Re: Does Borland release patches for free?

Allan G. Knox wrote:

> If by a stamp you mean a QA stamp, rather than a postage stamp, then
> that is exactly what would make me happier.

Thats exactly the kind of stamp I meant.

> If I have to put a
> workaround or untested code in my products to meet a critical client
> need (and I would knowingly do so for no other reason), I want that
> to be as temporary as possible - with due warnings to the users about
> "at their own risk" etc. during that temporary phase. For mainstream
> production running I want my clients to know that I test my own code
> just as fully as I possibly can, and that where I rely on Third Party
> Products I use only reputable companies and only official tested code.
> In those circumstance I believe I can "convince a jury" that I have
> done my best, and one can do no more. Using unofficial patches in my
> live production code would leave me feeling vulnerable in the
> increasingly litigous society in which we live.

Depends, I remember a TList issue I had and searched on the internet
and it the fix made a huge speed difference, it wasnt a borland fix,
however, with delphi at least often with the source you have the code
so you can see what the changes are and decide yourself if you think
theres a likely risk or not.


> Even using brand new
> releases in my production code from vendors with a known history of
> having significant bugs in early releases would leave me feeling
> vulnerable. So, I don't do that either.

True, but then your own peice of mind comes really only with testing
yourself.


> Most of the Third Party companies I deal with don't need to release
> major patches by the time newer versions are out - and all of them
> will fix things in at least the immediate previous version if they are
> demonstrably bugged (or else I would not be dealing with them). Mind
> you, to be fair, I am not actually running at the moment with any
> superseded versions, other than Delphi itself, and so cannot really
> personally swear to the truth of that last assertion in all cases.
> But, I have seen updates to earlier versions on the websites, years
> after being superseded.

I must mix in difference circles, most I know once a new version of the
product is out, dont update the old one. The expectation is, new is the
only worked on source tree.

>
> I know what you mean. I have had that very situation more than once
> when I was a senior programmer for a large company, when I took over
> existing programs. But, there, the users did not have to pay (in the
> conventional sense) for the new version. As far as my own code is
> concerned, as a self-employed developer, I am happy to state (or is it
> boast) that I have never had that situation. I have very few bugs
> reported in production code and when I have a report I fix them and,
> so far, over a period of over 15 years, when they have been critical,
> I have done so within 48 hours - and mostly within 12 hours. In a
> few of those occasions critical bugs were triggered by Third Party
> code bugs and, in almost all of those instances, the Third Parties
> concerned responded within hours with a full fix or an effective
> workaround (the fix coming within a relevant timeframe). The one
> exception to that "all" has a support policy that almost guarantees an
> absolute minimum of 24 hours before a full solution can be expected,
> even at best, but at least you know you have to provide your own
> workaround if needed quickly and that a full solution will be with you
> in a matter of a few days.

True, but by the sounds of it, you're a 1 man band. You arent looking
at 20 different people working on code, and any 3 could be off at a
given time so if its their code that needs investigating its someone
else picking up the peices and so on.


> No! My clients pay an annual support fee that includes technical
> support and all upgrades to their existing modules (major or minor).

OK, but Ive been using my Delphi 5 for well I still am.. I dont pay
borland each year for that privilage. So, I guess I feel its fair that
its probably about time to pay up

> The only extras charged are where completely new add-on modules are
> provided, and those are never provided in support of bug fixes. For
> my flagship program, I currently offer a 5 year guarantee for bug
> fixes, that is 5 years after the clients have ceased to pay the annual
> support fee or have opted for technical support only, rather than
> receive any upgrades. Obviously, I require that the problem be
> demonstrably due to a program error, not associated with a hardware
> change, O/S upgrade, or any other environmental factor not forseeable
> at the time of sale. But, in essence, I practice what I preach. I
> have frequently provided much nicer and more powerful facilities
> (mainly courtesy of upgrades by Borland and the Third Parties) without
> charging a penny. I never have, and never will, charge to fix a bug
> in my code.

Thats a good thing if you can do it. Only bug in that theory would be
the time you waste trying to prove its not your code and its their
kit/infrastructure/other apps.

> Incidentally, the consequence of the above policy is a splendid mix of
> pride and poverty. I am not sure that I actually recommend it.

Well good luck to you! You sound like a good guy, I wish you well.

--
Liz the Brit
Delphi things I have released: http://www.xcalibur.co.uk/DelphiThings
.

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