🚀 go-pugleaf

In the news article <32cd817f.15441972@news.demon.co.uk> dated 01 Jan
1997, it was said by chris@abint.demon.co.uk (Chris Jones) that ...

[Note: Snipomatic(tm) applied liberally to shorten this up]

> "Unfortunately"?  No wonder this type of support policy has become
> common in the U.S. if people are not willing to fight it.

When an entire industry adopts a policy, it becomes very difficult to
fight it.  I used to try give my business to companies that didn't have
this policy but it's become increasingly difficult.  Especially since I
tend to use highly specialized software on a daily basis.  I hate to tell
you what some of these companies are asking for their support programs
after the first 30-90 days.  Some of them run as high as 5 figures for a
yearly contract.

> Suppose you buy a new car.  After a month, it blows up.  You take it
> back to the garage and they refuse to have anything further to do with
> it or you.  Would you simply say "Never mind.  I will patch it up
> until the next time"?

Entirely different scenario, IMHO.  The vehicle manufacturer provides a
warranty for piece of hardware that you've purchased.  In the software
industry, you never really "buy" the program.  You are paying for a user
agreement.  Note: I did search Netc's text files but I can't find a user
agreement even though it was there in the past.  Probably an oversight on
their part and they should put it back in.  Nevertheless, by paying
Netcetera, you are only securing your right to use the program, not own
it.  IOW, you've received a license to install the software on your
machine and use it.

> >BTW, I have to ask this "'cross the pond question."  I've never heard the
> >expression "clash" when it comes to computers.  Over here in Yankee land,
> >we tend to use term "crash".  Are they one in the same?

> Oh.....   Sorry about this.  You say you are trying to help me (& not
> defending Netcetera which you have no connection with).  Don't you
> think that flaming someone over a simple typing error is going a bit
> too far?  Haven't you made typing errors before?  Why do you think it
> necessary to make a point of this?  I don't understand.

Boy oh boy did that one register wrong.  No flaming was ever intended. 

I just noticed that you used this word a lot so I thought I'd ask. 
AAMOF, checking back through my messages, you used the word twice in two
separate messages that you posted on December 28, 1996, 3 times in one
message you posted on December 29, and David Hedges apparently used it as
well on December 30.  I never thought it was a typo. 

> >> BTW, they also say they give full & unlimited support to
> >> all registered users.  

> >Yes, they did.  But you forgot to mention that the readme file was posted
> >on August 17, 1996.  Their email message, as you've quoted it, says that
> >from October 28, they've had a change in policy.  

> I didn't forget anything.  The email message was sent AFTER I paid for
> their product.  You don't seem to understand.  

Believe me, I do understand.  I've been there, as you yourself have.

> To put it another way,
> if you buy a toaster and the shop guarantees it for a year. 

But we're not talking toasters here, we're talking software.  It's a very
complex issue.  But, I'll play along here for a second.

If your toaster fails, you bring it back to the shop and they can try it
out right there and then.  You can't do that with software.  As I'm sure
you've experienced with your customers, many times, the issue is not with
your program, but with something else that is going on in the PC. And the
whole PC s/w and h/w combination makes this much more complex than a
simple toaster.

I read an article that indicated that this is exactly the reason that a
lot of companies have started charging for support.  Many times, they end
up not supporting their own s/w but rather walking the customer through
some other "fix" on the PC that prevented the s/w from running in the
first place.

I'm wondering why you didn't respond to the series of events questions
that I asked.  Is Netc still installed on your machine at all?  And
where's that proof that Netc is written in Basic?

Derek

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