DEC software distribution policy

[Alan's Home for Wayward Notes File.]

	This reply is mostly a commentary on how things ought to work 
	and some suggestions on how to get there from here.  It is NOT 
	an official statement by Digital Equipment Corp. (henceforth
	called DEC).  DEC does not read News though many of the people
	that work there do.

In article <1990Dec19.135709.3689 at noose.ecn.purdue.edu>, jmoore at cidmac.ecn.purdue.edu (James D Moore) writes:
> 
> Greetings,
> 
> Recently we purchase a couple of DEC3100 stations from DEC with a TLZ04
> (4mm tape backup) setup. Our DEC3100's arrived about 1 week before I
> started hearing that Ultrix 4.1 was being sent out with new DEC machines.
> Since I could not set up the systems for 2-3 weeks I had to leave them in
> boxes until I could get to them. Of course we received Ultrix 4.0 with our 
> media order. I initially assumed that we would receive updates sometime in 
> the future. When I received the TLZ04 last week I find out that it is 
> supported under 4.1 but there is no mention of support under 4.0. Since I 
> had read that in this group that someone had connected it to a 4.0 system 
> and it had worked I have connected it and it appears to work. 

	I took a look at the V4.0 Software Product Description
	and for the DECsystem 3100 and DECstation 3100S, the
	TLZ04 is listed as supported.  It appears that UWS V4.0
	has a seperate SPD.  You should be able to find one in
	the documentation that came with the media.  If the SPD
	says that the TLZ04 is supported then you shouldn't need
	V4.1.

	You also probably want to look a piece of paper that says
	"Software Warranty Addendum".  This may be very important
	later.

	There is big difference between "it works" and "it is supported".
	SUPPORTED says that we've tested it to the satisfaction of the
	various Q/A groups and that it should work correctly in all
	supported configurations.  Quite often something will work fine
	under all conditions and configurations, but isn't supported
	because the testing hasn't been finished.  Sometimes support
	is merely a matter of teaching the error log formatting program
	(uerf) what the correct name of a device is.  And of course there
	are times when UNSUPPORTED means that doesn't work and can't be
	made to work no matter how hard try.

	I believe the SPD is our legal statement of what is SUPPORTED.
	If something doesn't work as expected then we may be obligated
	to fix it.  That's why you need to look at the "Software Warranty
	Addendum".  We may, for example only be obligated to fix it for
	people that are paying for a support contract.  Support contacts
	come in all shapes and sizes.  Check with your local DEC office
	to see if there is one that is suitable.

> 
> Some recent comments have given me the suspicion that DEC sends software 
> updates only to people with the appropriate software support (purchased 
> from them of course).

	Updates are part of the service we sell.

> Should I be screaming at DEC about getting Ultrix 4.1?

	You should never scream.  It tends to make people react
	in a negitive way.  Always hold back screaming as a last
	resort.

	As far as the TLZ04 goes, check the SPD you have to see
	if it is listed as supported.  If it is, then you might
	want to have your DEC sales person double check for you.
	I was under the impression that it wasn't supported until
	V4.1.  SPD have been slightly wrong in the past.  It may
	that you merely have to apply a paper patch to the system
	to fix whatever it is that causes the TLZ04 to not be
	supported.

	If V4.1 is indeed required, then you should go back to
	your DEC salesperson and explain the problem.  There is
	a fair chance they will see the problem and "Do the Right
	Thing" on your behalf.  On the chance they don't for what-
	ever reason you can start walking up the management chain
	to get the problem solved.

> After all when we ordered the entire system we also placed the order for 
> the TLZ04 at the same time.  One of the reasons for us ordering when we 
> did was that we were told that X11R4 would be shipped with Ultrix 4.0.
> Now we find that 4.0 does not have R4 supported and that 4.1 does. 
> Any comments on how I should approach DEC about this? 

	Rationally and politely.  You see, LEGALLY we may not owe
	you anything.  And there are people that will look at that
	and say "Sorry".  Other people will look at it and say, "I'll
	do what I can".

> 
> I beleive that DEC should supply the most recent software when a complete
> system is ordered especially if one of the major components is going to 
> require a software revision like the TLZ04 (which by the way has a patch 
> tape included for Ultrix 4.1). 

	"Most recent software" is a strange concept.  For example today
	V4.1 is the current version of the software in the U.S.  It SHOULD
	be what our software distribution center sends to customers when
	they order something.  All to often someone will get the recently
	previous version because that was what was on the shelf.  Europe 
	though V4.0 is current.  

	The people that package and distribute the software probably know
	very little about ULTRIX (or VMS for that matter).  They probably 
	have a piece of paper somewhere that says "This part number is 
	current".  If they put V4.0 in the box with your name on it because 
	V4.0 was current that day and V4.1 became current the next day 
	then you got hit by bad timing you had no control over.

> Comments? Suggestions? 

	The TLZ04 is simple.  Either it is supported by V4.0 or it
	isn't.  If it isn't then you need to work it out with your
	DEC salesperson.

	If there is some other feature of V4.0 that isn't there that
	you were expecting (X11R4 for example) then you'll need to
	also work that out with the salesperson.

> Are you listening DEC ???

	Officially no.  This newsgroup is NOT an official support
	channel.  If you want somebody to listen offically then you
	need to find somebody whose job is to listen officially.  I
	don't know anybody whose job is read USENET news.
> 
> --
> James D. Moore				jmoore at ecn.purdue.edu
> Computer Engineer 			Phone:(317) 494-2686
> Purdue University, Industrial Engr. Dept., W. Lafayette, In 47907

-- 
Alan Rollow				alan at nabeth.enet.dec.com