Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!crdgw1!ge-dab!peora!tarpit!bilver!bill
From: bill@bilver.UUCP (Bill Vermillion)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.i386
Subject: Re: Taking risks on software (ISC)
Message-ID: <394@bilver.UUCP>
Date: 8 Dec 89 04:05:38 GMT
References: <935@zoom.Clik.QC.CA>
Reply-To: bill@bilver.UUCP (Bill Vermillion)
Organization: W. J. Vermillion, Winter Park, FL
Lines: 33

In article <935@zoom.Clik.QC.CA> marc@Clik.QC.CA (Marc Boucher) writes:

(Gripes about Interactive deleted - wjv)

>	I have also been disappointed with your telephone support. I have been
>stupidly asked many times for the "exact error message" with to the word
>precision! so that the ignorant interactive employee could look it up in her
>miracle problem solving database.

Marc - I have several clients with small Unix/Xenix systems.  I often get a
call and the conversation goes something like this.

"I got an error message and now ...."

"What did the error message say?"

"Something about foo"

I think a moment, and that sounds implausible, so I say.

"Are you sure it didn't say bar"

"Yeh, that might be it too."

"When it happens again, write down the entire error message EXACTLY, and call
me back."

I'm not a veterinarian.  My patients have to tell me what's wrong.
To call an employee ignorant because he is trying to help you is way off base.

-- 
Bill Vermillion - UUCP: {uiucuxc,hoptoad,petsd}!peora!tarpit!bilver!bill
                      : bill@bilver.UUCP