Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!bu-cs!buengc!bph
From: bph@buengc.BU.EDU (Blair P. Houghton)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.ultrix
Subject: Re: DECstation 3100
Message-ID: <2547@buengc.BU.EDU>
Date: 17 Apr 89 01:45:12 GMT
References: <4716@decvax.dec.com> <4706@decvax.dec.com> <88320@felix.UUCP> <1903@umbc3.UMBC.EDU> <1912@umbc3.UMBC.EDU> <2661@decuac.DEC.COM>
Reply-To: bph@buengc.bu.edu (Blair P. Houghton)
Followup-To: comp.unix.ultrix
Organization: Boston Univ. Col. of Eng.
Lines: 36

In article <2661@decuac.DEC.COM> avolio@decuac.dec.com (Frederick M. Avolio) writes:
>This is as good a time as any to remind people of something important.
[...]
>If I am hearing about a problem that a *local* customer is having
>-- UMBC, for example -- *first* via the USENET,
>then there is a communication problem.  

Aha!  Make the mental leap.  If there is a communication problem,
but it appears that the communication is taking a different route
from the one designated, which therefore implies that that route
is a path of less resistance, then it seems the one looking for the
message is looking the hard way... what I mean is,

why don't DEC make known that they can be reached via Internet?  

Most of netland do most of our human communication this way.  It's easy
to ask the world about problems because we're used to seeing others'
problems and wondering if we can help.  What i mean is,

Did you refer the person's problem to the proper DEC department, or did
you just refer the person?

There's a huge difference, and anyone who has either dealt with or
abetted any sort of bureaucracy knows the difference.  If it's easier
to get a back-alley source-code fix than to fill out the forms, then
I pray for the customer.

>All I'm saying is, use all avenues available to you.  I bet we can solve or
>resolve a problem.  I'd love to try.

The only thing stopping you from doing it now is that you are _waiting_
to be asked personally.

				--Blair
				  "Being a semi-professional buttinski
				   has its rewards."