BG> That's your opinion Paul, but I know several BBS operators
BG> (running Couriers) who would disagree with you.

PE> The ones that haven't done adequate testing.

RL> That is the point here. The bloody things don't need testing.

Thats crap Randall, the reality is that there are ALWAYS plenty
of people claiming that the sun shines out of a particular modems
arse, normally based on pathetically inadequate testing which
gives them no real grounds to claim that.

A VERY graphic example of that was the Bulldogs raving for ages about
how perfect USRs were. It turned out he had one of the most immaculate
lines in the country, so its hardly surprising that he saw good results.

He raved on about Lewin getting fucked results with a USR modem,
claiming it was absolutely certain that Lew just didnt know how
to use modems, it was all user error. Turns out the reason for
the vast difference in results was ACTUALLY the phone line.

Bill went on to do the same thing, claimed that his tests done with a
wide variety of modems when he was at CHH proved conclusively that USR
modems were absolutely immaculate, couldnt be faulted. Then ended up flat
on his face in the mud when he found that the Sportster V34 was nothing
like that when used on his home line, even still calling the CHH BBS.

The REASON he ended up face down in the mud is BECAUSE he was proclaiming
based on inadequate testing, in this case not enough variety of phone lines.

And we STILL dont actually know that for example the Netcomm
M34F would produce worse results on his home line than all but
the last Sportster rom, because that was never adequately tested.

RL> If you spent less time fucking around with your infamous bug tests

PE> That was documenting how the modem behaved at the defaults, with
PE> a wide variety of incoming modems, with possibly dubious lines.
RL>                                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
RL> Valid point, but the actual point where you come unstuck.

Nope.

RL> How can you, at your end, take into account
RL> all the variables from each caller.

It is quite possible with careful testing, particularly when
we now have a decent actual measurement of line characteristics.

RL> It's just I've never seen/heard of a sysop/point having
RL> so many problems with such an assorted variety of modems.
RL> Hhhhmmmmm...... what does that mean????

That very few ever really bother to test a variety of modems properly,
and basically couldnt give a damn when a particular user can no longer
connect successfully with a new modem, just go into completely mindless,
'this new modem is perfect, it must be your fault' mode. Just like Dave
did when Lewin was clearly getting nothing like the results with a USR
modem that Dave was getting. Stick head in sand, blame everything but
the modem. Go into mindless zealot mode.
@EOT:

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