FP PROBLEM RESOLUTION

[karl]

<-------------------------- FLAME ON!!!! -------------------------------->

I have been responsible for four systems in the Milwaukee area which use
(or try) to use Microport Unix.  One of these systems is already in a junk
pile with my customer asking for a refund.  Let's examine some of my specific
problems:

	- One of the systems, uses MP system V/386 with DOS merge.
	  This system has a "pre-release" version of DOS merge.  My customer
	  wishs to use a logi-tech mouse (Which does not work) and the
	  Ventura Publishing Package.  Each time (Perhaps 10 phone calls)
	  I call MP about the "pre-release" DOS merge, they tell me that
	  some special person (Someone they refuse to give the name of)
	  is not there, and is the ONLY person I can talk is never there
	  and has never returned any of my phone calls.  I've have had
	  no choice but to buy them a different Publishing package, and
	  fight with them about no mouse.  If this special "SOMEBODY" is
	  listening, perhaps they could bless me with a phone call.  This
	  problem has been going on for over four months now.

	- Another customer (This is the sad, angry one who wants their
	  money back) has MP system V 386, with an unlimited login package.
	
		- First, before the system was purchased, I called MP
		  to see which tape backup drive was suitible for use
		  with their UNIX.  I was told by their sales staff 
		  (The wisconsin REP) that the EVEREX 60M ev-810 was the
		  one to buy, although I did have to pay extra for the
		  driver.  GUESS WHAT? when I got the package the tape
		  drive didn't work.  The documentation said "newer ev-810
		  will not work with our software".  Well, I'm still
		  fighting with various people to return the tape drive
		  and the driver disk.

		- 2nd problem, and perhaps the reason I typed this in, is
		  the SAME floating point problem as described by other
		  people.  The compiler crashed, programs won't run, and
		  MP won't help.  I called many times on this problem,
		  was told that the 386 person only worked there two hours
		  each day, and spent that time very busy with answering
		  questions.  Well, finaly, after a week of phone calls,
		  the 386 man called me.  He said they were aware of a BUG
		  with floating point, and that they have already fixed it
		  in house.  He said, "I'll send you a pre-release version
		  to help you out".  Boy was I happy, my heart sang, my
		  feet danced, and a renewed feeling about MP had come.
		  GUESS WHAT? nothing was ever sent to the customer
		  (Video Station - Milwaukee), not a disk, not a letter,
		  not a phone call.  My further attempts to reach the 386
		  person have failed.  No one has EVER returned my phone
		  calls.

		- Whatever happened to the "Greenhills" compiler that was
		  advertised?  My customer bought this over Bell-tech and
		  others because of this feature.  GUESS WHAT? no-Greenhills
		  and a person telling me at MP that my customer MUST buy
		  the support plan if they wish to get it.  I have NEVER
		  been able to get any of my customers to buy the support
		  plan, based on the fact that they a package out of a
		  box, with problems, and are NEVER helped.  How can I tell
		  them that support would be any better.  PEOPLE WHO BUY
		  SOFTWARE THAT IS BROKEN SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE
		  REPAIR ONE DAY AFTER THE PACKAGE IS RECEIVED!

		- Another problem with the same customer, is BAD BLOCKS.
		  the installation procedure for MP/386 is defective if
		  your hard disk has any bad sectors on it.  Again, many
		  calls were made, nobody could talk to me, nobody called
		  me back.  Finaly, I just looked around and found another
		  drive with no defects.

In summary, I have NEVER had any success with getting the right people
on the phone, or that one time it did happen, I was LIED to and got no
help in the end. LYING about the Green-hills compiler is even worse. A
man named "John Plocher" sounds noble, and I hope he gets this message in
a bottle.  Maybe he can help?  I am also concerned that the only person
working on the 386 port is only there two hours each day.  Heck I get
two hours of Microport related complaints each day.

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Karl Vollbrecht
(414) 358-1180  (poor unused phone number)
Vollbrecht & Associates
6515 N. 40th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53209
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