[ic] Re: Unrecognized character \x7F

Rodney S. Foley aalst at aalst.com
Tue Apr 13 23:09:03 EDT 2004


> -----Original Message-----
> From: interchange-users-bounces at icdevgroup.org [mailto:interchange-users-
> bounces at icdevgroup.org] On Behalf Of John Young
> Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2004 7:04 PM
> To: interchange-users at icdevgroup.org
> Subject: Re: [ic] Re: Unrecognized character \x7F
> 
> Rodney S. Foley wrote:
> 
> > The problem here sounds like I am missing some 3rd party libraries.  If
> that
> > is the case, how can I found out what they are sense Interchange doesn't
> > publish them in the readme?
> 
> In the current IC tarball, there is README.rpm-dist, which contains:
> 
>    perl -MCPAN -e'install Bundle::CPAN'
> 
>    Then install the main modules Interchange uses:
> 
>    perl -MCPAN -e'install Bundle::Interchange'
> 
>    Instead you may want to install a bundle that includes many optional
> but
>    useful modules:
> 
>    perl -MCPAN -e'install Bundle::InterchangeKitchenSink'
> 
> If you look inside those bundles, you will know what might be required.
> As has been stated, though, it sounds like your install is failing before
> even getting to that point.  Perhaps you could try the install on a
> different system to help troubleshoot the situation.
> 
> Those bundles were put together by Mike, free of charge and out of the
> goodness of his heart to make things easier for all of us.
> 
> There is also discussion of Perl modules in the archives of this mail
> list,
> accessible and searchable via www.icdevgroup.org, courtesy of Mike, Racke,
> Jon, and a few others... free of charge, and to make things easier for all
> of us.  Us users don't even have to pay for the bandwidth of that server.
> 
> > I would like to thank Mike, Racke and all the others who just ignore the
> > message who might be able to help, for the incredible welcome to
> > Interchange.  This is the welcome you want to give everyone you want to
> > drive off, if that is what you are trying to do, just keep it up.
> 
> Rodney, you need to think about the hundreds of hours Mike, Racke, and
> others have put into those install routines already... and thousands of
> hours into the rest of Interchange... and we all are allowed to benefit
> from it.  Do you think Mike or Racke need all of the install routines for
> themselves?  Much of this sort of thing is written for others.
> 
> The biggest problem with Interchange is that it can be very deep and
> complex
> because it can handle very complex requirements (much as with an
> application
> like Sendmail).
> 
> Show some patience, and be prepared to invest a lot of time (unless you
> hire
> a consultant to do it for you).  And think about how much work these guys
> have already put into what you have downloaded.
> 
> 
> John Young

John,

Thanks for you polite and thoughtful response.  

I have installed a lot of Open Source, Freeware, and High-priced software.
There is good and bad in every group.  Sometimes the software is great, but
the install procedures or process is just horrible, or the software sucks,
but it has a great install procedures or process.  On a rare occasion you
get a great software with a great install procedures or process.  

However, all-in-all I have never seen such a poorly supported product
OpenSource or not.  

I do appreciate all developers and the time the put into a product,
especially when it is an OpenSource product.  However, that doesn't give
them the freedom to be rude, or insensitive to new users of their product.

They need to be especially nice to new users, they want to make it as easy
as possible for there product to be adopted.  Making a killing application
but making it difficult to use or install, doesn't help group your user
base.  Then when they have what they think is a smooth process down, when
someone who isn't at the GURU level of perl and linux comes in, it may not
be as smooth as they thought.  

I am a developer also, and I understand where they are coming from.  I take
QA a little different I guess.  I always have my QA staff handle the main QA
stuff.  However, I always try to find all levels of users outside the QA
staff to take the product as we would deliver it and see if they can install
and use it with out problems.  Then we work out the rough areas.

Regardless, I guess I will have to find another product to use for my needs,
since the creators and high-level people involved in Interchange do not seem
to want help in making the install process smoother, and easier for the
common person.  If they did they wouldn't attack a person pointing out
problems with the process they would take advantage of the situation and
utilize the person to make the process better.  Isn't that what the
OpenSource Community is all about?

Anyway I will try it on another completely different server, if it has the
same problem I guess I will call it quites.

-Rodney



More information about the interchange-users mailing list