I will be happy to try to assist you in any way I can. If
you need help or have other questions, please feel free to contact me
by E-mail at dkschmidt@compuserve.com or by phone at 703-455-0430.

DAVID K. SCHMIDT