SUMMARY: comments/opinions on DSNLink

From: Tim Mooney <mooney_at_dogbert.cc.ndsu.NoDak.edu>
Date: Fri, 17 May 1996 13:08:03 -0500 (CDT)

All-

On Mon, 13 May 1996 I solicited opinions regarding the utility of DSNLink
and if anyone (other than my boss and I) had any concerns regarding the
legalese in the DSNLink Application form. The original message follows at
the end of this message.

I received a number of replies to my query, and with only 1 exception the
comments were very positive. No one indicated any concerns/problems with
the legal language of the application form (which really was my biggest
concern). Most (but not all) indicated they found DSNLink to be a very good
utility.

Special thanks to Kurt Carlson (who provided me with an ordered list of very
good reasons to use DSNLink) and Dan Barrett. Dan is the DSNLink project
manager at Digital's Colorado Springs site and he went out of his way to
dispel my concerns regarding the application form.

Pending my boss' approval, we'll be signing up for DSNLink soon!

Thanks for the replies!

Tim

-- 
Tim Mooney                              mooney_at_toons.cc.ndsu.NoDak.edu
Information Technology Services         (701) 231-1076 (Voice)
Room 242-J6, IACC Bldg.                 (701) 231-8541 (FAX)
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105
-- original message follows --
)All-
)
)While talking with an engineer at Digital's CSC I inquired if there was an
)email address or other convenient way to report *minor* problems and give
)other feedback to Digital that doesn't require opening a software support call.
)I had noticed a couple errors in the man page for the `logger' command under
)3.2c and wanted to report them so that it would be fixed in a future release
)of Digital Unix.  The problem was minor enough that I didn't really want to
)go through the hassle of opening a support call.
)
)The engineer suggested that I make use of DSNLink, which I had heard of
)but didn't really know anything about.  The level of support that we have
)purchased for our Alphas means I could make use of DSNLink if I were so
)inclined, so I did some more checking on it.
)
)At this point I have been faxed a large and somewhat frightening looking
)document that my boss must sign and fax back before we will be able to get
)the DSNLink software for our systems.  We haven't signed yet (and may not)
)because of the legal language in the "DSNLink Application form".  It appears
)to my untrained eye that our rights to complain about/be upset with any
)future support problems we might have with Digital would be severely curtailed
)if we were to sign this document.
)
)I'm interested in comments and horror/success stories other people may have
)regarding DSNLink, assuming that anyone who has signed the document dares to
)relate any information (item 3 on page 5 of the agreement expressly prohibits 
)you from "...including any defamatory or trade libelous statements in its 
)on-line correspondence.") regarding DSNLink.  I'm not asking anyone to
)divulge information that may break the terms of their contract, but any 
)opinions you can give me regarding the relative merits of DSNLink would be
)highly appreciated.
)
)As a side note, even if we were to sign the agreement and make use of DSNLink,
)it's not at all clear to me that it would make it possible to easily report
)minor problems as was my original intent.  Anyone know of any other way to
)accomplish what I'm after?  Something like an email address of
)`minor-bugs_at_alf.dec.com' that could be used to report problems would be ideal...

Received on Fri May 17 1996 - 20:59:46 NZST