[ale] Poor support (was Smoothwall 2.0 vs IPCop 1.3.0)

[Kenneth W Cochran]

I'll echo the same sentiment/opinion about gaim.
Yes, gaim, the IM client that's supposed to be so
uber-cool.  Their "advertised' support channel (in
IRC) people are just plain nasty to *quite legitimate*
questions/problems/concerns.  I'd venture to say they
have the worst attitudes I've ever encountered in IT
(really).  I suppose they might have a leg to stand on if
their documentation and/or code quality were up to snuff,
but it Just Isn't So.  I could cite specific examples,
but I'd rather not get into it here; just a heads-up if
you ever have the misfortune of ending up in gaim's IRC
"support" channel.

-kc

>Subject: Re: [ale] Smoothwall 2.0 or IPCop 1.3.0?
>From: Jerald Sheets <jsheets at yahoo.com>
>To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts <ale at ale.org>
>Date: Thu, 05 Feb 2004 09:45:03 -0600
>
[...brief snip...]
>
>I left the smootwall crowd, frankly, because they were a bunch of real
>dicks.  I'm sorry, but there's no other way to say it.
>
>The whole thing in the support manual about RTFM and read this first and
>that first, blah blah was funny and all, but there's a line...a line
>between being a jerk and giving customer service.  Sure, we all hate it,
>and I'm on his side with everything in the manual, but when you start
>roaming your own forums to give answers to (presumably) piss off people
>for what seems to be no reason, I start looking for another product.
>
>I saw people in the forums asking valid questions whose answers were
>either hidden deeply in the forums two years before, or in a small
>one-sentence blurb somewhere on the website (that would literally take
>hours upon hours to find) and getting JUMPED ON by the support staff.  I
>understand "RTFM", but when the team starts saying "RTFM, you f*cking
>moron your mother must've hated you", I start looking to move on.  (this
>is hyperbole.  do not email me saying this couldn't have happened,
>because it didn't..it's an example)
>
>Originally, when IPCop was created, it's whole purpose in life was to be
>a friendly alternative to the jerks at Smoothwall.  I personally felt
>the brunt of their ire once or twice, and I didn't think my questions
>were out of line, I had searched the entire printed manual base *AND*
>done Google searches.  the treatment they were giving users was uncalled
>for.  Essentially, the IPCop product was identical to Smoothwall in the
>first few iterations with some graphics and text changes.  Now, they
>have their own project plan and are growing in a direction on their
>own.
>
>I swear by the project *AND* the support staff.
>
>It just works.  (tm)
>
>--jms