[2419] in comp.os.os2.announce archive
IBM: Statement regarding FixPaks
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Mick Brown)
Thu Jan 30 10:57:46 1997
To: os2ann.DISCUSS@bloom-picayune.MIT.EDU
Date: 19 Jan 1997 19:11:29 GMT
From: lfirrantello@bix.com (Mick Brown)
Reply-To: tsipple@us.ibm.com (Timothy F. Sipples)
Reply-to: tsipple@us.ibm.com (Timothy F. Sipples)
Submitted by: lfirrantello@bix.com (Mick Brown)
Source: tsipple@us.ibm.com (Timothy F. Sipples)
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[Moderator note: the following is a reply I received from an IBM
representative regarding IBM's FixPak policies. I hope this will help lower
the apparent level of confusion among some in the OS/2 community.]
In brief, if a FixPak appears on an IBM-run Internet site, and the FixPak is
not otherwise marked "test" or "beta" in some fashion, then it is official.
We will make announcements about the availability of officially released
FixPaks. This information is collected on our Web site in our list of the
latest service levels for all our software products. Our Web site is at
http://ps.software.ibm.com.
We do, however, distribute FixPaks for testing, and we would sincerely
appreciate those people who are testing FixPaks *not* to redistribute the test
versions. It's a form of piracy, frankly, that is causing quite a bit of
confusion.
We may make announcements with recommendations about a particular FixPak (such
as recommendations that it only be used in certain circumstances). Also, we
strongly recommend that no one install a FixPak unless it contains a specific
fix which is absolutely needed or unless IBM (or a qualified partner) has
specifically recommended its installation.
Finally, FixPaks often are designed for a specific national language version
of our software, so make sure you're installing the right version. (We
include checks with most of our FixPaks to make sure that only the correct
version is installed.)
Please let us deliver quality software service. We appreciate how eager
people are to receive the latest versions of IBM software, but we would
appreciate our testers not redistributing FixPaks that are not yet officially
released. Thanks!
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