Re: *** ADMIN: Vendor plugin discussion

David,

Glad to hear your decision on limited customer initiated vendor product
discussion in this list.

Just a few additional comments...

-----Original Message-----
From: wdsci-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx 
[mailto:wdsci-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of David Gibbs
Sent: Friday, October 27, 2006 6:25 PM
To: wdsci-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [WDSCI-L] *** ADMIN: Vendor plugin discussion

*** PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE MESSAGE ***

Wilt, Charles wrote:

It would seem that a question about a WDSCi plug-in is appropriate
here. Sure he could ask Aldon, but maybe he's hoping for a faster
answer or maybe he's not current on maintenance.

Because this isn't a vendor support forum ... if a person is using a
vendor supported plug-in, then they should go to that vendor's support
group.

If he's not current on maintenance ... and needs support for that
vendors product, he should get on maintenance.

So we should stop answering questions in RPG-L and MIDRANGE-L for those
users not on IBM support?

Or what about a user still on an older no longer support version of a
plugin?  (Though that probably isn't a problem yet)

Speaking for myself, I've got IBM support.  But I often post questions
to the lists to confirm that I really have a problem before opening a
PMR.

Granted, I understand that you don't want the WDSCi list to become
the Aldon/MKS/Turnover support list.  However, this list is a good
place for interacting with other users of those products.

That's exactly the point ... I don't want all the Aldon / 
Softlanding /
MKS customers using this list to try and get support.  It's 
just not the
right place.

Speaking as a developer for a vendor ... I would rather have customers
contact support and get OFFICIAL responses to problem instead 
of hearsay.

Sure I understand.  At the same time, many questions are not really
problems.  Questions of a "how to" nature are often answered best by
other users IMHO.  Even for problems, the vendor might provide an
official answer, whereas another user might have worked out some work
around that I may find useful.

I don't use these lists for vendor support, I use these list for support
from other users.  I think everybody who uses these lists understand the
difference.

Actually, the only exception to the above is here on the WDSCi list.  I
do expect to see responses from IBM'ers on the list.  But I'm sure we'd
all agree that such support by IBM is not a bad thing.

And the given the volume of questions, it wouldn't seem that
Aldon/MKS/Turnover merit their own list; is that even an option?

Well, there's two factors to that ...

1) The volume of questions for a vendor's plug-in is not even CLOSE to
warranting it's own list (for any vendor)

2) I have to treat SCM vendors a bit differently ... there is a
conflict of interest issue.  I don't give any SCM vendor 
preference ...
not even MKS.

You stance is understandable and I think you've done a pretty good job
with the balancing act you have to deal with.

I realize you have a tough job to do, don't think you're not appreciated
here David.  I just felt you were treating the SCM vendors a bit too
differently than need be.  Understandable, of course;  you'd rather
error on the side of caution.  But reason enough for someone like me
without the conflict of interest to jump in with my own opinions.

Are you censoring strictly because the product competes with MKS?

I would absolutely positively NEVER do that.  See my message to Dave
Turnidge.

All this said ... after careful consideration ... I think it 
would be OK
to have limited customer initiated vendor product discussion in this
list.  I would still highly recommend that anyone contact the vendor
first for support and I would request that any vendor representatives,
that monitor the list, jump on discussions so they can provide proper
support as soon as possible.

As I said up top, I'm glad to hear this.

I thank you not only for consideration you gave this issue, but for the
time you spend running the lists and MIDRANGE.COM in general.

Sincerely,
Charles Wilt
--
iSeries Systems Administrator / Developer
Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America
ph: 513-573-4343
fax: 513-398-1121