SLUG Meeting with Symbolics VP Customer Service

[Paul Pangaro <pan%athena.pangaro.dialnet.symbolics.com@RELAY.CS.NET>]

    Date: Wed, 24 Jan 90 11:54:50 CST
    From: "BUCKMAN%ALAN.kahuna.decnet.lockheed.com"%ALAN.kahuna.DECNET.LOCKHEED.COM@Warbucks.AI.SRI.COM

    Received: from NILS.kahuna.decnet.lockheed.com by ALAN.kahuna.decnet.lockheed.com via INTERNET with SMTP id 18091; 24 Jan 90 09:52:30 PST
    Date: Wed, 24 Jan 90 09:52 PST
    From: Eric Buckman <BUCKMAN@ALAN.kahuna.decnet.lockheed.com>
    Subject: SLUG Meeting with Symbolics VP Customer Service
    To: "eagle::slug-president%ai.sri.com"@Kahuna
    cc: slug@ALAN.kahuna.decnet.lockheed.com
    In-Reply-To: <19900123171534.0.PAN@Athena.Pangaro.Dialnet.Symbolics.Com>
    Message-ID: <19900124175225.5.BUCKMAN@NILS.kahuna.decnet.lockheed.com>

	Date: Tue, 23-Jan-90 23:11:46-PST
	Date: Tue, 23 Jan 90 12:15 EST
	From: pan@Athena.Pangaro.Dialnet.Symbolics.Com (Paul Pangaro)

	Pursuant to recent meetings of the SLUG Board with Symbolics, Mr Ken Tarpey
	and I will be meeting in about two-weeks' time. In particular we will discuss
	the recent quarter's loss by Symbolics and the approaches and considerable
	energies that are being brought to bear on the problem. We will also pursue
	any other current topics in the relationship between SLUG and Symbolics.
    [......]

    It seems that over the years SLUG has let Symbolics slide on it's promises.  I'd
    suggest that at the meeting Symoblics update the status of EACH of the items you
    mentioned in the review of the last SLUG/Symbolics meeting.  I remember several
    dates mentioned in that letter,  and it would be helpful to have Symbolics
    respond about their progress on each item, and then, to keep them honest, SLUG
    should mail out their Symbolics progress report regularily over SLUG e-mail.
    [I don't mean this to be flaming, it is intended to be a constructive comment
    on how SLUG can approach the problem of getting Symbolics to follow through on
    issues.]

I believe that this respondent is un-informed and un-realistic (either about
the clout that SLUG has, or the seriousness with which Symbolics takes SLUG's
input --- I mean as manifest in responsive action on Symbolics' part, not lip
servce).  Each meeting with Symbolics over the years of my direct experience
and responsibility with SLUG has included repetition, repetition and
repetition.  You can't beat Symbolics over the head --- and if you think you
1can0, take your turn at trying it. I find it rather fatiguing (and as anyone
from Symbolics who has dealt with the recently will tell you) my patience is
short.

The dates are being tracked and will continue to be reported on.

Best,
PANgaro