corwin@polari.UUCP (Don Glover) (09/01/89)
I would like to know if anyone has had any GOOD experiences with service from SCO? I have been using SCO Xenix for 6 months now and have encountered numerous problems with the development system. I recently called to check on an upgrade and have received the most obnoxiuos amount of runaround you could ever imagine. The fail to return calls, they tried to sell me a 2.3 development system for the 286, a piece of software that does not exist and has no scheduled release date. On top of this they are charging phenomenal amounts of money, so much in fact it may well be less exepnsive to move to a different vendor! Don Glover, the younger
root@ozdaltx.UUCP (root) (09/01/89)
I recently (this week) ran into a situation where a charity
origanization was given a Xenix system. Problem was very
little documentation and a lost activation key. Several
people suggested I call SCO... I was hesitant because of
the strangness of the situation. ( Thanks for all the
responces, by the way).
I called SCO, explained the situation and was called back in
less than an hour with the solution. I have delt with SCO
on an off & on basis for many years - I doubt they know me
from Adam - But, I have always found them to be capable,
friendly and helpful - in most cases. (there's always a
question for which there is no real answer.) I would never
hesitate to recomend their services/product to anyone.
Scotty
AIDS INFORMATION EXCHANGE BBS (214) 247-2367/247-5609
"Education is the best weapon"
{ames,rutgers,texsun,smu}!attctc!ozdaltx!sysop karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) (09/02/89)
In article <1009@polari.UUCP> corwin@polari.UUCP (Don Glover) writes: >I would like to know if anyone has had any GOOD experiences with >service from SCO? I have been using SCO Xenix for 6 months now and >have encountered numerous problems with the development system. I >recently called to check on an upgrade and have received the most >obnoxiuos amount of runaround you could ever imagine. The fail to >return calls, they tried to sell me a 2.3 development system for >the 286, a piece of software that does not exist and has no scheduled >release date. On top of this they are charging phenomenal amounts of >money, so much in fact it may well be less exepnsive to move to >a different vendor! > >Don Glover, the younger I can't agree with this sentiment. We have had our problems with SCO Xenix, yes. But SCO has _always_, and I do repeat -- Always -- come up with either a work-around or a bug fix. When it's a question of a bug, that fix has been provided at _no charge_. The latest incantation of this was with some strange problems we were experiencing with panics while using two disk controllers. They sent us another "oem.o" file for the kernel link kit -- and I've only had two since (and both of those are questionable - they may have been due to flaky power). The original problem has not returned (this is not to say it won't -- just that it hasn't yet :-) They have, however, been exemplary when it comes to response, they DO return our calls at the time set (they set an appointment for us, and ALWAYS keep it), and in general are quite good at getting problems resolved. Granted, we don't bother them with the little things. We only complain (and loudly) when there is something seriously broken that we can't work around without their help. I don't expect 100% bug-free operation, 90% will do fine if the other 10% are either able to be worked around by ourselves or in the case of a serious problem, the vendor will fix it within a reasonable time frame. Why don't you list your complaints, the trouble numbers that SCO has assigned, and any resolutions you have received? That would help a lot. Finally, consider doing business with a VAR. Places like ours (and there are lots of us) can field many of the complaints ourselves, and we have some weight in getting things resolved -- not to mention somehow not having the difficulties with their support organization you have described! -- Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, <well-connected>!ddsw1!karl) Public Access Data Line: [+1 312 566-8911], Voice: [+1 312 566-8910] Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. "Quality Solutions at a Fair Price"
larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) (09/03/89)
In article <1009@polari.UUCP>, corwin@polari.UUCP (Don Glover) writes: > I would like to know if anyone has had any GOOD experiences with > service from SCO? I have been using SCO Xenix for 6 months now and > have encountered numerous problems with the development system. I > recently called to check on an upgrade and have received the most > obnoxiuos amount of runaround you could ever imagine. The fail to > return calls, they tried to sell me a 2.3 development system for > the 286, a piece of software that does not exist and has no scheduled > release date. On top of this they are charging phenomenal amounts of > money, so much in fact it may well be less exepnsive to move to > a different vendor! That appears to be common in the Unix/Xenix Intel world. I have SCO and found USENET to provide questions to my support questions - as well as Sandy's XBBS system on the west coast. SCO wants way too much for support for individuals - but that amount is justified in commercial environments where a whole office is depending on support. I lately switched to Interactive and found the i/o to be *outstanding*. 386/ix is hot stuff, and their technical support team while small - actually knows the insides of the OS. I never did use support from SCO for fear of starting my 30 days (which then would start my non-support at 30+ days). Overall, the SCO manuals are excellent and 99% of my questions could be answered using the manuals - and technical support wasn't a major issue. Now the Interactive manuals are another story... . -- Larry Snyder uucp:iuvax!ndcheg!ndmath!nstar!larry The Northern Star Usenet Distribution Site, Notre Dame, IN USA
thurm@shorty.CS.WISC.EDU (Matthew Thurmaier) (09/06/89)
I have observed several comments about SCO's support services on the net.
I have been using SCO's product for about 4 years now, and have used 386/
286, and even 8086 versions of XENIX, as well as UNIX V/386 from SCO.
Over these years, I have used their support quite alot. Some times it
is frustrating, so much so that I once started to use another vendor myself.
At that point someone at SCO pointed some things out to me and I have been
very satisfied ever since.
So, I thought that I could pass a few hints along to you and hope that you
all have a better experience with SCO:
1.) ABSOLUTE TOP PRIORITY .... BE POLITE AND UNDERSTANDING
These people handle hundreds of problems a day, and the receptionists
don't have ANY control over how long the lines are on the phones, so
why yell at them. Tell one of the people in marketing. Yelling at
the receptionist only serves to reduce their simpathy for your problem.
2.) If you find a bug, but it's not going to keep you from doing your work,
or you found a work-around, call support and just leave a message. If
they can't reproduce it, they'll call you back. This saves them time
and allows more of us to get through.
3.) Have your problem narrowed down as precisely as possible. I usually
spend at least an hour before I call SCO, sometimes a few days. I did
beta work on Office Portfolio and it seams to me that they liked my
bug reports because I would be very precise.
4.) Always have your key number available and tell them where you want to
go, even before they ask. Usually, the operator says "Support...."
and I reply "hello ####, this is matthew, and I would like to go to
express", or media, or get a full analyst. This tells them that you
know what you're doing, that you've been there before, and you are break-
ing up their routine... and what a routine.
5.) Last, way back when, SCO only had 3 problem levels. Your problem entered
at the lowest level, and was escallated. If you weren't/aren't happy with
the answer that an anilyst gives you or it doesn't work, call back, and if
necessary, tell the receptionist that you want to escallate the problem.
Again, you are telling them that you have been there before and that you
are a professional.
I have found the people at SCO to be friendly, knowledgeabe, and above all,
friendly. Sure, you run into a snag every now and then, but what makes US
professionals is to not let those snags bring us down.
I hope that all of you find these hints usefull, and that it helps us all
get a little better responce time from SCO the next time we call them.
Sincerely,
Matthew
Snail Mail: E Mail:
Matthew J. Thurmaier ...!{allegra,harvard,seismo}!shorty!matt
The Computer Classroom matt@shorty.wisc.edu
6701 Seybold Road, Ste. 122
Madison, WI 53719
(608) 271-2171
"why am I ALWAYS going somewhere?" >>-matt-->root@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) (09/06/89)
In article <8292@spool.cs.wisc.edu>, thurm@shorty.CS.WISC.EDU (Matthew Thurmaier) writes: > I have found the people at SCO to be friendly, knowledgeabe, and above all, > friendly. Sure, you run into a snag every now and then, but what makes US > professionals is to not let those snags bring us down. I will say one thing for SCO - they do reply. I receive several responses a week from the folks at SCO - but NEVER have I received one from Interactive.
palowoda@megatest.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) (09/07/89)
From article <98@nstar.UUCP>, by root@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder): > In article <8292@spool.cs.wisc.edu>, thurm@shorty.CS.WISC.EDU (Matthew Thurmaier) writes: >> I have found the people at SCO to be friendly, knowledgeabe, and above all, >> friendly. Sure, you run into a snag every now and then, but what makes US >> professionals is to not let those snags bring us down. > > I will say one thing for SCO - they do reply. I receive several responses > a week from the folks at SCO - but NEVER have I received one from Interactive. Let's face it thier is going to pro and con's about anybodys support. SCO offers (two basic) levels of support. Free support and pay support. Too SCO credit I have seen them give out alot of free support. If where going to pass judgement here, lets hear it from the people who payed for the support. ---Bob -- Bob Palowoda *Home of Fiver BBS* login: bbs Work: {sun,decwrl,pyramid}!megatest!palowoda Home: {sun}ys2!fiver!palowoda (A XBBS System) 2-lines BBS: (415)623-8809 2400/1200 (415)623-8806 1200/2400/9600/19200