[Computerbank] Our service philosophy and linux

[Katarina]

Hi again have to comment again:

What ever service agreement you come up with just add  some thing like this:

"If a clients system has been changed from linux to a non linux system, then
any work related to fixing a non HW fault is at the users expence." (a small
fee)

Why I think this is a good Idea:

1. Might Raise a little money
2. benifit the techos by expanding their knowledge base & skills. We want to
help people get work, well as sad as it may be the fact is that MS is what
people need to know to get a job. (Wrk for the dole)
3. Introducing a fee for WIN Supp. may hlp to convince some users Not  to
change their system from linux

some bad points:

1.More users may switch to windows knowing they  have access to cheep
suport. Techos will get bogged down with WIN PCs
2.there is a grey area when you say only HW Supp. is free. WIN PCs always
need some drivers to be loaded & config manually (NON-PNP SEMI PNP devices)
The question here is how do class drivers as HW or SW? Another factor is
bugs in the OS & driver sets related to HW

when This service agreement is changed which users will it apply too??? If
CB does decide to supp WIN,incuding all users past & present that could get
yukky. But having different service agreements maybe hard to cntrl. IE when
a user rings up for help how can the voluntere determine the applicable
service agreement so as to correctly advise the user.

Katarina



-----Original Message-----
From: Kylie Davies <mailkylie at optushome.com.au>
To: computerbank at lists.linux.org.au <computerbank at lists.linux.org.au>;
cai-committee at lists.linux.org.au <cai-committee at lists.linux.org.au>
Date: Monday, 18 March 2002 10:11
Subject: [Computerbank] Our service philosophy and linux


>  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
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>computerbank mailing list
>computerbank at lists.linux.org.au
>http://lists.linux.org.au/listinfo/computerbank