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From: McGuire_Ed@GRINNELL.MAILNET.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.computers.vax
Subject: SAS & SPSSX
Message-ID: <8703030206.AA26389@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: Mon, 2-Mar-87 12:51:00 EST
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Posted: Mon Mar  2 12:51:00 1987
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>     SPSSX Inc. is generally bad to deal with when there is a bug.  It's
>hard to find someone to talk to who knows something.  They often don't
>call back and need to be nagged at to get a response.
>
>     SAS is better to deal with.  They call back.  The answer might be
>"Oh, that's a bug." but at least you get an answer and an
>acknowledgement of the problem.
>
>     The above opinions as to software support are the result of having
>to deal with both companies.
>
>Chris Johnson
>Northeastern University

My experience with the two vendors is quite different.

For SPSS questions, I generally talk to someone at the Northfield, MN,
facility.  Typically, the person who answers the phone has good technical
expertise, and often can address the problem right over the phone.  I haven't
had problems with them not calling back.  Sometimes I get an answering machine
instead of a human being, but I get called right back.

For SAS questions, I call the SAS institute.  They often have trouble routing
the call to the person who has the proper expertise.  Not only that, but if
everyone's on the phone at the moment, I am given the choice of waiting for
someone to free up (which costs me phone dollars), or having them call me back
_hours_ later.  (Our sales rep is _much_ more responsive than the technical
support group. :-)

Ed McGuire
Grinnell College
MCGUIRE@GRIN2.BITNET