The new BBC B Plus computer is being viewed unenthusiastically by the major multiple stores, but Acorn is receiving the news phlegmatically.

At £499 the machine is unlikely to sell in the sort of volumes that would appeal to the likes of Boots and WHSmith, but Acorn sees it as much more of an 'independent' machine, selling through smaller dealers who can give it better technical support.

Acorn has been running a presentation for software houses and distributors for about a month now, but samples of the machine didn't go to the multiples until the Friday before last. WHSmith and Boots like to give computers a thorough evaluation before deciding to stock them, and it's unlikely they'll make a decision for another week or so.

The possibility of one or more of the chains turning it down is being prepared for. According to an Acorn spokesman it's quite possible that they'll view it as too pricey for a home machine, and considering their track record of trying to sell business machines (WH Smith and the Advance, for example) they may not think it's viable.

The last year or so hasn't exactly been a wonderful experience for micro shops of any description. The unwary have been left half-buried in Oric Atmoses, Acorn Electrons, Dragons and even Camputers Lynxes. This has disenchanted a lot of small dealers, and Boots has on occasion seemed ready to start a rummage sale at the drop of a hat. The Boots price pledge may not have always been the best possible deal, but the company has offered exceedingly keen pricing on ZX81s and Dragons.

All this has meant the multiples have shown a willingness to garotte low-selling backsliders, and they have been able to use their muscle to exert a considerable influence.

Acorn's own position is more complex than this because the company also has to rebuild its bridges to small dealers who were caught out by the Electron price-cut this spring. The problem here will be that the financial loss to the dealers can be made up, but regaining their confidence will take more time.

With the new Plus added to the Acorn range it seems clear that the company, as promised, will be concentrating on selling to small busiinesses and educational users. The price tag on the Plus is too high for anything else - although the way prices are moving it may even be too high for these markets.

Acorn's gamble must therefore be to establish the Plus as a prestige successor to the Model B, and first impressions are that the odds are stacked heavily against the company.

As part of its bid to regain the market's attention Acorn has been dropping its software prices in three separate brackets. Schools and parents (the last one may be difficult to prove, but kidnap a kid and take it along with you!) will be able to save 50 per cent on education titles if they but more than five. If you don't buy more than five you can save 30 per cent, which is the amount the company is dropping the price on almost everything.

Acornsoft Small Business software drops 43 per cent if you buy all seven together, while Electron titles except Elite (sorry!), Countdown to Doom and Linkword come down to £6.99.