Re: [cobalt-users] Cobalt Support

["Toby Miller" <tobymiller@xxxxxxxx>]

In defense of Cobalt Support, I have spoken with someone at Cobalt's tech
support five times in the last 90 days.  On each of those occasions, I
either spoke directly to an support rep (with about 2/3 min hold) or was
called back within 2 hours.  Each time I called, the rep I spoke with was
courteous, professional, and was generally able to answer my question.   Of
those five times, two were questions/problems that I had that really were
outside of the "supported" functionality.

I am a relatively new Cobalt user (6 mos).  Normally, I deal with the
"support" lines at several of Cobalt's competitors.  (Microsoft, IBM,
etc...)   Neither one (IMHO) provides support that is any better than
Cobalt's, and you have to pay for their service.   Microsoft charges $185
per incident for their support and you can still sit on hold for several
hours.   IBM (who has very good support) very often has call back times in
excess of 2 hours on many of their product lines (RS/6000, S/390, AS/400)

Considering the fact that Cobalt is quite a bit smaller that either IBM or
Microsoft, and that they provide "free" tech support (which neither IBM nor
Microsoft do),  I think that they do a pretty good job.

This, of course, is just my opinion.  Maybe I just haven't been using Cobalt
products long enough. <g>

Regards,

Toby Miller

----- Original Message -----
From: "Doug Forman" <doug@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <cobalt-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <peter_m@xxxxxxxxxx>; <sdewitt@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2000 12:49 PM
Subject: RE: [cobalt-users] Cobalt Support


> Ummmmmm...
>
> I think the Qube is a terrific example of design and engineering.  Because
> it is a linux box at the core, the Qube is quite flexible and very
> configurable for admins with basic -> intermediate linux skills.  I have a
> Qube2 of my own, and have recommended Qubes and Raqs to several clients.
>
> On the other hand...
>
> My experience with "Cobalt Tech Support"  - that is, the "official" tech
> support from Cobalt (not to be confused with this list!) - has been
> abysmally poor.  I get "no answers" - "incorrect answers" - "inappropriate
> answers" - and just plain "rude answers," but never yet have I received a
> prompt, courteous and correct answer to *any* question which I have asked.
>
> From the level of support which I have received, I suspect the support
> "experts" answering email at Cobalt are part-time minimum-wage workers,
with
> basic training in the Cobalt GUI interface, and a couple-dozen
> pre-programmed macro-keys on their keyboards for "canned answers" to most
> questions asked.  Questions not covered by the canned answers are either
> answered incorrectly, or are not answered at ALL.
>
> From an article I wrote over a month ago (in which I copy-n-paste my
emailed
> questions and Cobalt Tech Support answers):  "...I suspect that xxxx's job
> description is to dissuade as many customers as possible from bothering
> Cobalt tech support."
>
> Cobalt reminds me of Apple Computer in the 80's - 'insanely great'
products
> and 'insanely poor' product support.  The primary reason we formed
Macintosh
> User Groups [MUG] in the mid-80's was to get the education and support
Apple
> failed to provide.  I co-founded a MUG in 1985; today it still has over
> 1,000 paying members - almost 15 years later.  This [cobalt-users] mailing
> list - and Luke Tymowski's QubeQuorner
(http://weblogs.userland.com/qube/) -
> serve as virtual-user-groups to get practical and "real" support for our
> [Cobalt] product questions.  Where else would we go???
>
> The obvious fact remains that, although this list is a form of "community"
> for Cobalt product owners, if Cobalt was providing prompt, efficient and
> accurate product support, 80% of the postings to this list would be
> pointless and would disappear overnight.
>
> If Cobalt were my company, I would be very *proud* of my products, and
> extremely *embarrassed* of my customer support.  But I suspect no-one is
> embarrassed; I further suspect that this is all part of a pre-calculated
> business plan...  push as much product (profit) as possible, and provide
as
> little support (expense) as possible.  Simple arithmetic.  Not rocket
> science.  Not many other things, either...
>
> Perhaps your experience has been different.  Better?  I hope so.  I can't
> remember reading the last posting to this list ranting about how "great"
> Cobalt support is; perhaps I missed it?
>
> Just my views...
>
> Doug
>
> ---
> Doug Forman, MCSE, MCSD (doug@xxxxxxxxxxx)
> Incline Systems Inc - Vancouver, WA
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: cobalt-users-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > [mailto:cobalt-users-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of pete monaghan
> > Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2000 2:34 AM
> > To: cobalt-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: [cobalt-users] cobalt cube
> >
> >
> > If you have not bought the Qube yet I would look elsewhere as it really
> > does not do the job properly and support is crap. I use a Qube for this
> > purpose here plus giving LAN users web access. It only partly works. I
> > have about 40 users. The only problem and its a major one is that e-mail
> > which is originally sent via a mailing list such as this cobalt user
> > list ends up in the admin account not the user its intended for. I have
> > been trying to get my supplier and cobalt support (both Europe and US]
> > to sort it out but the only response I have had after over 6 months is
> > that it's a known problem (that took 4 months to get) and its being
> > worked on by Cobalt.
> >
> > . In message <4.2.0.58.20000123163758.009aa990@xxxxxxxx>, Duane Cook
> > <lists@xxxxxxxxx> writes
> > >Hi, I want to use a cobalt cube as my dedicated mail server, teh
> > cube would
> > >not have any other duties except sending and receving mail.  Does
anyone
> > >else use the cube like this?  How many email accounts could it
> > hold?  How
> > >would it perform?
> > >
> > >Any feedback, would be good.
> > >
> > >Duane
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >cobalt-users mailing list
> > >cobalt-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > >http://list.cobalt.com/mailman/listinfo/cobalt-users
> > >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > cobalt-users mailing list
> > cobalt-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > http://list.cobalt.com/mailman/listinfo/cobalt-users
> >
> >
>
>
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