Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ames!sgi!calcite!vjs
From: vjs@calcite.UUCP (Vernon Schryver)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.msdos
Subject: Re: Microsoft Word & vp/ix
Summary: there is patch for Word 5.0, but not yet 5.5
Message-ID: <98@calcite.UUCP>
Date: 8 Dec 90 18:22:20 GMT
References: <9265@pitt.UUCP> <17550001@hpavla.avo.hp.com>
Organization: Rhyolite Software, Mountain View, CA
Lines: 29

In article <17550001@hpavla.avo.hp.com>, fuhrman@hpavla.avo.hp.com (Phil Fuhrman) writes:
> Turns out that  lots of people have run into the same problem, including
> myself.  It seems to be a problem with using Word on networked drives in
> "native" DOS as well.  I understand that Microsoft has a patch available
> to fix the problem.  Check with their Tech Support department.


Guess what?  Word 5.5 has the same problem over VP/ix as Word 5.0 had.
After a little long distance, indirect discussion, Microsoft is working
on the problem.

I am amazed that Microsoft listened to my wife's description of my
understanding of the problem and went from "we fixed that old problem" to
calling back a few times and finally saying "oops, we'll work on it and
send you a fix".  My wife is not very knowledgable or forceful about such
subjects, and Microsoft has not received much money from me.  Word 5.0
was a fraction of the cost of the 386 UNIX's I've purchased, and the 5.5
update was only about $60 and included new manuals.  Microsoft took 2-3
weeks to get us the patch diskette for Word 5.0, but sent it free by
FedEx.  It's boggling to compare Microsoft's response with the "support"
I've had from over the years from the 386 UNIX vendors.  (You remember the
lies:  "that's not a problem" or "we tried that and it works" or "we'll get
back to you".)  I've paid about as much for a year of "UNIX support" as the
retail dealer got for Word 5.0.

Maybe those DOS guys know something we in the UNIX trade could use.


Vernon Schryver,   vjs@calcite.uucp