Almost 2 years in development for that kernel and that's the best you can
do?
I didn't see anything about the "support" conditions on the site before I
went to the store to buy it. And I wrote to SuSE about 2 months before the
release, when SuSE announced that they had been working on a new version
with the 2.4 kernel (back in january when the new kernal release was
announced by Linus) and the reply about the support was that I could expect
support for the new kernel (I ask about that "very specifically" to avoid
these types of happenings).
They were more than happy to tell me what I wanted to hear. Now the
"online-support" sends me canned, form letter types of responses to all my
support question. Read Mr. Kreps response and consider what he's saying, in
my opinion this is bad PR and poor customer service. Maybe that's ok mit
dier, zo dunka ver nichts? Oh well, guess I'm on my own!
-----Original Message-----
From: Geordon VanTassle [mailto:gvantass@thecoventree.com]
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 2009
To: SuSE Mailing List
Subject: Re: [SLE] Support vs Support (Was: [SLE] util-linux and Kernel
2.4.3)
Bah, I think you're over-simplifying as well as comparing apples and
oranges. Why? See below...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Curtis Rey"
No sir, I was not confused by the word "support" in the context that I was addressing. I was not referring to development support or support for the 2.4 kernel by SuSE in regards to working on and releasing it in the lastest version. I was referring to the end-user support concerning the use of and implimentations of the 2.4 kernel in terms of supporting configuration and installation of the kernel. Which proves my position that SuSE will included the kernel in the release and then washes it hands of any further end-user services or support for that kernel.
Well, let's see. What does the SuSE site say about "support" shall we? Ok, we go to http://www.suse.com/ and look down the list on the left: "INSTALLATION SUPPORT" is one choice... "SUPPORT DATABASE" is another... "SUPPORTED HARDWARE" is another. Let's click on INSTALLATION SUPPORT and see what we can get. Taken from http://suse.com/us/support/isupport/index.html : <quote> Scope of Installation Support SuSE's installation support representatives are available to answer your questions about installing and configuring basic systems. These include: Installing from CD & DVD Basic configuration of a standalone machine Basic configuration of X11 GUI Basic configuration of a standard analog modem to dial into the Internet (client side) Configuring a local printer to a standalone machine Support topics not mentioned here are not handled by installation support. Installation support services are intended to help you get your basic system installed, not as a training course or an introduction to Linux. As such, th ey may only be used for configuration problems, rather than general questions. In addition, SuSE installation support is unable to answer your questions about the approximately 850 third-party applications included in our distribution. </quote> So, it would seem that the installation support is geared to getting a SuSE Linux system up and running with most of the general.common services running. "Support topics not mentioned here are not handled by installation support" seems to sum it all up pretty well, IMO. Also, it is FREE (beer) support that you get from "Installation Support". Microsoft dosn't provide no-cost support for their OS... Even if you buy it straight from them! However, they'll be more than happy to charge you big bucks to tell you how to reinstall it! Anyway, look up at the top banner-bar. See "Solutions & Services" up there? Click it. There, you are presented with the opportunity to engage a commertial venture with your more complicated, non-trivial questions.
It's similar to a car maker saying we have a model with the standard 2.2 liter engine and the new and improved fuel injected 2.4 liter high performance engine. We will be happy to sell you either model. Oh, and by the way, if the 2.4 liter engine needs service or tune ups we cannot offer any certified dealer mechanics. And did I mention that the engine a parts are not under any warrenty. If your new fuel injected 2.4 liter engine needs tune ups, repairs, or any other form of service might I suggest that your nearest neighborhood mechanic should be contacted if you should have any problems with the 2.4 liter engine. Gee, that's ok, I want the 2.4 liter engine - it won't break (I hope)!
I believe you are mistaken here. This is where I think you're comparing apples and oranges, so to speak. Think of kernel 2.2 as an industry standard sedan. Everyone can buy one. Most adequate mechanics can repair one. Then think of 2.4 as an experimental, high-efficiency, prototype sort of vehicle. Only a select group of people are competent to work on it. Very costly to maintain, not nearly as likely to be easily repairable as the 2.2. However, for the group who CAN fix it, the rewards are (potentially) great. Take your pick: the bleeding edge, which is not well known and possibly VERY dangerous, or the old "stand-by" which everybody and their cousin has heard of and can use. SuSE did me a favor by letting me have the opportunity to easily have either kernel. However, they ALSO told me that if I went with the "Experimental car" I'd be on my own as far as getting it running. Nobody made them include 2.4, just as nobody made YOU buy the SuSE distro. You could have gone with Red HAt, which doesn't appear to "support" the 2.4 kernel, either. Get over it. -- To unsubscribe send e-mail to suse-linux-e-unsubscribe@suse.com For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the FAQ at http://www.suse.com/support/faq and the archives at http://lists.suse.com