VP/ix could be good...

[Jeff Harrell]

I've been playing with VP/ix (that's about all you can do with it)
for about 3 months. It's sort-of DOS sort-of ZENIX. The problems
I've found to be a pain include:

       1) Support- I do not like being placed on hold for 15-30
                   minutes only to be told I can get an "appointment"
                   in two to three days. It's been my experience that
                   the person on the other end of the line ( the one
                   that calls back in a couple of days ) knows less
                   about VP/ix than I do.

       2) ONLY 1 FLOPPY- This seems to be a BUG because it isn't
                         documented in the manuals. The manuals 
                         show examples of a vpix.cnf file that uses
                         more than one floppy-so, WHATS UP!

       3) IT'S BUGGY- I've found a number or "unexplainable" lock=ups,
                      missing key strokes, sluggish keyboard response,
                      (what the heck happened?) stuff...

       4) DOS APPLICATIONS DON'T WORK- Several DOS pplications don't!
                      Try saving a "FIRST CHOICE" file for example. 
                      Or try using 800X600 drivers..

       5) THINGS GET CHANGED- The 8386 (B1 stepping) bug  work-around
                              stops working after running VP/ix. Granted,
                              this is an Intel problem- but, the fix stops
                              working!

       6) HUMAN INTERFACE- My wife uses an XT at school. We've got a
                           20MHz 386, 4MB ram, 80MB disk, 20MHz 80387 
                           and a Paradise VGA+ card with a multi-sync
                           monitor. In VP/ix she complains that our 
                           system is SLOWER than the XT she uses at
                           school??? 
       7) SERIAL MOUSE- It works- off and on.

       8) TIME OF DAY- runs slowwwwwwww.


    I WANT to use VP/ix! I like VP/ix! But, damm, is it gonna get fixed?
I started with the controlled release under XENIX 2.2.1 and now have
VP/ix 1.1 with XENIX 2.3.1.  My 30 day free support (following the 
controlled release) is near it's end- AM I STUCK WITH THIS MESS...

Jeff (Spectra Software) Harrell
(206) 927-9268

Oh ya- My boss and HP didn't even know I sent this note- let alone agree
to it's contents.