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From: jeffw@objy.com (Jeff Wallace)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer,comp.windows.ms.programmer,comp.lang.c++,comp.lang.pascal
Subject: Borland flaming (was Re: There is now a bugs@borland.com address)
Message-ID: <1991Apr4.015027.2680@objy.com>
Date: 4 Apr 91 01:50:27 GMT
References: <1991Mar30.030352.2451@borland.com> <23964@well.sf.ca.us> <1991Apr2.155353.2031@mathcs.sjsu.edu>
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Reply-To: jeffw@objy.com
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In article <1991Apr2.155353.2031@mathcs.sjsu.edu>, horstman@mathcs.sjsu.edu (Cay Horstmann) writes:
|> In article <23964@well.sf.ca.us> al@well.sf.ca.us (Alfred Fontes) writes:
|> >sidney@borland.com (Sidney Markowitz) writes:
|> >
|> >>I have established an email address, bugs@borland.com, to which people
|> >>In most cases, bugs@borland.com will not send confirmation, fixes or
|> >>workarounds in response to problem reports. 
|> >
|> >So why should anyone take the
|> 
|> Let me finish Alfred's post:
|> 				trouble to send stuff there?
|> 
|>Why indeed, Sidney? Can't you guys at minimum acknowledge that you got the
|>stuff?... (valid points deleted)

If you've been following Sidney's posts you've surely seen his comments
about the fact that most of the company doesn't have access to the net.

Sometimes people on the net forget that PC software companies are quite
likely to be unaware of Usenet.  Once in a while a lone person from a PC
software vendor wanders into the net.

He normally answers questions to the best of his ability and occasionally
passes things on to others inside his company.  After a few months of this
he invariably will get flamed, roasted and personally attacked for the
shortcomings of (pick one): the company, its products, its customer service,
its upgrade policy, his parentage.

Since the person is not getting paid to deal with net flames, he generally
disappears from the net for months or years taking the meager presence of
company X with him.  

Sidney is the only Borland voice on the net right now.  From his signature
it's obvious that he isn't a tech support or marketing rep.  He's from
(I quote) "Borland International (Languages - R&D)".  So don't shoot him
for trying to be helpful.

This "bugs@borland.com" mailbox may be the beginning of a real Usenet
presence for Borland.  It may also be a black hole into which things
disappear, but it's an option that wasn't there until Sidney set it up.

If you have to get an answer from tech support or customer service, then
CALL them.  Until such time as Borland puts support people on the net that's
the best way to get a problem/question resolved.

If you are going to demand that Borland offer Usenet support I doubt
complaining to Sidney will help.  Pick up pen and paper (or word processor)
and write a letter to Borland.

From Sidney's postings I get the impression that more Borland people will be 
on the net in the future.  Give them a chance.