parora@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu (Pavneet Arora) (12/31/87)
Just a note for WP users. The new update is supposed to be
out in early January. Since I didn't get any response to my
previous posting about the numerous bugs in WP I am not really sure
if any WP users actually exist. 8-{)
In response to Neil Harris' comment that the support is excellent, I have
a few comments of my own:
1. No company, software or otherwise, should be able to release
a product that doesn't even come close to working.
Bugs are one thing - fatal bugs another. I use the following
analogy - If I approached WP and asked them to give me
a copy of the software, and then told them that I would pay
them in a few months i.e. whenever I could afford it, I would
not expect them to hand over the package. And yet, WP has
taken money from users and then handed over a useless package
without ever notifying any of its users that there are problems.
And when a user tracks down the bugs and calls WP, they say
they are aware of it and a working version should be out soon.
Soon in my case has meant 3 months now, and I still don't have
a working version.
2. A company that only includes its UTAH address for technical
support, even in packages sold in Canada can hardly be seen
as being concerned for all of its users. By the way the (800) number
doesn't work from Canada so that you have to call WP on your
own expense during the day at full rate. Technical support
does exist in Canada from J.B. Marketing in Cornwall. Their
phone number is : 1-(800)-267-1731.
3. Part of servicing a product means keeping in touch with the
buyers and users and being above board about things( i.e.
through bulletins ). I have not seen
any indication that WP considers this a priority. This is
critical in the present case where there must be bewildered
users trying to figure out why a $595 software package doesn't
work.
I think the larger issue here is the ethics with which high tech companies
operate. Personally, I don't feel that WP has thus far exhibited anything that
qualifies it for the praise that Neil Harris had to offer. My experience
has been in dealing with WP both in Canada and the US for the past three
months now.
parora@utgpu