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Xref: sserve comp.unix.misc:10530 comp.unix.pc-clone.32bit:5147 comp.unix.bsd:13084 comp.windows.x.i386unix:5837 biz.sco.general:9369 Newsgroups: comp.unix.misc,comp.unix.pc-clone.32bit,comp.unix.bsd,comp.windows.x.i386unix,biz.sco.general Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!news.Hawaii.Edu!ames!agate!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!uunet!wyvern!taylor.wyvern.com!mark From: mark@taylor.wyvern.com (Mark A. Davis) Subject: Re: SCO market share Organization: Lake Taylor Hospital Computer Services Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1993 13:31:35 GMT Message-ID: <1993Dec15.133135.9851@taylor.wyvern.com> References: <2ec989$knu@vanbc.wimsey.com> <2efuku$4vj@rhombus.cs.jhu.edu> <9312142221.aa02201@fags.stonewall.demon.co.uk> <1993Dec15.015758.17502@news.csuohio.edu> Lines: 45 thx1139@babbage.cba.csuohio.edu (tim werner) writes: >In article <9312142221.aa02201@fags.stonewall.demon.co.uk> nigel@stonewall.demon.co.uk (Nigel Whitfield) writes: >>Well, as the editor of a computer magazine, I wouldn't begin to >>consider producing the magazine on a non-commercial platform. There is >>great free software out there, but if anything goes wrong at a >>critical moment, I have to know that I can ring someone up and get >>them to sort it out. >You mean ring them up and get assigned a problem report #. >Support is a good thing when they already know about your problem and >can give you a work-around and send you a patch tape or new rev, but >it doesn't always work that way. Sometimes they tell you they will have >to pass the problem to one of the 'experts', and call you back later. >Sometimes you call support and the only thing that happens is that you >end up explaining to some dummy how the software is supposed to work. :-( >Sometimes they never solve the problem. Just because they are charging >you money to hold your hand doesn't make them any smarter than you. >Or does it? :-) There is a line of responsibility and exchange which does not exist with "free" software. This line is very important to businesses which use computers for real work. Not all commercial software packages have great support, but there is still some line of responsibility; since their sales are linked to word-of-mouth recommendations and such. >At least when you have the source there's a chance you, or someone on >the net, can figure it out. Not really. That is mostly a comparison of small "free" software sources compared to very large commercial sources. Besides, there is much more chance that nothing will happen when you post a plea for help on the net about "free" software..... there is no real reason why someone must or should help out. AND it works both ways- people also find support for commercial software on the net too.... no code hacking, but experiences, configuration, application, troubleshooting, update info, etc.... -- /--------------------------------------------------------------------------\ | Mark A. Davis | Lake Taylor Hospital | Norfolk, VA (804)-461-5001x431 | | Sys.Administrator| Computer Services | mark@taylor.wyvern.com .uucp | \--------------------------------------------------------------------------/