[5984] in java-interest
Rogue Wave's JFactory Report
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Michael Mehrle)
Thu Mar 7 15:19:56 1996
Date: Wed, 6 Mar 1996 13:04:12 -0700
To: java-interest@java.Eng.Sun.COM
From: michael@w3media.com (Michael Mehrle)
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
\\///
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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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