More to point, the vendors and users currently engaged in on-line debate
about whether to have on-line debate on specific vendor products might want
to
look at this example. The man confirmed the problem, diagnosed it, fixed
it, told
us about it, and made the fix available immediately. Not bad. I like to
think that's
the kind of performance we expect, and should expect, from our tool vendors
-
and don't always (or even sometimes) get.
Maybe the vendors might want to remember that we, the users of their tools
and this
reflector, are their real salesmen. We recommend the tools we want or need
to
people who probably don't understand (and don't need to understand) the
function.
Just as importantly, we talk to each other about what REALLY works and what
doesn't. I really like our tool vendor's products - but we also have a
significant list
of unanswered problem items.
I'm all for discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the tools - and
doing it on-line.
But we can keep it civil and reasonable. If it's supportable by data, say
so. If it is a
judgement call, say so. For the vendors, please remember that you can't
succeed
without helping us to succeed; I am quite sure that my CEO, for example,
could not
care less about what your tools can do - only what I and others can
accomplish with
those tools.
Doug wrote:
<We have revised the calculator so that it correctly
<handles embedded microstrip.
<To the best of our knowledge, all other configurations
<(microstrip, stripline, and asymmetric stripline) have
<always been handled correctly.
<The revised calculator is version 2.2 and is available from:
<www.ultracad.com, follow links to the calculators
<or
<ftp.ultracad.com/notes/ultraclc.zip
<Unzip the calculator in a directory of your choice and run
<under windows 3.1 or above.
<Doug Brooks
<President, UltraCAD Design, Inc