Ed probably should never have talked to his users directly. I've been
lobbying for a moderated forum. The old adage "it's not the band I hate it's
their fans" probably applies here too. I've been working in the software
field long enough to know that when a customer talks to the programmer they
usually go running screaming in the opposite direction.
Depends on the programmer. I've been in the software business ~25
years spanning the gamut from Programmer/Analyst I to Project Leader.
Speaking to users is not the problem. The problem is when the author
is prickly, inconsistent, short tempered, contradictory, etc. I, for
one, would not trust a program from such a hair-trigger and unfocused
person in the first place. Indeed I would never even hire someone like
that! And the neverending torrent of Vuescan bugs confirms it all.
Programming is not for the impatient, the unfocused, or the cranky.
I agree, however, that a (moderated) forum is a good idea. But, to be
fair, this is primarily the responsibility of the manufacturer to
provide such support. Nevertheless, users can certainly organize their
own parallel support network without the manufacturer's bias.
And I already suggested a couple of ideas in this direction such as:
the alt hierarchy, a closed Google group, someone donating space on
their web site, etc.
But, Vuescan "fans" are apparently more interested in a witch hunt...
I wasn't talking about Ralf, I was responding to you Don.
However, all your comments were only relevant regarding a regular "Joe
Blow, plain vanilla" user (try before buy, etc.) and not a dedicated
follower like Ralf (who was the subject, BTW!).
Of course, even when talking about a regular user, you can't blame the
user for faulty software. Period. No ifs and buts.
For starters, "try before you buy" means nothing when raw scan is
disabled! In order to run meaningful tests one needs raw data.
But even if the try-out version were fully functional that still does
not protect the incompetent manufacturer. When such pedestrian bugs as
cropping, or "can't scan at all", etc keep recurring and do so
*regularly* it's clearly a case of a customer having the right to
demand their money back. Many have and the Vuescan author responded
with abuse and insults, as was the case in Ralf's experience.
Now, when the Vuescan's author snarls and bites Ralf's head off (one
of, if not *the*, Vuescan "defender") what's left for the others?
The manufacturer is *legally* bound to refund the money! This is *law*
in virtually all industrialized countries. There's no way around that.
Whether we're talking about a one-man garage operation or a mega
multi-national is totally irrelevant.
You however seem to spend an inordinate
amount of your own time (volunteering also I might add) in this forum
tearing down Vuescan.
As usual, that's all emotion without a single fact in sight.
I have *never* been "tearing down Vuescan", just presenting,
*objective* and *provable* *facts*! That you would perceive such
*objective fact* as "tearing down" in firmly in the eye of the
beholder.
If you have a *single* example to the contrary, let's have it (*within
context*)! It's a standing challenge no Vuescan "fan" has ever
responded to *factually and within context*! At best (actually, at
worst) they may gush with even more emotion.
You've also glaringly overlooked all my other messages and only see
the ones about Vuescan (another common emotional overreaction). And
most of my Vuescan messages (do note!) are *responses* to Vuescan fans
who gush with fact-free misrepresentations of my original fact-based
messages (this very message is the case in point i.e. a response)!
Again, if you have *objective facts* to the contrary, let's have them!
In other words, if I don't respond to your (plural) "feelings" then
you (plural) feel vindicated. If I do respond *with facts*, then I'm
"bashing". Huh? So, if I don't respond, I'm "wrong", and if I do
respond I'm "bashing"! Explain that?
Etc. etc....
I have to ask what you're motivation is and why you
even bother.
Again, more feelings... This time of the "conspiracy" variety. It's
been tried before as an attempt to change the subject. A few questions
for you to consider:
Why does anyone write anything in this forum?
Does everyone who posts here have an "agenda"?
If yes, what is your (plural) "conspiratorial" agenda, then?
Indeed, and this is *the* key question: Why are you (and some other
Vuescan "fans") so "hypersensitive" to *facts* about Vuescan? (Note:
*facts*!)
In all these years I haven't seen a single *factual* response from
Vuescan "fans". It's always mud-slinging, sometimes name calling,
"feelings", etc. But their posts consistently remain free of facts.
I'm here because I want to confer with other more experienced
users and with people who have a better working knowledge of optics than
myself. I've actually learned a lot from using Vuescan which I apply to
other areas of my work/art photography.
Which is great and I'm happy for you.
The same reason I joined. That is to say, to learn more about optics
and scanning, not to learn from Vuescan... ;o)
This significance is Ralf invested too much time and emotion into a thing he
ultimately had no control over because he wasn't its creator. He confused
the USENET's cooperative spirit with that of a business who's objective is
to make money. No greater deception than self deception, of this I'm
painfully aware, I've lived long enough to know this.
You can dress it up any way you want, Alan, but you know very well
there's more to it than above platitudes. Ralf's extreme messages went
way beyond "cooperative spirit". We're talking about a
"fundamentalist" Vuescan user here a.k.a. "Vuescan Taliban"!!
There's no way you can get around this fact. And that someone who so
rabidly attacked all those daring to disagree, now completely switches
sides, eats his words and does so publicly is very significant. His
frustration with Vuescan must have been immense to cause such a total
180-degree flip and a humiliating climbdown.
About why are you (and other "hypersensitive" Vuescan "fans") so
touchy every time *true facts* about Vuescan are revealed?
As I've predicted, we now know why Ralf was so touchy (big frustration
with Vuescan) so he just lashed out at "bearers of bad news".
But even he had enough and finally aimed his criticism in the
direction where it should've been directed in the first place. Like I
(also) always said: Shooting the messenger won't fix all those Vuescan
bugs!
Don.
