Conference msgaxp::optical

    To all;
    
    This note was set hidden because it promotes an unsupportable
    solution.  If any readers have a need to support OSDS or OSMS
    for OpenVMS V7.1 before the product provides that support please
    IPMT your problem.
    
    
    Robby,
    
    We realize that OSDS/OSMS does not have a solution for OpenVMS
    V7.1 at this time (Q1/CY97) but any solutions described in this
    notes file must be supportable by some engineering group.  We
    understand your problem in being between the screaming customer and
    an engineering group that cannot quickly meet your customers needs.
    We are glad that you found a way to make the customer happy but
    other avenues do exist and I (we, engineering) wish you would
    have pursued and exhausted them as options before moving in this
    direction.
    
    Rob

    Other than an IPMT what other avenues were available,
    I'll be glad to use them. In this instance we would probably
    have lost the sale and I do not think the customer would have
    come back later. I informed the customer up front about his
    situation and if we got it to work he knows it is not supported
    in its present configuration.
    
    Thanks
    
    Robby
    

    Robby,
    
    This type of sitsuation is a "grey area" in terms of what is the best
    way to handle it.  My feelings are that by fixing the problem you
    prevented those people who generated the problem from being made
    aware of their mistake.  This means that it could be made again.
    
    We don't know if the sale would have been lost, but even if it was
    the loss of this sale would do more good, in terms of corrective
    actions, than fixing the end problem.
    
    Maybe you can think of it as were to send the IPMT case.  If you find
    a obvious technical problem, you IPMT the engineering group.  Well in
    this case you found an obvious sales problem so do something similar
    to IPMTing the problem to the sales group.
    
    Also, if the problem was pushed back to sales then they would have
    had to work the issue and hopefully fix their problems.  In doing
    that they may have asked for engineering help, which would have allowed
    George Pappas and Dave Deworken to become knowledgable of problems in
    the field.  This would have allowed them to see the impact of their
    past decisions on product direction.  Engineering may have provided a
    supportable temporary fix or maybe asked for your help.  Even if the
    same solution was found for the customer, the opportunity for Digital
    as a whole to fix some of it's problems would have been allowed.  This
    bigger corporate fix should allow the business to be ran better in the
    future.
    
    You may think you just help customers fix problems, but you also hold
    the ability for Digital to fix some of its problems which become
    problems for our customers.
    
    Rob