RE: OT: Reseller Rant

[Erek Adams <erek () theadamsfamily net>]

On Fri, 29 Mar 2002, Bob Walder wrote:

> Gimme a break.

OK, Would you like it in the arm or leg?  :-)

> Why shouldn't a commercial organisation use the list in such a way? This
> list is surely just one of many viable sources of information and if someone
> is paying for support it is usually because they don't have the time and/or
> skill to trawl through numerous mailing lists, newsgroups and Web sites to
> find the answer to a particular question. The person offering the support
> would be derelict in his or her duty if, finding that they do not know the
> answer off the top of their head, he did not attempt to use this list.

I agree.  100% Agree.  The thing that just really doesn't set well is a
situation like:  When you go to Vendor X and see advertisements for the snort
appliance, and the $XXX a month/year for support.  Once you start reading thru
the tech docs and info you realize it's nothing more than what's on the
list--in some cases just cut-n-pasted.

I don't have an issue with Vendor X using the mailing list as a resource.
They _should_.  My rant is more along the lines of the vendor who treats the
list as 'back line support'.  "I'm sorry sir, our backline tech is busy right
now.  I'll send him an email and he'll get back to me with the answer.  As
soon as he does I will call you back.  Thank you for spending your money with
Vendor X."  And then here coms the email "How do I do...?"  That's what I've
got problems with.

> You could always choose not to answer a question if you see a particular
> organisation to which you object in the mail address of the requestor and
> you feel that strongly about it. But remember, the very act of asking and
> answering a question could be a valuable source of information or
> inspiration to OTHERS on the list.

Yes, I know....  If I felt pissy, I could just never answer any questions.
But I'm not that way.  I want and like to help folks here.  Call me a 'glutton
for punishment', but I do enjoy it!  :)

> Many is the time I have seen one person on this list point another towards a
> piece of software on the Web, for example, with which I was not familiar. I
> might not have even known I had a need for it, but further investigation
> turns up a little gem.

Yes indedeed!  My "Hey, this might be useful one day" list has grown quite a
bit with neat tidbits that I've ran across here and other places.

> That is the way these lists work - don't get too precious about it!

I know, I know...  :)  My main goal was to let some of the readers
(lurkers--we have a lot here... :) know that _some_ of these companies do work
like that.  How many times have you seen a vendor use smoke and mirrors to
make something look _really_ hard?

> PS I should perhaps hasten to point out that neither I nor my company offers
> support services for Snort!

:)  Glad you decided to chime in!  You've got a point of view from 'the other
side'.

PS.  And this message has been not been X-message-flagged for your reading
pleasure.  ;-)

Cheers!

-----
Erek Adams
Nifty-Type-Guy
TheAdamsFamily.Net



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