mdf@tut.UUCP (12/08/87)
In <309@lakesys.UUCP> steven@lakesys.UUCP (Steven Goodman) writes: >I can't agree more, SCO's support is nothing less than "Premium". It is the best I have seen so far. >A typical example of SCO's support happened quite recently where I needed >to drive my ports at 19,200 and also send some characters not supported >by SCO's uucico (Telebit TrailBlazer stuff), I called SCO and within a >couple of days a new uucico and a new cu was delivered and works fine >(Thanks James). I have unresolved problems of a similar nature (try getting terminfo curses to send high-bit graphics characters to the console or WY60 terminals) that have gone unsolved for MONTHS. Also the terminfo curses updates the console screen VERY slowly. I sent sample code and instructions for compiling with terminfo and termcap to show the difference. Last I checked, they had received the code I sent, logged the problem, and nothing had been done with it. No one had even looked at it. It is well over a month since it was sent to them. It often takes over 24 hours to get a support rep on the phone. The reps I have spoken with say they are swamped and badly in need of more people. SCO is a victim of its success. They can sell XENIX much faster than they can find and hire good support staff. I do not blame them. We have had much trouble finding decent people ourselves. I just want to point out that although they are the best, they are far from perfect. If SCO is listening, my support key number is 7609. -- Mark D. Freeman (614) 262-3703 StrongPoint Systems, Inc. mdf@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu 2440 Medary Avenue ...!cbosgd!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mdf Columbus, OH 43202-3014 Guest account at The Ohio State University
usenet@agate.BERKELEY.EDU (USENET Administrator) (05/23/89)
I have tested the SCO number given in a recent posting by Russ and have had no trouble getting a working line whenever I dialed in. I plead guilty to leaping to an erroneous conclusion based on a misreading of the original posting by Russ and a critical comment by a poster. I assumed that there was one 2400 and one 9600 line, a configuration rather on the stingy side for an organization of SCO's stature. I was wrong. They apparently have multiple lines at each speed. Influenced in part by the recent infusion of MicroShaft capital into SCO, I assumed that SCO had started to act like MicroShaft. Contrary to my leap-to-defamation, SCO is still acting like SCO. I sometimes think it's easy to dump on SCO because they are responsive. You have real live people to deal with, not a recording that says, All our dildos are busy now. If you want to speak with a twit who doesn't know anything about abc, push 1, if you want to speak with a dweeb who doesn't know anything about xyz, push 2, etc., etc., ad nauseum. By the way if anyone wants to find out what it's like to be really buggered (I'm going to England, and feel obliged to speak the language like the originators) for "support", let me recommend NBI. My department pays $7,500 a year for "service" alone -- which consists mostly of know-nothings whose only talent seems to be gum-chewing and jargon-spewing. Earl H. Kinmonth History Department University of California, Davis Davis, California 95616 916-752-1636 (2300-0800 PDT for FAX) 916-752-0776 (secretary) ucbvax!ucdavis!ucdked!cck (email) cc-dnet.ucdavis.edu [128.120.2.251] (request ucdked, login as guest)
jep@pcgbase.UUCP (jep) (11/19/89)
I would like to say thanks and give credit where credit is due!!! This is for the professional level of support from the people at SCO. Recently I was prepared to do an update at one of my clients from Xenix 2.3.1 to 2.3.2. Unfortunately because CORE, Int. did not have their drivers ready I couldn't. Two days later, I was at another client's office about two hundred miles away and the first client had to reset their computer. Consequently one of the file systems was corrupted and would not mount. After repeated tries to "fsck" the file system from my remote location, I called SCO. The first response was that there was a problem with "fsck" in 2.3.1 but it was fixed with 2.3.2. GREAT! I was just there but could not install 2.3.2. Then the technician reminded me of the SCO offering of patches available through uucp. To make a long story short because of the professional support SCO offers, I was able to download the patch from SCO. Next I uploaded the patch to my first client and rebuilt the file system. In about one hour the whole problem was fixed. I sat back and laughed as I thought, "what if that had been a MS-DOS installation?" Keep up the good work SCO! -- John E. Phillips (904)672-3856 Phillips Consulting Group, Inc. 24 Chippingwood Lane Ormond Beach, FL 32176 uunet!pcgbase!jep attmail!pcgbase!jep Easylink 62909663
woody@rpp386.cactus.org (Woodrow Baker) (11/21/89)
In article <3@pcgbase.UUCP>, jep@pcgbase.UUCP (jep) writes: > > I would like to say thanks and give credit where credit is due!!! This is > for the professional level of support from the people at SCO. > > Recently I was prepared to do an update at one of my clients from Xenix > 2.3.1 to 2.3.2. Unfortunately because CORE, Int. did not have their drivers > ready I couldn't. > > Two days later, I was at another client's office about two hundred miles > away and the first client had to reset their computer. Consequently one of > the file systems was corrupted and would not mount. After repeated > tries to "fsck" the file system from my remote location, I called SCO. > The first response was that there was a problem with "fsck" in 2.3.1 but > it was fixed with 2.3.2. GREAT! I was just there but could not install 2.3.2. > Then the technician reminded me of the SCO offering of patches available > through uucp. > > To make a long story short because of the professional support SCO offers, > I was able to download the patch from SCO. Next I uploaded the patch to > my first client and rebuilt the file system. In about one hour the whole > problem was fixed. I sat back and laughed as I thought, "what if that had > been a MS-DOS installation?" > > Keep up the good work SCO! > -- > John E. Phillips (904)672-3856 > Phillips Consulting Group, Inc. > 24 Chippingwood Lane Ormond Beach, FL 32176 > uunet!pcgbase!jep attmail!pcgbase!jep Easylink 62909663 If that were MS-DOS, you probably could have accomplished the same thing nearly as quickly. Any MS-DOS consultant worth his salt would have NORTON around. Sounds like the client had a modem. If it were a MS-DOS setup the consultant would most probably have placed a copy of PROCOMM on the client computer (or had them purchase it). At that point, you can have client go to remote host, and call in. While you can't run NORTON remotely, you could at least work with the system remotely, and perhaps dump Spinrite down and have the client follow directions. I have had to deal with things in this manner before, and it is not to painful.... cheers Woody Baker
amull@Morgan.COM (Andrew P. Mullhaupt) (11/24/89)
I am pretty well known as a dead-set anti-UNIX guy who prefers DOS, but I do have experience with SCO, (they support my UNIX SystemV/386 r3.2 since it's their fault...). You'd better check again about running Gibson Spin-Rite remotely in DOS, and it sounds like you think you can run the Norton Utilities remotely, too. (Not recommended, especially now that you might be going across as DOS3 to DOS4 connection.) My problem with SCO is the distribution media doesn't read well on my systems (Compaq Deskpro 386S, Nothgate Elegance 386/20). I have rock solid floppy drives in both, and have extensively tested these since my problems with SCO's distribution disks. SCO keeps suggesting that I have rather shabby hardware, etc. When I try to install stuff, I have about a 30% chance of getting the 'Error: Disk not in Drive' problem. Lest anybody think I can't read manuals, or have strange inabilities to close my drive doors, then maybe SCO has a place for you in tech support. On the other hand, they have offered to swap the media (as much for their quality control as my satisfaction) but I would say that their support is on a par with most DOS support I've needed; (Quarterdeck, for example, SoftKlone, or Microsoft.) Later, Andrew Mullhaupt
davef@lakesys.lakesys.com (Dave Fenske) (11/25/89)
If there's a 30% chance of an error on an SCO distribution disk, there is definietly something wrong. I find it difficult to believe that someting is SCO media. I have not had a single problem, nor has any of my customers had a problem in over 2 years, with media. Sounds like you should stop keeping the disketts in the refrigerator until you're ready to use them. DF
amull@Morgan.COM (Andrew P. Mullhaupt) (11/26/89)
In article <1356@lakesys.lakesys.com>, davef@lakesys.lakesys.com (Dave Fenske) writes: > If there's a 30% chance of an error on an SCO distribution disk, there is > definietly something wrong. I find it difficult to believe that someting > is SCO media. > > I have not had a single problem, nor has any of my customers had a problem > in over 2 years, with media. > > Sounds like you should stop keeping the disketts in the refrigerator until > you're ready to use them. > > DF All right go ahead and assume the worst of me, and I'll assume the worst of you. I've been computing for over twenty years and I do this for a living. If you aren't interested in reports of problems which may someday affect you or your customers, then good luck. If you just want to get on the 'It must really be your problem' bandwagon, then Thanks for your helpful suggestion, bozo. Later, Andrew Mullhaupt
corwin@polari.UUCP (Don Glover) (11/27/89)
In article <537@s5.Morgan.COM>, amull@Morgan.COM (Andrew P. Mullhaupt) writes: > In article <1356@lakesys.lakesys.com>, davef@lakesys.lakesys.com (Dave Fenske) writes: > >[worthless statements deleted] > > DF > > [credentials deleted] > to get on the 'It must really be your problem' bandwagon, then Thanks for > your helpful suggestion, bozo. > > Later, > Andrew Mullhaupt Andrew, Suggest that you treat the mentally disabled with more respect, the guy is obviously an SCO bigot and probably hopes some SCO people will see him sucking up to the company here and giving a brownie point for being a good little follower.
bob@consult.UUCP (Bob Willey) (11/27/89)
In article <537@s5.Morgan.COM> amull@Morgan.COM (Andrew P. Mullhaupt) writes: >In article <1356@lakesys.lakesys.com>, davef@lakesys.lakesys.com (Dave Fenske) writes: >> If there's a 30% chance of an error on an SCO distribution disk, there is >> definietly something wrong. I find it difficult to believe that someting >> is SCO media. >> I have not had a single problem, nor has any of my customers had a problem >> in over 2 years, with media. >> Sounds like you should stop keeping the disketts in the refrigerator until >> you're ready to use them. >All right go ahead and assume the worst of me, and I'll assume the worst >of you. I've been computing for over twenty years and I do this for a >living. If you aren't interested in reports of problems which may >someday affect you or your customers, then good luck. If you just want >to get on the 'It must really be your problem' bandwagon, then Thanks for >your helpful suggestion, bozo. 1. It is a shame to have items like this taking up everyone's time. And I will compound by adding my two cents worth. 2. We have received MANY diskettes from SCO and have NEVER had a single diskette bad. Not that one may not go bad tommorrow (or today). 3. You may have a problem of the diskettes being destroyed inadvertenly, ala... X-ray at your regional post office, or UPS center, or FEDex, or whoever the shipper was. You could have had extreme temperature or humidity exposed to them. The package could have been dropped in a sink of water. Who knows.. But the bottom line is that the SCO distributions seem to be pretty solid from most angles. I have seen several messages like mine, that people are not experiencing problems. 4. Get the new distribution from SCO (which they offer free), and go forward, and Good Luck. -- .. Computer Consulting Service .. Bob Willey .. .. P.O. Drawer 1690 .. uunet!consult!bob .. .. Easton, Maryland 21601 .. (301) 820-4670 .. ...............................................................
jca@pnet01.cts.com (John C. Archambeau) (11/29/89)
amull@Morgan.COM (Andrew P. Mullhaupt) writes: > >I am pretty well known as a dead-set anti-UNIX guy who prefers >DOS, but I do have experience with SCO, (they support my UNIX >SystemV/386 r3.2 since it's their fault...). Glad to meet you, I'm established as an anti-DOS person myself and wouldn't mind taking the SPARCstation 1 on my desk at work home for an indefinate period of time. I wouldn't blame SCO for System V. AT&T is responsible for that mess originally. After using System V on an AT&T 3B series for awhile, one realizes this very quickly and once somebody is exposed to BSD Unix 4.3 or SunOS 4.0.3 one realizes how much AT&T screwed up. Call AT&T for the latest version of System V and they will give you some gawd awful number that reflects a new Swiss bank account number. Why companies license System V Unix is a mystery to me, I personally would love to see a more BSD oriented Xenix or Unix for a generic 386 box, but the only thing out there is SunOS 4.0.2 for a Sun 386i and that has a $20,000 price tag for the 25 MHz model. >My problem with SCO is the distribution media doesn't read well >on my systems (Compaq Deskpro 386S, Nothgate Elegance 386/20). >I have rock solid floppy drives in both, and have extensively >tested these since my problems with SCO's distribution disks. >SCO keeps suggesting that I have rather shabby hardware, etc. >When I try to install stuff, I have about a 30% chance of getting >the 'Error: Disk not in Drive' problem. > >Lest anybody think I can't read manuals, or have strange inabilities >to close my drive doors, then maybe SCO has a place for you in >tech support. On the other hand, they have offered to swap the >media (as much for their quality control as my satisfaction) but >I would say that their support is on a par with most DOS support >I've needed; (Quarterdeck, for example, SoftKlone, or Microsoft.) It could be that the disks got x-rayed or were exposed to a magnetic field during shipping. Of course, there's always Murphy's law that gave you that bad set of disks that tested ok when SCO shrinkwrapped them, but just didn't have that long of a lifetime. It happens, nothing is this world is perfect, MS-DOS is a prime example of that. :) I've had disks that would format ok and then just die a few days later, admittedly they are few and far between, but it happens. Don't blame SCO for it since they didn't manufacture the media, they only put their product on it. If the media is bad, send it back and they'll send you another set of disks. // John C. Archambeau /* **--------------------------------------------------------------------------* ** Flames : /dev/null (on my Minix partition) **--------------------------------------------------------------------------* ** ARPA : crash!pnet01!jca@nosc.mil ** INET : jca@pnet01.cts.com ** UUCP : {nosc ucsd hplabs!hd-sdd}!crash!pnet01!jca **--------------------------------------------------------------------------* ** Note : My opinions are exactly that...mine. Bill Gates couldn't buy ** my opinion...but he could rent it for a few nanoseconds. :) **--------------------------------------------------------------------------* */
scotto@pnet01.cts.com (Scott O'Connell) (11/29/89)
amull@Morgan.COM (Andrew P. Mullhaupt) writes: >In article <1356@lakesys.lakesys.com>, davef@lakesys.lakesys.com (Dave Fenske) writes: >> If there's a 30% chance of an error on an SCO distribution disk, there is >> definietly something wrong. I find it difficult to believe that someting >> is SCO media. >> >> I have not had a single problem, nor has any of my customers had a problem >> in over 2 years, with media. >> >> Sounds like you should stop keeping the disketts in the refrigerator until >> you're ready to use them. >> >> DF >All right go ahead and assume the worst of me, and I'll assume the worst >of you. I've been computing for over twenty years and I do this for a >living. If you aren't interested in reports of problems which may >someday affect you or your customers, then good luck. If you just want >to get on the 'It must really be your problem' bandwagon, then Thanks for >your helpful suggestion, bozo. > >Later, >Andrew Mullhaupt Andrew, Lighten up! I too can say that I have *never* had a problem with media from SCO. I can't say "I've been computing for over twenty years etc...", but then who cares how long you've been computing. For all we know you *think* you've been computing for over twenty years. Facts are facts. I just counted over 60 disks in my office that have SCO labels on them. NONE have ever had a problem that I can attribute to poor media. I have had problems, but they are normally anything from dirty equipment to marginal hardware. You probably have an Epson LQ-2550 that you set your disk on just before inserting them into the drive. You know, the Epson with the magnet switches that sense "CASE OPEN".
amull@Morgan.COM (Andrew P. Mullhaupt) (11/30/89)
> > Andrew, > > Lighten up! I too can say that I have *never* had a problem with > media from SCO. I can't say "I've been computing for over twenty > years etc...", but then who cares how long you've been computing. > You probably have an Epson LQ-2550 that you set your disk on just > before inserting them into the drive. You know, the Epson with the > magnet switches that sense "CASE OPEN". No, I have a Lan running OS/2 and Dos on which I print remotely. (Very remotely...) Also, It is an HP-DeskJet. I am well aware of what can happen to improperly stored or handled disks. I will be swapping them for a new set, but consider: I got the OS set BEFORE the earthquake, and the Development system was delayed by it. They have different batch numbers on them. Both sets have the same problem. I have since this come to the conclusion that my 'value-added' reseller must have stored these disks or shipped them inappropriately. How they could have been damaged is hard to imagine: the symptom is that when attempting to read the media, UNIX reports 'Error: Disk not in Drive' but repeated attempts to read, followed by tapping the diskette gently on a hard surface (as per RTFM), eventually succeed. Thus installation takes many hours; on the other hand, no data seems to have been lost. Having spent sixteen hours at one stretch trying to install UNIX is what makes it a bit difficult to enjoy the RTFM style suggestions received so far. SCO has already laid most of these on me, and even though I was certain hardware was not at fault, I employed every one in good faith, even consulting Northgate Technical Service as to the exact specifications of the diskette drives. It was funny for the first 40 hours. At this point I'm sorry I even brought it up. For anyone else who wants to explain demagnetization hazards to me; consider the following fact: Reading the diskettes under DOS and OS/2 (on the same hardware) NEVER (REPEAT NEVER) gives this symptom. Later, Andrew Mullhaupt
fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes) (12/01/89)
In article <251@consult.UUCP>, bob@consult.UUCP (Bob Willey) writes: > 3. You may have a problem of the diskettes being destroyed inadvertenly, > ala... X-ray at your regional post office, or UPS center, or FEDex, > or whoever the shipper was. You could have had extreme temperature > or humidity exposed to them. The package could have been dropped in > a sink of water. Who knows.. But the bottom line is that the SCO > distributions seem to be pretty solid from most angles. I have seen > several messages like mine, that people are not experiencing problems. I have received lots of diskettes from SCO and other vendors. I have never had a problem with a diskette from SCO. I did have one diskette that was crushed (from another vendor). I cut it out of the envelope, stuck it into another and read it ok. On the other hand, we have had problems with diskettes sent to others (we sell software). It has happened with both UPS and USPS shipments. The funny thing is it seems to happen is spurts. We may have no problems for a year and then quite a few shipments in one month will be wiped out. I haven't managed to trace it to anything (like weather or phase of the moon) but it seems real strange. -- Phil Hughes, SSC, Inc. P.O. Box 55549, Seattle, WA 98155 (206)FOR-UNIX amc-gw!ssc!fyl or uunet!pilchuck!ssc!fyl or attmail!ssc!fyl
zeeff@b-tech.ann-arbor.mi.us (Jon Zeeff) (12/05/89)
>On the other hand, we have had problems with diskettes sent to others >(we sell software). It has happened with both UPS and USPS shipments. >The funny thing is it seems to happen is spurts. We may have no problems >for a year and then quite a few shipments in one month will be wiped out. >I haven't managed to trace it to anything (like weather or phase of the >moon) but it seems real strange. Try comparing it to the dates when the FBI is looking for illegal gun shipments. :-). -- Jon Zeeff <zeeff@b-tech.ann-arbor.mi.us> Branch Technology <zeeff@b-tech.mi.org>