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From: burzio@mmlai.UUCP (Tony Burzio)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp
Subject: HP 3rd Party Software attitude
Keywords: annoying, not helpfull
Message-ID: <642@mmlai.UUCP>
Date: 7 Jan 90 16:28:58 GMT
Organization: Martin Marietta Labs, Baltimore, MD
Lines: 32


We are a site currently running VAX/VMS from Digital, but are
trying to switch to UNIX.  Unfortunately, we have a great
many DEC LAT termservers and can't replace them.  To our
pleasure, Ki Research was to offer a LAT driver and DECnet
capability for HP-UX.  A call from a distraught Ki Research person
on Friday gave me a pain.  It seems that HP refuses to cooperate
with them in releasing their software in the HP-UX environment.
They plead something about "possible unknown effects" to other
software, even though Ki has ported to all the other UNIX
platforms (even IBM cooperated) and should very well know about
side effects.  The deal is, Ki will need to buy an HP workstation
(other vendors supply them free, they understand the importance
of the port), HP will supply a patch to the ETHERNET driver, then
HP will not allow sale of this patch if they don't feel like it.
What a terrible restriction!

Now, I know HP offers VAX->HP porting assistance.  How can we
mere mortals convince HP that if you can't attach to a machine,
you don't need porting help?  Anybody at HP know who is the 
responsible paper-pusher we can call to scream and rant and rave?
Can somebody in the networks group get involved please?  We truly
need this software if we are to get moving with UNIX in the near
future.  Please reply...

Anybody know the President of HPs' number?

*********************************************************************
Tony Burzio               * Oh no, not again!
Martin Marietta Labs      *
mmlai!burzio@uunet.uu.net *
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