rcd@ico.isc.com (Dick Dunn) (11/15/89)
akcs.larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) writes: > ...ISC told me that the USR modems > are junk and are not supported by 2.02. Hogwash - I wouldn't suggest > ISC to anyone - [I have quite a different view of ISC. I haven't had to use support, so I can't comment on that one way or the other...but I've found 386/ix itself to be quite reliable. Of course, I'm probably too biased...:-] Speaking strictly as an *individual* within ISC... Seriously, when we--engineers, within ISC (whether working on the products or not)--read a comment like the one Larry made, it's very frustrating because we don't know who gave bad advice and we can't use it to help "fix the problem". Certainly from a customer's viewpoint, anyone within ISC speaking to the customer is speaking "as ISC"--and I don't mean to mini- mize the extent to which one person's advice can reflect on the whole company. I think if someone told *me* that "USR modems are junk..." I'd react with something like "hogwash" also. I've used them personally; we've used them at several places I've been. I'd really like to know what's behind such a statement, and who made it, and why. Just for a moment, put yourself in the position of someone within ISC, and think about the effect of what you're saying. I'm not asking you to do our jobs for us; I'm just suggesting that when you make a criticism, make it in a way that conveys enough information that we can figure out how to address a problem. Remember that ISC isn't a new company with a new product. ISC has been around for quite a while; 386/ix has been out for a while and there are a lot of people using it. It's not going to go away because someone doesn't like the company, or the product, or something about it. There are various ways in which 386/ix stands head and shoulders above the other 386 UNIX products, and this is pretty well established by people who've taken time to compare the various systems. So saying "I wouldn't suggest ISC to anyone...", while possibly true, doesn't really convey your message. No plea for mercy here...if ISC screws up, go ahead and flame! But, as I *hope* recent discussions suggest, if a flame shows a tangible problem that can be fixed, there are people reading the newsgroup who are interested in getting it fixed. -- Dick Dunn rcd@ico.isc.com uucp: {ncar,nbires}!ico!rcd (303)449-2870 ...Keep your day job 'til your night job pays.
martin@mwtech.UUCP (Martin Weitzel) (11/23/89)
In article <1989Nov15.004245.1875@ico.isc.com> rcd@ico.isc.com (Dick Dunn) writes: >akcs.larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) writes: >> ...ISC told me that the USR modems >> are junk and are not supported by 2.02. Hogwash - I wouldn't suggest >> ISC to anyone - > [rest deleted] Since I've joined this newsgroup about one month ago, I'm much more convinced that to choose ISC's 386/ix was no bad choice. The people there listen to the newsgroup *and* respond with postings or email. I think back about one and a half year when I was working with SCO's XENIX 286 and had not yet access to usenet and the news. It was very frustrating when I wrote them a telex (no email yet!) after exploring a problem for one or two weeks, and the only answer I got (by letter!), was that they *redirected* the telex to their office in London (UK). After two weeks, London wrote me, that they named a dealer here in germany, I should ask, but it wasn't the one I bought the product from and the one I bought the system from, and generally dealers are in much hurry to ask you questions, if you not have bought from them! (Furthermor, I'm working with U*IX for many years now, also teaching advanced courses, and I generally know much more, than the dealers! The point is, they *never* looked, what my question was, but seemed to think "Such another first time user who can't RTFM.") What I want to say with this (allready too long) posting is: The fact, that I have an audience for my problems gives me a good feeling about 386/ix. (To be fair with respect to SCO: I don't know how well they do support "their" newsgroup.) MW