Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!attctc!vector!chip
From: chip@vector.Dallas.TX.US (Chip Rosenthal)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.xenix
Subject: Re: Xenix probs...
Keywords: Drivers
Message-ID: <694@vector.Dallas.TX.US>
Date: 22 Aug 89 22:02:15 GMT
References: <941@utoday.UUCP> <14@fleet.UUCP> <767@eecea.eece.ksu.edu> <1989Aug20.203453.14000@ddsw1.MCS.COM>
Reply-To: chip@vector.Dallas.TX.US (Chip Rosenthal)
Organization: Dallas Semiconductor
Lines: 41

karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) writes:
>Digiboard comes to mind; we've begun using their cards, and are very happy 
>with both their performance and support...  They actually listen to their
>customer base.  [...] Digiboard did have some initial problems with the PC/16
>drivers, but I got a diskette in the mail FIVE DAYS AFTER REPORTING
>THE PROBLEM

I've mentioned it before, but there's so much bitching 'n moaning here that
I suppose it's worth repeating the good comments about vendors from time to
time.

It's possible that there are better performing boards on the market than
Digiboard's.  Maybe not.  But I wouldn't change.

The thing which has me really sold on them is their support.  It is
uncommonly good.  First, it's free.  They try to focus as much of the
support work as possible through their BBS, which is probably an attempt
to cut down support costs.  They maintain the latest versions of drivers
and documentation on the BBS, and registered users are free to download
them.  If you need to talk to tech support, they don't hang up because
you haven't bought some annual support agreement.  They don't even sell
them.

Second, they listen and fix their bugs.  A few months back I found a few
problems with their drivers.  I reported them to Digiboard, and they
steered me to the BBS and the latest version.  This fixed all but one
of the bugs.  This last one required a rev to the drivers, and they had
me a version to try out within a week.

The weakest part of their support I've found is that the tech support
people aren't too familiar with unix/xenix, so I'm not sure they would
be able to answer a lot of questions on system setup.  However, to their
credit they were willing to accept my report of problems in the xenix
context and get the design folks working on it.  (It also helped that I
did my homework and gave them full documentation on the problems and
software which would duplicate it.)  It might sound trivial that they
would accept a bug report under XENIX, but too many times I've run into
peecee vendors who don't think it's broke unless it breaks under DOS.
-- 
Chip Rosenthal / chip@vector.Dallas.TX.US / Dallas Semiconductor / 214-450-5337
"I wish you'd put that starvation box down and go to bed" - Albert Collins' Mom