Posted by: DCallaghan
on December 17, 2003 12:19 AM
This issue of support, which is so often used to promote proprietary software over open source, is actually one of my most convincing argument for open source over proprietary software.
Very few, if any, business will even consider contacting Microsoft's free support. So you get a contract that provides four free service calls. Its very easy once you bring this up to make the network admins/programmers bristle, because almost everyone has been screwed over on this. They're expensive and unhelpful. Does anyone really consider Oracle as having a throat that can be choked when something doesn't go well? Ever been on IRC with SAP developers? I'm not even bashing Oracle and SAP, but friendly service isn't the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of them.
Purchasing a MySQL service contract gives you the same number of throats to choke as purchasing SQL Server. You just pay less and get more. I *still* rave to anyone who will listen about SuSE's support for me when I was setting up and RS/6K with a 5250 terminal. Proprietary software's support advantage is a myth propogated by people who have never called with a real problem.
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Re:why support and guarantees?
Posted by: DCallaghan on December 17, 2003 12:19 AMVery few, if any, business will even consider contacting Microsoft's free support. So you get a contract that provides four free service calls. Its very easy once you bring this up to make the network admins/programmers bristle, because almost everyone has been screwed over on this. They're expensive and unhelpful. Does anyone really consider Oracle as having a throat that can be choked when something doesn't go well? Ever been on IRC with SAP developers? I'm not even bashing Oracle and SAP, but friendly service isn't the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of them.
Purchasing a MySQL service contract gives you the same number of throats to choke as purchasing SQL Server. You just pay less and get more. I *still* rave to anyone who will listen about SuSE's support for me when I was setting up and RS/6K with a 5250 terminal. Proprietary software's support advantage is a myth propogated by people who have never called with a real problem.
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