As a New QNX developer in the process of applying for licenses I am
distressed to find that according to the local agent QNX will not be
supplying any future patches or bug fixes to licensees unless a support
package is purchased. I am wondering if anyone here can confirm the accuracy
of this claim?
%% “Colin Picking” <cpicking@monduran.com> writes:
cp> As a New QNX developer in the process of applying for licenses I
cp> am distressed to find that according to the local agent QNX will
cp> not be supplying any future patches or bug fixes to licensees
cp> unless a support package is purchased. I am wondering if anyone
cp> here can confirm the accuracy of this claim?
Sounds pretty standard to me: why are you surprised by this?
–
Paul D. Smith <pausmith@nortelnetworks.com> HASMAT–HA Software Mthds & Tools
“Please remain calm…I may be mad, but I am a professional.” --Mad Scientist
These are my opinions—Nortel Networks takes no responsibility for them.
Hi Paul…
Paul D. Smith wrote:
%% “Colin Picking” <> cpicking@monduran.com> > writes:
cp> As a New QNX developer in the process of applying for licenses I
cp> am distressed to find that according to the local agent QNX will
cp> not be supplying any future patches or bug fixes to licensees
cp> unless a support package is purchased. I am wondering if anyone
cp> here can confirm the accuracy of this claim?Sounds pretty standard to me: why are you surprised by this?
RTP6.2-NC does not boot in a compactPCI that I work with. Imagine if you
buy the rtp6.2-PE, and then find out that it cannot boot the machine for
which is intended… humm… do you return the product for defect? I
guess that a support package from the seller is insurance against a
faulty product originating from the same seller. What happens if the
support package runs out before a fix is found, and then you cannot
return the package? I do not know, I just wonder. We know that QSSL is
much better than this.
Is it not customary that a released product has a number of free bug
fixes -where number >= 1? I think that we all know this is indeed the
case. Would this explain why Colin is surprised?
Regards…
Miguel
“Paul D. Smith” <pausmith@nortelnetworks.com> wrote in message
news:p5fzz0c4fc.fsf@lemming.engeast.baynetworks.com…
%% “Colin Picking” <> cpicking@monduran.com> > writes:
cp> As a New QNX developer in the process of applying for licenses I
cp> am distressed to find that according to the local agent QNX will
cp> not be supplying any future patches or bug fixes to licensees
cp> unless a support package is purchased. I am wondering if anyone
cp> here can confirm the accuracy of this claim?Sounds pretty standard to me: why are you surprised by this?
That’s not standard at all. Every piece of software we have has been
“patched”, “hot-fixed”, or “updated” by the vendor as they find and fix
bugs and oversights, or just plain add minor improvements that do not
warrant a new version release. Take a look at the sites for your
Windows software, whether from Microsoft or anybody else, and
see how many maintenance downloads are available.
Besides being really abnormal, if QSSL is not planning to make
maintenance patches available for QNX6, then they will find their
cost of technical support rising, which will not be in their own best
interests. It is most cost-effective to have as many people as
possible working from the latest patches for any given version.
Just my $0.02.
Andrew
Many companies do not provide all patches unless you get a support
contract. Microsoft is not a valid comparison: they are a universe unto
themselves.
Now, I will agree that in some of the specific instances discussed here
you should get satisfaction without an extra contract. If you bought
the product and it doesn’t work for your hardware, then you should
definitely return it and get your money back! Or, if they promised it
would work then they should provide fixes to make good on that promise,
without requiring more $$.
Also, if there are serious security or usability issues with the
product, and there is no usable workaround, then those should be patched
free of charge. Personally I have no reason to believe this will not
happen.
But I don’t think that purchasing of licenses necessarily means you
should get free access to all future development of the product, even if
it occurs in the same version as the one you purchased, as a patch.
–
Paul D. Smith <pausmith@nortelnetworks.com> HASMAT–HA Software Mthds & Tools
“Please remain calm…I may be mad, but I am a professional.” --Mad Scientist
These are my opinions—Nortel Networks takes no responsibility for them.
Paul,
Whilst I fully agree with you that the addition of extra functionality
warrants a charge,
I do have very big problem with the idea that I should have to pay for a
defect in a
product I purchased in good faith believing it to be “Fit for Purpose” this
kind of
warrantee is generally considered to be implied in most of the developed
nations
of the world. It is only in software that this is customarily ignored and
that is only
the users of the software accept this practice not because it is right or
even legal.
“Paul D. Smith” <pausmith@nortelnetworks.com> wrote in message
news:p54rffcp2n.fsf@lemming.engeast.baynetworks.com…
Many companies do not provide all patches unless you get a support
contract. Microsoft is not a valid comparison: they are a universe unto
themselves.Now, I will agree that in some of the specific instances discussed here
you should get satisfaction without an extra contract. If you bought
the product and it doesn’t work for your hardware, then you should
definitely return it and get your money back! Or, if they promised it
would work then they should provide fixes to make good on that promise,
without requiring more $$.Also, if there are serious security or usability issues with the
product, and there is no usable workaround, then those should be patched
free of charge. Personally I have no reason to believe this will not
happen.But I don’t think that purchasing of licenses necessarily means you
should get free access to all future development of the product, even if
it occurs in the same version as the one you purchased, as a patch.–
Paul D. Smith <> pausmith@nortelnetworks.com> > HASMAT–HA Software Mthds &
Tools
“Please remain calm…I may be mad, but I am a professional.” --Mad
Scientist
These are my opinions—Nortel Networks takes no responsibility for
them.