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From: bfag@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Meneldur)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms,comp.os.msdos.programmer
Subject: Re: Microsoft Support (or lack of)
Message-ID: <9121@ur-cc.UUCP>
Date: 27 Aug 90 23:34:46 GMT
References: <1990Aug24.115708.5428@sisd.kodak.com> <1990Aug25.000547.5258@ug.cs.dal.ca> <1990Aug27.113618.7851@watserv1.waterloo.edu> <1990Aug27.132321.24161@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu>
Reply-To: bfag@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Meneldur)
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Organization: University of Rochester
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In article <1990Aug27.132321.24161@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu> west@turing.toronto.edu (Tom West) writes:
>
>  On the other hand, if you discover a bug in a Microsoft product, all technical
>support will do is say "Yes, that's a bug".  They will not:
>
>1)  Give patches to fix that bug.
>2)  Give temporary updates so that you don't have to wait to the next release!
>3)  EVEN GIVE KNOWN BUG LISTS!!!
>4)  Give any indication as to when updates are coming to fix known bugs.
>

I can't say that I've called MS technical support all that often, though I did
find them quite helpful when I was trying to install a previous version of
Windows on a Zenith AT -- installation was impossible using Zenith's version
of MS-DOS 3.1.  I do hate the long distance calls, however, and the longer
holds.

I HAVE found some of their technical help on the Microsoft Forums on Compu$erve
to be VERY helpful.  This is especially true with the crew that monitors
Word for Windows.  They have been very prompt in answering questions and
providing suggestions for circumventing recognized problems.  (Alas, that I
cannot say the same for the Excel group.)

As for bug lists, the Microsoft database, also on Compu$erve and (I think) 
GENIE, does pretty well in that regard.  I understand that it is the same
database as is used by the technicians whom you call.

I know, I know...this doesn't help a heck of a lot if you do not subscribe
to either of these information services, but if you DO, it is definitely
worth a look.


Bill Faggart
Dept. of Geol. Sci.
Univ. of Rochester
Rochester, NY  14627