[Computerbank] Our service philosophy and linux

[John Habermann]

I would support continuing with the "Computerbanks and their affiliates will 
provide ongoing support and assitance to those clients that have linux 
systems." 

If people have installed windows legally then I would assume that they have 
support available to them under the terms of purchase of the software ie 
support from people who are paid to support that software. If they have 
installed it illegally then I would imagine that there would be certain legal 
concerns not to mention the ethical issues if we supported that software. 

Personally I would find it rather annoying to have to deal with supporting 
someone who has just wiped out software, that I might well have spent a 
considerable amount of time to set up, in order to install software that is 
the very antithesis of the ideals of community support that computerbank is 
based on.

But that is only my opinion and I will be interested to hear what others have 
to say

John H

On Mon, 18 Mar 2002 19:21, you wrote:
>   Hey all,
>
> Like I said - a doozy... some of the more important (corcerning all)
> discussions for the Conference are being directed to the main list to
> get a general feeling about underlying principles of Computerbank's and
> affiliates.
>
> We all know that Computerbank's use linux (and the Conference will firm
> up on what exactly that means to use linux - have your say now)..for
>
> starters from Romana CAI-SA we had this comment:
> >Along those lines, I would like the purpose of Computerbank clarified in
> >terms of our position on using nothing but Open Source (and its GPL type
> >variations folks!) software - I am aware of Windows debates that flare
> >occasionally in all branches, I would like discussed and fully clarified
> > once and for all.
>
> Here here! Does anyone else want to add anything?
>
> But what about our philosophy on Windows - that is when a client changes
> their linux system to a windows one. ?
>
> In Vic, we have experienced this a few times with a couple of people
> coming back to us expecting us to do Windows configuration. We have had
> to tell these people that we only support linux and that we can not help
> them with Windows problems. This is simple Computerbank Policy reads
> "Computerbanks and their affiliates will provide ongoing support and
> assitance to those clients that have linux systems."
>
> This gets tricky in the area of hardware malfunction / monitor death.
>
> We really need to firm up on some kind of warranty period (standard 30
> days for second-hand goods or? ) for return to Computerbank for
> replacement or repair - regardless of operating system. I am not sure if
> we would think it necessary to ask people to produce licenses for PTY
> software before we could work on the system or replace whatever was broken.
>
> I guess the Computerbank policy for this might read:
>
> "Computerbanks and their affiliates will repair or replace faulty items
> on any Computerbank client's computer within the first initial 30 days
> of the client owning the computer. Computerbank's will do this
> irrespective of the operating system on the computer. Computerbank
> reserves the right to ask clients to produce relevant documentation if
> required."
>
> Okay - now after 30 days - what do we do if there is hardware failure /
> monitor fault?
>
> If a) person has linux?
> or b) person has windows?
>
> Do we have the same policy for both - in respect to hardware failure -
> or do we "favor" the linux users? If we do this - why do we do this?
>
> I think we need to be acting consistently - and maybe we should say no!
> to the linux folk who have hardware failure after 30 days? If we say yes
> to the linux guys and no to the windows guys on matters hardware - is
> this equal? Again - can we ask people to produce documentation for PTY
> software licenses on systems they want us to look at and fix?
>
> What do we all think about that one?
>
> Configuration and support issues are easily solved by the first policy -
> which read "Computerbanks and their affiliates will provide ongoing
> support and assitance to those clients that have linux systems."
>
> How was that for a trick question? Let's get the discussion and comments
> happening. :)
>
> Cheers,
>
> Kylie
>