Xref: utzoo comp.sys.apollo:5692 comp.sys.hp:5562 Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!snorkelwacker!bloom-beacon!eru!luth!sunic!mcsun!tuvie!mike From: mike@tuvie (Inst.f.Techn.Informatik) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apollo,comp.sys.hp Subject: Re: Netpower: encourage HP to improve customer services Keywords: HP Apollo security patches APRs bugs customer services net Message-ID: <1663@tuvie> Date: 6 Jul 90 13:30:20 GMT References: <1990Jul5.142403.3942@quintro.uucp> <1990Jul6.015817.23710@metro.ucc.su.OZ.AU> Followup-To: comp.sys.apollo, comp.sys.hp Organization: Technical University of Vienna, AUSTRIA Lines: 64 In article <1990Jul6.015817.23710@metro.ucc.su.OZ.AU>, jimr@maths.su.oz.au (Jim Richardson) writes: > I'd like to see HP/Apollo start using the net to provide better customer > services. Here are some suggestions: > > * HP to set up a public ftp archive containing an index of APRs, an > index of latest versions of software (not the software itself:-), > and a complete set of patches, say in compressed wbak form. There's > no reason why it couldn't have advertisements for new products too. > Now with Domain this could be a real headache. Since chroot does not work (I guess it will *NEVER* be fixed), anonymous ftp is not so simple. Still, I remember having read an article about someone having fixed the ftp-server to be safe for anonymous ftp. Maybe HP/Apollo should start by fixing ftp themselves and distribute such a version. Would facilitate setting up anonymous ftp for Apollos, if it's available without too much of a problem. Product announcements would be nice, if they contain INFORMATION instead of hot air. I hate the colorful announcements containing information that could be summed up in two or three sentences, and I do not want to pay for the same thing in the news. > * Prompt response *by email* to APRs submitted by email for customers > with service contracts. > The idea is nice. But I would also like to be told about bug fixes and bugs that are not fixed. - Now this HP/Apollo will probably resist, because they would increase the pressure on themselves when doing such a thing, but I DO NOT WANT TO SPEND DAYS (OR WEEKS) HUNTING DOWN KNOWN BUGS!!! > * HP to appoint one or more staff as Net Liaison Officers to oversee > and act as contacts for the above services, and to monitor news and > promptly obtain and post responses from the appropriate HP experts. > I do not know how HP think about the news, but I guess some companies might not like the idea of the net. As long as we are alone, each of us facing our local sales rep. we're not nearly as powerful as the user community having access to the news is!!! > I propose that we get organized and use the power of the network to encourage > HP to improve things. If a good fraction of the users who read these > newsgroups campaign simultaneously, maybe HP will take note and act. Some managers may already panic! Let's make the rest of them fear the thought of continuing to sell lousy programs! The idea of Domain OS is great, I wish the implementation were half as good! > -- > Jim Richardson > Department of Pure Mathematics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia > Internet: jimr@maths.su.oz.au ACSNET: jimr@maths.su.oz FAX: +61 2 692 4534 I guess Sun is a good example how a company can care for its customers, if it really wants to. After all, regardless of whether the customer has a service contract or not, if the OS is lousy and has bugs, that will ruin the company's credibility of supplying good products. A bug is a bug is a bug, regardless of whether you have a service contract or not! (BTW, I always have wondered why I need a service contract to get bug fixes. Shouldn't this be part of product liability? After all, if I buy a car and find out the brakes do not work properly, they are responsible! And they will have to fix it, regardless of service contracts and the like). bye, mike ____ ____ / / / / / Michael K. Gschwind mike@vlsivie.at / / / / / Technical University, Vienna mike@vlsivie.uucp ---/ Voice: (++43).1.58801 8144 e182202@awituw01.bitnet / Fax: (++43).1.569697 ___/