Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!snorkelwacker!ira.uka.de!smurf!nadia!dialog!root From: root@dialog.stgt.sub.org (Christian Motz) Newsgroups: comp.unix.aix Subject: Re: Report bugs to IBM Message-ID: <2427@dialog.stgt.sub.org> Date: 20 Aug 90 18:08:28 GMT References: <6136@hub.ucsb.edu> Sender: uucp@dialog.stgt.sub.org Reply-To: root@dialog.stgt.sub.org (Christian Motz) Organization: Dialog Software Development Lines: 68 In article <6136@hub.ucsb.edu> 3003jalp@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Applied Magnetics) writes: >In article <3197@awdprime.UUCP> jeffe@sandino.austin.ibm.com (Peter Jeffe 512.823.4091) writes: > >> [ Report your bugs to IBM, they'll get fixed. ] > >OK, I'll report them through channels... but the many layers of >bureaucracy within IBM can oppose stupendous inertial forces. The >parallel path through Usenet is irreplaceable. Hear hear! Reporting a bug to IBM and getting it fixed by them can be a very frustrating, tiresome, not to mention lengthy process. I might illustrate that using one of the problems I had at work some time ago. Every time I used Distributed Services message queues on our RT PC, things would break after a certain amount of time, i. e. the system would come down with a panic and a kernel dump. No problem, I thought, I'll just call my friendly IBM support people, and have them open up a problem record for me. This I did, and, knowing that they would be needing it, sent the kernel dump to them even before they specifically requested it, thus saving some time in the process. Then the fun started. They called back, basically to ask me " what did you do to provoke this" -- which, of course, is the wrong question to ask. After all, it isn't *MY* fault that the kernel dumps, or is it?. It took some time to explain to them that the machine was crashing completely, with only the panic message displayed. Five minutes later, they started again. " What kind of messages indicate that you have a problem?" was the question. At that point I was close to the boiling point -- after all, I had just explained to them what had happened, and if they would have the slightest idea what UN*X is all about, they would have gotten the point. A couple of phone calls later, they finally seemed to have an idea what I was talking about -- but now they acted as if they couldn' t believe there was a problem. They obviously wanted to get it confirmed by someone of their own company. Thus, they sent me two SE's that did nothing else but watch while I reproduced the problem. Only then did they believe that the problem really existed. Meanwhile, they had received the tape with the kernel dump ( and were very surprised that I had sent that on my own initiative), but they needed more (of course -- I had expected that, and there' s nothing wrong with it). Ok, I said, give me a modem number, I'll send it to you. They almost said "what's a modem?" ;-) -- naturally, they didn't have one. Ok, I said, if you could find me someone at Austin with a Trailblazer, I'll send it to them directly (since IBM Germany would do this anyway with all the stuff they got), regardless of the DM 50,-- or so in transatlantic phone charges this would result in. "Uhm, I' m not sure we can do this ..." was the reply. All in all, this cost two days -- and remember, this was only the fight with IBM Germany. I do not doubt that IBM has some great people at AWD in Austin and Palo Alto; as a matter of fact, I know it since we have them here on the net. But as long as IBM does not have the people for proper UN*X support, we need the contact to the development people, and we need it *BAD*. >Lest this be perceived as a flame, here is the talisman: >> :-) << >Whatever happens at IBM Austin, STAY ON THE NET! We need you. Amen! Ooops -- forgot for a second that I am an atheist ... ;-) Overheard at an AIX V 3 Installation Workshop: Question from Participant: Will IBM Germany hook up to USENET sometime soon? Answer from IBM Representative: What's "USENET" ... ? -- Christian Motz root@dialog.stgt.sub.org