From: gezelter@rlgsc.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec,comp.unix.ultrix,comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: Patches online, was Re: Unix Review review of Alpha/OSF
Date: 23 Jan 93 12:30:05 EST
Organization: Robert Gezelter Software Consultant, Flushing, NY

In article <1jnl76INN62n@slab.mtholyoke.edu>, mcrowley@MtHolyoke.edu (Michael A. Crowley) writes:
> Bill Rye (rye@scmbrd.dco.dec.com) wrote:
>> It all boils down to legalities.  ...
> 
> I want patches online.  But I don't think they are as necessary
> online as the information *about* the patches.
> 
> ...
> 
> I know I can get tapes of patches from CSC, and have.  However,
> I and my staff have also spent time troubleshooting problems that 
> ater turn out to have patches to fix them.  I would be happy to call
> CSC and give my authorization number and have the patches mailed
> to me, either postal or uuencoded (I've done it both ways),
> BUT we need to know they exist!
> 
> I would like to see online:
>    *  the release notes, current version
>    *  the list of patches and the notes concerning them
> 
> It would be nice to also get them online, but I'm more concerned
> with the personnel time involved in all this.
> 
> So I'm requesting that everyone who feels strongly about this,
> include these options to their sales rep and thus avoid all
> the "we can't issue online patches because..." arguments, when
> what we really want is to spend less time troubleshooting problems
> and more time to simply getting them fixed.
> mac.
> -----------------------------------------------
> 	Michael A. Crowley      mcrowley@mtholyoke.edu 
> 	Director of Network and Technical Services
> 	Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA   01075
-- 
Michael,
 
To a large extent, this entire discussion gives me a sense of 
"Deja Vue". Back before the beginning of time (about 5 years ago) 
Digital published the "Software Dispatch", a publication received 
by supported customers which included warning notices concerning 
the various software products. Several years ago, this 
information was extremely useful, often as a warning of potential 
problems.
 
Beginning around that time, when machine readable update kits 
started appearing, the content of the Dispatch started 
dissipating. More and more articles took on the tone of "there is 
a problem with XX, which is fixed at Autopatch D". Often no 
diagnosis, no work around, no pathology, just a note that there 
was a bug and that a purported fix was available. As you noted, 
this level of information is, for many purposes, useless.
 
I would like to see a return to the days of the useable Dispatch, 
even in an electronic form, which would provide warning of 
problem before hitting them. The obscuring of product status (by 
all of the manufacturers) is tremendously wasteful in time and 
resources to the customer base.
 
I hope that this information is useful. If there are any 
questions concerning my comments, please feel free to contact me 
via Email.
 
- Bob
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