RE: (ASCEND) [Fwd: Ticket #793610]

[Devin Ganger <devin@premier1.net>]

On 03 Dec 1998, Eric Reeves wrote:

> I agree.  Especially when doing a jump from beta to final,
> there should be no known problems at the time of release.
> That is nothing short of rediculous in my opinion.

Even as vocal of a critic as I can be of Ascend's software release policies,
I would say this is a pretty ludicrious statement.  I can think of several
reasons why a known problem may not be fixed in a given release of code.
The proper fix may require a complete architecture change that would
seriously impact the release timetable (and as much as we gripe, folks,
Ascend *wouldn't* be releasing code as often as it does if there weren't
some sort of consumer demand for all the new bells and whistles they keep
shoehorning in), and a "workaround" fix may cause greater instability or
decrease performance to unacceptable levels.

Good software design is not easy, and it becomes much harder in a situation
like data telcom where you must interoperate with everyone else's bugs.

Lest the world fall silent due to my defense, let me point out that there
are *many* -- if not most -- of the "Known Issues" for any given release of
TAOS that have no business being in a release version.  Period.  The fact
that they are included *does* bespeak a certain Microsoftian attitude in the
software production process (which I can say in all honesty, having been a
part of a Microsoft testing team once upon a time) that puts an arbitrary
timetable over quality.  In Microsoft's case, it was a mixture of marketing
droids writing checks the programmers' behinds couldn't cash combined with
the normal large institution inertia.  Who knows what it is in Ascend's
case, but I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt.  They're starting
to show me, at least in *certain* product groups (Hi, Willie, Paul!), that
this trend is changing, and that gives me hope for the rest of Ascend.

--
Devin L. Ganger
Chief Systems Administrator, Premier1 Internet Services, Inc., Sultan, WA
"....yet he is not two, but one Chirst; one, not by conversion of
the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God...."
The Creed of Saint Athanasius, on the nature of Jesus Christ

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