papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (10/05/89)
I'd like to know user's experiences with Microsoft DIAL (Direct Information Access Line System) and Microsoft OnLine for electronic tech support. Are they worth the (large) expense? For what kinds of things are they useful, except for bug reporting, etc.? In particular, I'd like to know how MS-Windows is supported (no MC-DOS or OS/2) by the above electronic systems. -- Marco -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= uucp:...!pollux!papa BIX:papa ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Diga and Caligari!" -- Rick Unland -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
brent@well.UUCP (Brent Southard) (10/06/89)
In article <20290@usc.edu> papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: >I'd like to know user's experiences with Microsoft DIAL (Direct Information >Access Line System) and Microsoft OnLine for electronic tech support. >Are they worth the (large) expense? For what kinds of things are they useful, >except for bug reporting, etc.? In particular, I'd like to know how MS-Windows >is supported (no MC-DOS or OS/2) by the above electronic systems. > >-- Marco Marco, I thought you were strictly Amiga! Good to see you here as well. I do a LOT of Windows programming, and my company has used DIAL and currently subscribes to OnLine. DIAL is dead -- OnLine is the replacement. There are a lot of quirks with OnLine -- slow file transfers, slow everything in fact. This wouldn't be so bad, except that you are billed for excess usage. Despite this, the Microsoft people are pretty good at helping out, especially for urgent problems. You can usually expect a 1-4 day turnaround on your questions, depending upon their assigned priority and difficulty. You can, however, usually discover a lot yourself by sifting through the KnowledgeBase. Windows is probably the single most supported product on OnLine, so you don't have to worry about that. In short, though we grumble a lot about OnLine and Microsoft's technical support, they usually come through. We'd very often be lost without the service. Recommended for serious development. Brent (currently dusting off the A1000 in the basement...) -- brent southard (313) 656-8349 | usenet: ...!well!brent ImageTech Corp (313) 362-3141 | "When frog licking is outlawed, only outlaws will lick frogs."
papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (10/06/89)
In article <13972@well.UUCP> brent@well.UUCP (Brent Southard) writes: >In article <20290@usc.edu> papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: >>I'd like to know user's experiences with Microsoft DIAL (Direct Information >>Access Line System) and Microsoft OnLine for electronic tech support. >>Are they worth the (large) expense? >Marco, I thought you were strictly Amiga! Good to see you here as well. Hi, Brent. Yea, can't put all the eggs in one basket ;-) MS-Windows seems to be taking off, so we've decided to do a product for it (I've *almost* signed off with my publisher). > I do a LOT of Windows programming, and my company has used DIAL and currently >subscribes to OnLine. DIAL is dead -- OnLine is the replacement. There are >a lot of quirks with OnLine -- slow file transfers, slow everything in fact. >This wouldn't be so bad, except that you are billed for excess usage. What is this "excess usage". Are accounts allotted a max time/month or something like that and billed differently when exceding that amount? [...] > We'd very often be lost without the service. Recommended for serious >development. >brent southard (313) 656-8349 | usenet: ...!well!brent >ImageTech Corp (313) 362-3141 | ^^^^^^^^^ What kinds of MS-Windows products does ImageTech have? On a similar subject, I've read that there are a number of products that "facilitate" MS-Windows programming, and others that provide a "uniform" interface to both MS-Windows and OS/2/PM allowing easy portability. What are usenetter's esperiences and recommendations for these? What I'd be afraid of is the "extra" overhead that must be instruced by this extra interface. If these items have been covered extensively previously on this group, please just e-mail. Thank you. -- Marco Papa 'Doc' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= uucp:...!pollux!papa BIX:papa ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Diga and Caligari!" -- Rick Unland -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
brent@well.UUCP (Brent Southard) (10/09/89)
In article <20323@usc.edu> papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: [talking about MS OnLine...] >What is this "excess usage". Are accounts allotted a max time/month or >something like that and billed differently when exceding that amount? When you pay your yearly fee, you are allocated 1 hr/month of online time. Actually, I believe you are allocated 12 hours credit, i.e. the time is carried from month to month. Time over and above the 12 hours is billed at $25/hr, I believe. Perhaps a Microsoft employee can correct me if I'm wrong. >>brent southard (313) 656-8349 | usenet: ...!well!brent >>ImageTech Corp (313) 362-3141 | > ^^^^^^^^^ >What kinds of MS-Windows products does ImageTech have? On a similar subject, >I've read that there are a number of products that "facilitate" MS-Windows >programming, and others that provide a "uniform" interface to both MS-Windows >and OS/2/PM allowing easy portability. What are usenetter's esperiences and >recommendations for these? What I'd be afraid of is the "extra" overhead that >must be instruced by this extra interface. If these items have been covered >extensively previously on this group, please just e-mail. Thank you. ImageTech produces a Windows program called 'MARVIN'. It is an Image Database application which enables you to scan or import bi-level images into a proprietary relational database. Image compression/decompression is handled either by software or (KoFax) hardware. Documents may be viewed, printed, or exported to many file formats. It's a product aimed mostly at vertical markets. Personally, I don't have experience with any of the programming facilities you're talking about, but I'm interested in trying CommonView soon. (Marco, going to COMDEX? If so, send email -- maybe we can meet.) -brent -- brent southard (313) 656-8349 | usenet: ...!well!brent ImageTech Corp (313) 362-3141 | "When frog licking is outlawed, only outlaws will lick frogs."