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On Sat, 9 Oct 1999 editorial@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Omega is a value producer. They have produced something. The
complainers, the bashers, the demanders, have produced nothing. How easy
it is to complain! And how hard it is to produce great things of value!
<
Perhaps you miss part of the point. Let me illustrate with a comparison
of Omega with another software company. This company produces a
first-rate data indexing/finding program; I use it and like it.
For years I have made suggestions, also echoed by several others on the
list, for things that Omega could do to improve TS. Many of the critical
ones have yet to be implemented, and people on the list have complained
about some of these for years. It is clear that Omega does not listen.
I have made several suggestions to the data S/W company as well. ALL of
them have been implemented. They even thank me for them :-). My most
recent suggestion, which was an improvement to an earlier suggestion that
has been implemented for more than a year, was fully operational in about
two WEEKS, and I was given a beta to download and try out if I wish. This
company is very responsive to suggestions.
For me, there is an enormous difference between these two companies. I can
only speak well of one, and am often upset by the other. If they had an
email list, I don't think there would be nearly as many complaints as in
this list.
Another competing data S/W company *does* have an email list that I
subscribe to. They are having some problems with a major new version, as
is Omega. The difference here is that *company* people participate in
discussions *on the list* and keep everyone informed of exactly what is
going on in response to comments from users. This list also has almost
none of the problems of the Omega list. And, no, it is not a moderated
'company' list - it is set up by another user.
I believe that much of the 'endless complaining' that you complain about
is caused by how Omega acts and how it treats users. It is *not* present
on any of several other lists that I subscribe to.
Perhaps the best thing you could do to eliminate the complaints that seem
to bother you is suggest to Omega that it treat users the way they are
treated in these other cases. It's a win-win situation, as I see it - how
about you?
> In any contest between a value producer and a non-producer, the value
producer always wins. If anything, it is the non-producer who deserves to
be the brunt of the bashing and complaining. But in a world turned
upside-down, it is the producer who is bashed. Why? Because he is good -
because he has produced something!
<
To continue the above contrast, I, as a 'non-producer' suggested
improvements to the data company that would significantly improve the data
searching of email. These were implemented, and they do improve the
product. They did not think of the idea, just used it - now am I a
producer or not? If not, would the program designer in that company be a
producer if he/she came up with the same idea?
> Please note: I do not say that you may not make requests. What I say
is that the value producer, by virtue of his production, has not incurred
a debt to you, has not incurred an obligation to you, does not owe any
more production to you. So you may request, yes, but you may not, you
have no right to, make *demands*.
<
This is 'mission critical' software; people depend on it to make a living.
It sells for much more than the average software. If it continues to have
instabilities that make it unusable by many folks, and this continues for
a long time, I think people have a right to 'demand' that something be
done to fix it. If you don't like the word 'demand', please substitute
'very, very, strong and forceful suggestion' instead :-).
> Philippe's letter was in the form of a demand. Then, in addition, he
attempted to blackmail Omega by forwarding his comments to this list. I
know a black hat when I see one.
<
(Donning his black hat, the speaker continues)
I guess I too am a blackmailer by stating my comments to the list :-). Or
is it just that 'free speech' thing?
Larry
(removes black hat and... ;-)
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