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Guy Gordon wrote:
>
> On Mon, 14 Jul 1997 08:08:56 -0600, Equis Support wrote:
>
> >As to posting "patches" ON THE WEB SITE. We do not do that because the
> >way MetaStock is compiled, it would be nearly impossible. Most of the
> >functionality is in the exe itself. If you have a problem, contact us
> >in support and if it turns out to be a "bug" that has been fixed, or a
> >"bug" at all, we will take care of you. We always have and we always
> >will.
>
> You are not listening to us!
>
> I don't *want* to have to find a bug before you will "take care of
> me". What if I don't notice the bug? Does that make it OK for it to
> be there?
>
> What if that bug costs me money, because I didn't notice it, and
> therefore you didn't "take care of me"?
>
> Why should every one of us users have to go through the frustration of
> identifying each of your bugs, and then contacting you at support,
> just to find out that you knew about it all along?
>
> Let me tell you where Equis is heading. Did you ever hear of
> WordPerfect Corp? They had the same policy on bug fixes. Do you know
> where they are now? Do you know how many of their original employees
> still have those jobs?
>
> You are N O T L I S T E N I N G to your CUSTOMERS!
>
> Why do I feel I have to yell to get your attention? Don't think its
> just me. Many others on this list have expressed the same
> frustration.
>
> Your customers want bug fixes on the web. Don't tell me its "nearly
> impossible". Microsoft does it. Netscape Does it. Symantec does it.
> Hell, even *I* do it. There is nothing impossible about posting a 3Mb
> MSWIN.EXE on the web in a ZIP file.
>
> Stop being negative and do something POSITIVE about it. Find a way to
> do it. If MetaStock really can't be updated on the web because of the
> way it is compiled, FIX IT SO IT CAN BE. If *you* don't know how,
> post this message in the hall, and maybe someone else at Equis will
> figure it out. Find out how other companies do it. Hire a consultant
> to do it. BUT DO IT.
>
> Why don't you post your data formats on your web page? Don't you
> understand that add-on products and utilities would make MetaStock
> MORE VALUABLE to your customers? It's the same problem: it wouldn't
> add directly to the Equis bottom line, and you just don't care about
> your customers.
Sorry for citing the above in all (this apology is for Malc Smith in the
first place <g>), but cannot agree more.
Though not being a true professional in computers, I have dealt with them all
my life, so I do have some general understanding about directions,
developmental tendencies in this business. After I bought MS 5.11 more than a
year ago, I've been getting more and more that funny feeeling that Metastock
(for Windows) is some years behind the curve as a software product. Note, I
am not saying that it's lagging among FINANCIAL software competition, No! On
the contrary, I thinks MS is the best product in its category. This is why I
own it, happy that I did buy it, and would love to keep it for long. No Equis
bashing intended (a remark for those who may think otherwise)!
Having once in a while problems with MS, I used to deal with Equis support.
And again, I've always found them really supportive, knowing the product
well, ready to help and able to find answers, in other words, very
professional as programmers. I wish I had this kind of support with other
programs! I presume these people I dealt with as the support staff, came from
those who wrote the code. So, I don't see any problem with a "quality" of
rank-and-file programmers at Equis.
The problems cited in the above posting as well as in many others recently
refer rather to decision-makers at Equis. Do they have a sense of direction
and vision regarding how to DEVELOP and SELL MetaStock as a software product?
Just to illustrate from the posting:
> There is nothing impossible about posting a 3Mb MSWIN.EXE on the > web in a ZIP file.
Perhaps here the company is concerned with a possible unauthorized use of MS.
But selling a sofware through Internet is not a novelty at all. Moreover, in
this case you don't need to care about financial security. Reregister current
users of MS if you wish, supply them with password giving them an access to a
current 3Mb MSWIN.EXE . What can be simpler? Recall also how long it took to
replace a faulty e-mailer Equis used.
Please, Equis, understand that the absolute majority of the users doesn't ask
for a perfect software, they are well aware that bugs exist, that it takes
time to fix them. They want the same thing that you want - to see Metastock
working better! And please don't get defensive when we users get frustrated:
we may want to listen to your reasons why it hasn't been done the way we want
(just out of compassion). But we want and should be able to see things in
perspective - "what, when, how" I can expect from a product in future. It's
not a request to open up a chest with company's business plans. But when
there is a silence (or a defensive attutide, at best) in a response to really
conceptual, big questions posed by users, then ... are there any plans
really? (more than like adding MS 6.0 ability to get a quote in times when
Greyhound seems the only one that still goes without this service).
I believe strongly we are not in the love/hate relationship with Equis; just
because we are in BUSINESS relationship which is much more important to me
(when dealing with Equis <g>), in a very special business where without a
loyal following one cannot last long. It gives me a reason to expect that we
users can count on TALKING with Equis on problems bothering us users.
With all my respect,
Vitaly Larichev
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