Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!emx.utexas.edu!clyde
From: clyde@emx.utexas.edu (Clyde W. Hoover)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.encore
Subject: Re: Information from Encore about Known Bugs
Keywords: to buglist or not to buglist
Message-ID: <37580@ut-emx.uucp>
Date: 25 Sep 90 19:55:22 GMT
References: <12772@encore.Encore.COM>
Sender: news@ut-emx.uucp
Reply-To: clyde@emx.utexas.edu
Organization: Moose and Squirrel Software, Inc.
Lines: 69


In article <12772@encore.Encore.COM>, bselande@pinocchio.Encore.COM
(Bill Selander) writes:
|>   It is the policy of Encore to list Known Bugs in the Release notes
|> of any software package. This list is not a list of all the internal 
|> information concerning what Development is working on, but it is as 
|> complete as we can make it.

Which doesn't mean squat once a "package" has gone out the door and
users have had a chance to find more bugs.  We ran into several UMAX 4.3 NFS
bugs that screwed us around pretty royally.  None of them were mentioned in
any release notes.

|>   There are two documents that are distributed by Encore called SPQ, 
|> Software Partnership Quarterly, and HPQ, Hardware Partnership Quarterly.
|> Both of these are published out of Encore Computer Corporation Headquarters
|> in Fort Lauderdale, FL.  Previously they were oriented to the Real Time 
|> customer base (formerly Gould), but are now being oriented to the entire
|> Encore customer base. Both of these documents contain information on
problems
|> and solutions.

Only if you run UMAX V or have a Concept machine.  The MultiMax
information in SPQ is mediocre at best and most of it is for UMAX V, which
some of your customers (include our site) don't run.

|>   The third point I would like to make is that arrangements are being made
|> to allow Customer access to the SPR Data Base within Encore. This will allow
|> both submittal of Electronic SPRs as well as doing status checking of SPRs.

Applause and hosannas.

Sun does this, (the Online Bugs Database) but it is also very mediocre and
difficult to access.  Sun claims they are revising that service - I certainly
hope so.  Fighting to get out of my local phone system, dial across
country into the OBD and then being subjected to a lousy 1200 baud connection
is not my idea of easily accessed bug data.

Sun's Customer Distributed Bug List is useful, but still does not give enough
information as to the status of bugs.  Encore should now have the resources
to do at least that good. 

First and foremost, LIST ALL REPORTED BUGS!!! Do NOT edit or censor or try
to hide the really embarassing ones.  It gets harder and harder to defend the
costs of keeping our MultiMax when Encore shows so little responsiveness
to problems.

|>   I, as an Encore Employee, promise to submit the problems into the 
|> database. That I receive, I can't guarantee a solution but the information 
|> will not be lost and it will be reviewed at the release of the appropriate 
|> product until it has been dealt with.

Thank you.

|>   Thank you all for taking time to listen. If there is anything that
Customer
|> Service can do to assure Encore Customers state of mind, please let us know.

Wait for my followup postings...

	-Clyde Hoover (Shouter-To-Dead-Parrots)
	Computation Center
	The University of Texas at Austin
	Austin, Texas
	clyde@emx.utexas.edu
	...!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!clyde

Tip #268: Don't feel insecure or inferior! Remember, you're ORGANIC!!
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