Re: Stand Alone EXE

From: Jon Skeet [C# MVP] (skeet_at_pobox.com)
Date: 03/20/05 

Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 08:36:58 -0000

Jim Hubbard <reply@groups.please> wrote:
> > So why is Thinstall different? Why is it absolutely *vital* for every
> > single customer of Thinstall to get immediate answers when other
> > development products aren't in the same situation?
>
> I think the JIT team is going more for professional developers more than
> occassional developers. These developers typically demand a higher level of
> support.

You haven't answered my question. I'm talking about professional
developers, who are *used* to sometimes having to wait for support.
True professional developers build in contingency for just such a
reason - I don't see why I should have to pay more just because *some*
developers don't build in that kind of contingency.

> > More importantly, why should the Thinstall vendors themselves be the
> > ones who get to decide what kind of support my business *must* have?
>
> They aren't deciding what type of support you must have. They have built
> their business around the model of customer that they are targeting -
> professional developers that want top rate products and support.

In other words, they've decided that professional developers aren't
capable of reading manuals or waiting for support. Guess what? I'm a
professional developer who's capable of doing both. By choosing the
route they have - and by preventing downloads for "those who are just
curious" - they've ruled me out of their target audience. There's no
reason for that at all.

> > Frankly, I'd be slightly worried at getting a new version of Thinstall
> > with only a couple of days testing. It seems to me it's the kind of
> > product which requires *really* extensive testing.
>
> These are admitedly minor changes, and the version that is available that
> quickly is a beta version. They test extensively and churn out tested
> versions quite regularly (both in GUI and command line).

So would you ship with a beta version? Sounds pretty dodgy to me.
 
> In fact, I can't wait for version 3 due out later this year. If all goes as
> planned, it will directly integrate with the .Net framework.

I wonder if by then they'll actually have permission to distribute bits
of the framework in the way they do. To quote from the Thinstall
website:

<quote>
This form of .NET Framework redistribution is not yet officially
blessed by microsoft.
</quote>

(http://www.thinstall.com/help/?microsoft_netframeworklinki.htm)

> > So they need to work out how many support reps to have to deal with the
> > customers who've paid for premium support. I don't see how that's
> > really different to the situation now, to be honest. In fact, it's
> > somewhat better, because they'd get *some* money from those who have
> > paid for "second rate" support, which could occupy the support reps
> > when there are no premium customers requiring support. Rather than
> > those reps sitting around doing (and thus earning) nothing, they're
> > effectively earning their money at a lower rate.
>
> Have you ever done support like this? I have (and still do), and my
> experience is just the opposite of what you seem to think will happen.

That just suggests that it hasn't been implemented properly. If you
think it's impossible to get tiered support like that to work
(effectively making your support reps more efficient), please explain
why rather than just stating that it doesn't work. 

-- 
Jon Skeet - <skeet@pobox.com>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

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