| My observation just reading over the bugs supposedly fixed in this
Service Pack are that many of the bugs, just recently fixed, are very
fundemental things. Is the Microsoft Development Process within Redmond
"Out of Control?". Is there any regard to ISO 9000 compliance within
the software devleopment life cycle within Microsoft? Is the current
hodge-podge state of various Microsoft software packages release
cycles, ie; Windows NT V4.0 reuired for Microsoft Internet Explorer
V3.0 usage or the IIS, or maybe Visual C++ V5.0 requiring Microsoft
Windows NT V5.0 or things like this, is this a direct reflection on the
lack of care given to producing fine products.
I ask these questions cause I hvae been bit by the problem of, Windows
NT V3.51, LinkWorks V3.08 and the fact that Microsoft SQL Server V6.5
do not play well together. You can't do the LinkWorks backup thing. So
I hope to alleviate the problem by moving back to V6.0 or Microsoft SQL
Server. According to a note in the V6.5 manual, if I make sure I have
Microsoft SQL Server Service Pack 3 installed, no problem. So I do all
this, and install Service Pack 3 on the Microsoft SQL Server, V6.0 only
to discover in the README.TXT, that alhtought the V6.5 manual said
otherwise, backwards migration was not technically possible to do, thus
this capability does not exist. Now I am stuck with a munged Database,
a banged up LinkWork setup and no way to make things work again.
Oh, and where did I get the Microsoft SQL Server V6.0 you ask? Don't
ask. It of course was not available for purchase from either a general
software supplier or Microsoft. Microsoft SQL Server V6.5 had been
shipping for 3 months by this time so it V6.0 was history. I had to
borrow a copy.
The thing is, the LinkWorks people were struggling to get a supported
release out for V6.5, it's just that they too were caught up in this
hodge-podge release cycle and they were still in final satges of
development when Microsoft cut them, and the LinkWorks product group
dry. Basically, 6 months of no sales due to lack of support. Now we may
soon have V6.5 support, but we're looking at what level of support is
there in Windows NT V4.0.
The frustration that this whole process causes me as an Administrator
of Production System is killing.
I relaize that to many of you by now I seem to be venting, but I would
like to know, is/if there is any way that we, as Microsoft's Partners
can influence them and their processes for the better of all.
Regards, Richard Tomkins
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