Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!hp-pcd!hpcvlx!daveg
From: daveg@hpcvlx.HP.COM (Dave Guggisberg)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms
Subject: Re: Microsoft OnLine
Message-ID: <106580036@hpcvlx.HP.COM>
Date: 24 May 89 16:32:41 GMT
References: <1247@netxcom.UUCP>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Corvallis, OR, USA
Lines: 43


I guess as long as I have a chance to get Microsoft's attention
regarding ONLINE, I should avail myself and hopefully help
improve things for everyone.

My experience goes back to DIAL through ONLINE today.  The quality
of the support seems to be tied to where Microsoft is currently
puting its strategic interests.  I have gotten good support
on applications and PM programming questions and broken complier
issues from Microsoft.  To illustrate the other areas I have had 
trouble with, let me relate the stories.  

We have an HP-IB (GPIB) command library that hooks into a number of
languages GWBASIC being one of them.  We needed some clarification on
the internals of GWBASIC.  My inquiry started off "We have the GWBASIC
OEM Adapation kit but we cannot find ...."  Their response was "In order
to get that question answered you must buy the GWBASIC OEM Adaptation
kit."  We never did get our question answered.

We also have the OS/2 $3000 SDK as well as the $495 OS/2 Device Driver
SDK.  The last version (at least that I got in January) 1.05 had some
references to some materials that were to be released with the final
version.  I sent a request about the posibility of getting some early
copies and a request for some more specific information about the references
to clarify where the information was vague.  The response was "IBM's
recently released OS/2 programmers kit has some excellent information
on writing OS/2 device drivers if you are interested in evaluating
whether you are interested in writing a device driver."  Figure that
one. I couldn't.  I have sent two follow-ups.  The last one over a
month ago.  I have never heard anything back.

By the way, I have gotten only one of those "How do you like our
service" inquiries.  And that was after one that they knew they had
answered successfully.

Hopefully, this will help you understand why some people say they get
great service and other say they get the pits.  It depends on the nature
of the question and whether it is in a stratigic interes area.

Dave Guggisberg
Hewlett-Packard
503-750-3402
daveg@cv.hp.com