Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!rutgers!uwvax!per2!dag
From: dag@per2.UUCP (Daniel A. Glasser)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Beckemeyer MT C-Shell
Summary: BDT not so bad...
Keywords: not a risible matter
Message-ID: <855@per2.UUCP>
Date: 14 May 89 19:02:16 GMT
References: <2008@blake.acs.washington.edu>
Organization: Persoft Inc., Madison, WI
Lines: 74

In article <2008@blake.acs.washington.edu>,
	bissiri@blake.acs.washington.edu (Moja Fritzah) writes:
[heavily edited, context unimportant]
> 
>     Those inured to typedef criminal BDT should wake up 
> and speak out!  Several prominent developers on the nets
> have confirmed similar if not worse cases with BDT.  
> Like me, they were "taken" (most popular word choice)
> by BDT.  "Once BDT had my money, it was ____ (expletive) me!"
>   
>       I would like BDT to justify their quote on the back of
> the MT C-Shell package:
> 
> 	".... Shaping the future of the Atari ST! "    
> 
>       This is the kind of support that kills a machine.
> 
>       There is as well the question of ethics:
>       
>       As far as I am concerned, BDT stole my money.
>       
> -kevin

I have, over the past few years, had many dealings with BDT and
David Beckemeyer, and I would like to say that in all cases, he/they
have delt fairly and reasonably with me.

I have used the MT C-Shell and Micro-RTX with success, even in some
of the earlier versions.

The problem that Kevin has with external users logging in is because
of a problem with the modem through which the connection is being made
being verbose and causing the MT C-Shell to get confused while the
connection is being made.  Any UNIX, VMS or other "real" multi-user
system has trouble with "hayes compatible" modems in verbose mode unless
a special patch is made to either shut down the verbose mode (not all
modems let you do this, BTW) or ignore the modem dialogue.  The fact that
BDT is attempting to put in such a patch does not imply that the software
was unsuitable.  You are simply using it in a way that had not been
anticipated.

When Kevin first posted about this problem, he posted a flame.  Several
people pointed out then that this flameage was inappropriate at that
stage.  He then posted another message apologising for the inflamitory
nature of his initial posting but the language was still quite hostile
to BDT.  Now, a few weeks later, he is calling Mr. Beckemeyer a criminal
and accusing BDT of stealing his money.

David Beckemeyer has been in the ST software business at least since 1986,
maybe 1985.  Inflammitory postings like the one this is in reply to
(<2008@blake.acs.washington.edu>) can damage the reputation of a company
and a man that has been supportive of the Atari ST community for five
years.  If his products were without merit, he would no longer be in
business.

I believe that Kevin owes a public apology to Mr. Beckemeyer and to BDT.
If he has problems with the product, he should work it out with BDT through
mail channels (he can get their mailing address from David's frequent
postings) and only if, in a REASONABLE amount of time, he cannot get any
satisfaction, should he post accusations on the net.  Questions and
problem descriptions are welcome at any time, but out-and-out slander
is not.

Just for the record:
  I have been in the software development business for quite a while.
  I have delt with many vendors and customers.  Many of you in the Atari
  ST development community have delt with me when I was working for
  Mark Williams Co.  BDT was one of the most responsive (much more so
  than Atari) of the companies I delt with.
-- 
 _____________________________________________________________________________
    Daniel A. Glasser                           One of those things that goes
    uwvax!per2!dag                              "BUMP!!!(ouch)" in the night. 
 ---Persoft, Inc.---------465 Science Drive-------Madison, WI 53711-----------