Compaq begins another stage in direct sales scheme.

Compaq Computer has unveiled a plan to let large customers buy directly over the Web, through six distribution partners. Taking another step toward selling directly to end users, Compaq assigned its Active Answers Web site a greater role, moving beyond helping customers and dealers plan and deploy purchases to delivering systems. The site was designed to provide buying guidelines and also hands-on help, such as how to make Novell NetWare or Oracle databases work right on Compaq hardware. "We now not only offer information on how to plan, deploy, and operate, we now provide a very important loop over the Web site of completing the order," said Rick Frazier, vice president of Compaq_s Enterprise Solutions division. The move comes at an unusual time, as Compaq expands beyond its traditional dealer base and takes its largest customers direct.