Path: utzoo!yunexus!maccs!innovus!rob
From: rob@innovus.UUCP (Rob Sciuk)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp
Subject: HP-UX 5.3 for Series 5xx ...
Message-ID: <226@innovus.UUCP>
Date: 13 Jul 89 21:59:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: innovus.226
Reply-To: rob@innovus.UUCP (Rob Sciuk)
Organization: Innovus Inc, Hamilton, Ont. Canada
Lines: 56

As we have a 540 that we are paying $BIG BUX$ to continue our
software maintenance for, and considering that HP is putting
out the *LAST* release of HP-UX (5.3) for that system, is there
any word on when the release will be shipped to customers ??  We
would like to upgrade and cancel the SMS (since RFA is currently
badly busted).

The last I heard it was to ship in June.


The following is directed to HP ... and does not constitute a flame ...
hopefully some constructive sugggestions that may help us ALL
out.

While we are on the topic of SMS support, we have been experiencing
a number of difficulties with our support services on the 3xx and 8xx's

	o  Software shipments are typically late (as software developers
	   we like to get O/S upgrades *BEFORE* our customers).

	o  Speaking of which ... why is there no prioritization
	   of shipments to qualified ISV's prior to general release
	   to allow us to support the nice HP-UX enhancements in
	   time for customers to enjoy them?  Things like NEWWAVE,
	   X-11R3, and all those other neat GUI's that seem to be
	   floating around out there.

	o  Media does not ship in 1 package, and is spread out
	   over several shipments.  This makes it exceedingly
	   difficult to determine when your materials are all
	   on hand and you can safely upgrade.

	o  Media is always 9144 *sigh* when 9 Track would be
	   ever so much easier/reliable/convenient/etc etc.

	o  Shipments are product oriented and not customer oriented.
	   by creating a customer specific distribution tape, the
	   extra labour must be MORE than offset in terms of media
	   (those *expletive deleted* cartridges are expensive!).

	o  I believe that MIT releases on the 3000 come with O/S and
	   customer specific SUBSYSTEM tapes ... maybe a lesson
	   can be learned from the nice people in the commercial
	   sector.

While we are generally pleased with support services, RCS and all the
other neat goodies that HP provides, a few things need to be fixed in
the software distribution side that would put HP right over the top
in terms of this customer's satisfaction.

rss.
-- 
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Rob Sciuk	utzoo!yunexus!maccs!innovus!rob	or rob@innovus
Innovus Inc.	204-200 James St S. Hamilton, Ont. 	Phone:	(416) 529-8117 
		{not a flame ... merely a glimmer ...}	Fax:	(416) 572-9586