Re: [exim] mailing list != tech support

Ian Eiloart wrote on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:54:58 +0000.

> .... We certainly are volunteers, and we're not
> contractually obligated to provide support. However, I'm not aware of any
> other organisation that provides support for Exim users. We do. It's
> support, and it's techical. And, in my experience, it's first class
> support. What it occasionally lacks in terms of graciousness, it more than
> makes up for in effectiveness.

Very nicely phrased. I am a grateful recipient of your, individually and
collectively, excellent and helpful voluntary service donated with
impressive professionalism.

> I guess that my main objection to being regarded as "tech support" is that
> it lumps us in with all the useless, expensive tech support operations
> provided by commercial vendors (as well as the good commercial vendors).

These days 'technical support' is often presented by semi-brain dead
technically illiterate morons who haven't a clue, including for instance
a BT Broadband support (person) in (a foreign country) who told a friend
of mine, in my presence, to unplug the ADSL router, plug-in the ADSL
router at the main telephone socket by the front door, place it on a
wooden table which must have wooden legs of at least 18 inches (50cm)
length, open the front door and within 30 minutes BT Broadband (ADSL)
would be on the line. We did it, while suppressing utter disbelief and
excessive ridicule between ourselves. An hour later still no broadband.
After a publicised complaint in a computer journal BT discovered the
ADSL had been connected to a neighbour's telephone line. Why any company
would wish to employ technical morons is beyond my modest comprehension
except for the seller wishing to fool its customers it is providing a
service.

> I guess I'd say it like this: "Exim's technical support is provided by a
> knowledgeable, enthusiastic community of peers. Most technical support
> requests are quickly met with a variety of possible solutions, and with
> additional contextual advice."

Perfected excellence, quickly and authoritively presented by those who
genuinely know about the product.

Paul.

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