[5980] in java-interest
Re: Rogue Wave's JFactory Report
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Robert Kuechler)
Thu Mar 7 15:12:49 1996
Date: Thu, 7 Mar 1996 12:44:34 -0500 (EST)
From: Robert Kuechler <corgi@lis.pitt.edu>
To: Michael Mehrle <michael@w3media.com>
Cc: java-interest@java.Eng.Sun.COM
In-Reply-To: <199603072106.NAA09226@vv.val.net>
Thanks for the warning!
Bob Kuechler
e-mail...........corgi@icarus.lis.pitt.edu
Go To Mooseville See A Moose
http://www.pitt.edu/~rgkst4/Mooseville
On Wed, 6 Mar 1996, Michael Mehrle wrote:
> To everybody interested in Rogue Wave's GUI tool "JFactory".
>
> Well, we decided to take a leap of faith (currently no demo-version is
> available) and shell out the $495 to get our hands on JFactory. We ordered
> online through their secure order form and half an hour later, upon receipt
> of our password, we downloaded the software.
>
> Don't get me wrong, the application looks great. It's pretty simple
> actually, you open a new project and make a choice between an applet or an
> application. Then you can drag buttons and other components into the
> panel/frame. JFactory creates all the nasty AWT code, keeping you from
> loosing your sanity.
> The problem I have, is (surprise, surprise) Rogue Waves customer support.
>
> Again, the app looks simple, but there's obviously a lot going on behind
> the scenes, so if things are not set up correctly, it won't do the right
> thing. I just got my version JDK 1.0 up and running, so I thought there
> wouldn't be any trouble.
>
> I spare you the gory details, but I called their 800 number to get some
> assistance, especially since I was told that I bought 30 days of free
> technical support with the product. The receptionist I reached proclaimed
> that I had the wrong number and was to call their tech-support number in
> Oregon (I'm in California). First bummer!
>
> Minutes later I was wasting 30 Minutes worth of long-distance charges
> getting bounced around in their voice-mail system. Finally, I left a
> message. Second bummer!
>
> That's it, I told myself (I have a short fuse when it comes to customer
> service) and dialed the 800 number again to give 'em hell. This seemed to
> work, since somebody eventually called me back, asking me a lot of
> questions about my company and myself and promised that someone would get
> in touch with me shortly. That was yesterday.... Third bummer!
>
> Today, I thought, let's give it another try! I called the tech support
> number again (Oregon!), donating generously to my long-distance provider.
> After 20 Minutes, I left another message. That was this morning.
>
> Okay, we're not talking word processor here. I admit, JFactory is *not*
> brain surgery and 90 percent of it one can figure out intuitively. But to
> make things work and to justify my investment I expect an 800 number for
> customer support, where somebody actually picks up the phone.
> I deem this to be bad business practice and *unfortunately* cannot
> recommend this product at this time.
>
> I would appreciate a statement from a Rogue Wave representative, explaining
> this sorry excuse for a customer service department. If they want to make
> their product a success, they have to do a lot better!
>
> Michael Mehrle
> President
> w3media
>
>
> \\///
> [ o-o ]
> ____________OOOo___(.)___oOOO_______________
>
> http://www.w3media.com/w3media
> michael@w3media.com
> Tel. 310.441.9599
> Fax 310.441.5919
>
> "One man's mundane and desperate existence
> is someone else's Technicolor."
> -Strange Days-
>
>
> -
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