tim@comcon.UUCP (Tim Brown) (07/22/90)
I have in the past complained about support, never really being able to point to any other entity that was better...well I was browsing the aix group. I was *impressed* with what I saw. I saw users asking questions about aix and guess what? Yes! IBM techs were responding and in helpful, clear and concise ways. In fact particularly impressive was the ratio of questions to answers. Questions from users and answers from IBM techs and such. Something like 1 to 3. Now there are users helping each other too. Where is the vendor assistance here? If there was more of it (vendor assistance) vendors woudln't need to *explain* support policies. Tim Brown Computer Connection/Incenter nstar!comcon!tim
bill@wrangler.WLK.COM (Bill Kennedy) (07/22/90)
In article <442@comcon.UUCP> tim@comcon.UUCP (Tim Brown) writes: [ the AIX group gets good grades for vendor and user support... ] >are users helping each other too. Where is the vendor assistance >here? If there was more of it (vendor assistance) vendors wouldn't >need to *explain* support policies. > >Tim Brown >Computer Connection/Incenter >nstar!comcon!tim More than once I have led the charge to beat up on Interactive about some poor policy decisions but Tim's not being fair. SCO people do contribute to this group and Interactive people are very generous with their expertise here. Regardless about how I might caterwaul about ISC/SCO formal support policies or procedures, their participation in .i386 is visible, effective, and IMHO welcome. One of my stated (in email) concerns regarding ISC's new policy was that they might curtail or even forbid the contribitions to this news group. I was assured (in email) that this was not ISC policy, nor was it likely to change. I'm more than glad to beat 'em bloody with regard to their poor marketing decisions and poorer corporate relations, but to suggest that they do not support this news group is just plain wrong. Speaking for the sites that I administer, the users and vendors' employees make this group work. Read a while before claiming that IBM does a better job, 'nuff said... -- Bill Kennedy usenet {texbell,att,cs.utexas.edu,sun!daver}!ssbn!bill internet bill@ssbn.WLK.COM or attmail!ssbn!bill
jgd@rsiatl.UUCP (John G. DeArmond) (07/23/90)
tim@comcon.UUCP (Tim Brown) writes: >I have in the past complained about support, never really being able >to point to any other entity that was better...well I was browsing the >aix group. I was *impressed* with what I saw. I saw users asking >questions about aix and guess what? Yes! IBM techs were responding >and in helpful, clear and concise ways. In fact particularly impressive >was the ratio of questions to answers. Questions from users and >answers from IBM techs and such. Something like 1 to 3. Now there >are users helping each other too. Where is the vendor assistance >here? If there was more of it (vendor assistance) vendors woudln't >need to *explain* support policies. Yeah. One of my clients is a budding AIX site. They've traditionally used another major vendor's hardware and Unix. But they're looking awfully hard at AIX. My personal opinion after working with it awhile is that AIX is about as much use as used diapers. But the tech support is great. IBM can marshall a venerable sea of support people on a moment's notice. And they lavish hardware right and left. Hell, we're using PS/2s for printer stands - a task they do best. WE've found that RTs make good door props. I've come to believe that IBM really is serious about the Unix market. Whether or not that is good for us remains to be debated. I wonder if ISC, SCO and the rest will allow IBM to step onto home courts and steal the games yet again. While ISC and SCO are worrying about the next authorization scheme or copy protection daemon or how much to nick developers for development kits, or how much to charge for tech support phone calls or how to act like they don't know what the net is all about, IBM will be lavishing OSs AND hardware on most anyone who even remotely resembles a legitimate developer. We can all guess who will come out the winner on that one. In my case, I suspect that the platform that my current software will execute on will be a bit blue around the edges. I guess ISC's gotta cast its lots and take what comes back. Oh well... John -- John De Armond, WD4OQC | We can no more blame our loss of freedom on congress Radiation Systems, Inc. | than we can prostitution on pimps. Both simply Atlanta, Ga | provide broker services for their customers. {emory,uunet}!rsiatl!jgd| - Dr. W Williams | **I am the NRA**