Re: Informix for Linux ...

Rs wrote: > > I am curious. What would you do if you report a problem, and Informix > Support claim it is OS related ? Would not that leave behind many > unhappy customers ? > We have been talking to some degree about the support models available for Informix on Linux, and your question is certainly valid, and a common one. There are already current support models based on certifying a port to a certain release of an operating system. This means agreeing to a certain release, and then porting to it. Subsequently, the user of the software would have certain understandings about the release, and use it under those terms. Some of the distributors of Linux have talked about their risk and liability, and I'm sure they will talk again. But the real question, of how to resolve an OS-related problem could be dealt with in several ways: 1. Modification to the OS source code causing the problem. 2. Publishing a bug-list, and subsequent work-arounds. 3. Charging for support. 4. Providing a work-around without known bugs. The Linux world usually doesn't allow hiding. :-) 5. OS upgrade. No waiting lane three. Simply ask for what you need. 6. Newsgroup Support. 7. Data Base product modifications. For the argument to work in the customers favor, they need only run the version that Informix ported and certified to. Keep in mind the Linux version of Informix is not free, so as paying customers, there should and would be the usual and customary support. A linux version we are looking for will be of the same expectations as the other releases. The initial rollout may have less support initially than where we're headed but I think as the momentum grows, so too will the support. Your OS support will depend greatly on where you got the Linux distribution from, and what you're willing to pay for peace of mind and support. Having Informix go to Linux will also mean many other vendors will take Linux more serious than up to now. Everybody is waiting for the first big gun to step up and be the first. As far as my current experience with vendors such as Sun, I have not had any experience with the x86 product that leads me to believe it's better than Linux--even with support available. Solaris is a great OS, but it's bloated on my Pentium, and doesn't have half the following of people I can find for Linux, if I wanted really fast help out on the net. Plus Solaris doesn't publish HOW-TOs on how to do anything. The effort required to set up Solaris is much more aggrevating than Linux. If you want substantiation, count up the Linux news groups, vs. Sun or HP or ? newsgroups. It's phenomenal. Tim -- Tim Schaefer \\\\|// tschaefe@mindspring.com 6 6 -------------------------oOOo---( )---o00o---------------------- http://www.inxutil.com - My Ezine http://www.informix.com - Informix Software Inc. http://www.iiug.org - International Informix User Group/FAQ news://comp.databases.informix - Newsgroup for Informix Users ================================================================