Re: Oh, this is so microsoftish ...

Hans Forbrich <forbrich_at_telusplanet.net> wrote in message news:<3ED23011.1A2B5A13_at_telusplanet.net>...
>
> Several reasons, some of which could include:
>
> - if an Oracle employee recommended something that failed, you could sue Oracle
> regardless of how many disclaimers the employee had in their email;

Hmmm, I don't buy that. No one will sue any of us for giving wrong advice here and many work for companies. A disclaimer is more than enough.
This is the Usenet, not an officially sponsored channel.

> - there could be a perception of undercutting the official support mechanism;

That, I believe, would be the driving force. After all Oracle charges for support.

> - Oracle Support actually monitors the OTN chat lines and responds, so there is
> a NGish way of asking - why ask them do add another?

Quite true. And if any advice there is wrong, they are quite open to punitive damages: it's THEIR group. Not the public Usenet. Of course, being theirs they can apply controls. Such as erasing any information that is not kosher or can be compromising. Nothing wrong with that, BTW.
Other makers do the same routinely in their NGs.

> - there simply are not enough Oracle personnel to write "RTFM" as often as the
> questions really deserve;

Ah yes! That's quite true... Unfortunately, we're all stuck with that one. But this NG does its job of filtering most of those from ever landing at Oracle's doorstep. It fulfills a necessary role, and for free to Oracle. Not a bad deal. Again, quite in-line with other products and makers.

Besides, we got Jonathan, Steve and a few others who ocasionaly visit this NG. That's more than enough for me! ;)

Cheers
Nuno Souto
wizofoz2k_at_yahoo.com.au.nospam Received on Mon May 26 2003 - 20:06:47 CDT