Date: Sun, 10 Dec 1995 03:37:54 -0800 (PST) From: Julian Elischer <julian> To: hackers, rgrimes Subject: FBSD support inc. Message-ID: <199512101137.DAA02888@freefall.freebsd.org>
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I've been thinking about setting up a company (actually more than one) to give commercial support for freeBSD. The idea would be that the company would have on it's books, people from all over the world, and would have clients all over the world.. people working with FreeBSD Support inc. would be on a part-time basis, and would 'log in' through the internet whenever available. this would produce a pool of people who could be called upon when there are problems. support would be in several forms 1/ call us on the phone and discuss it 2/ email support contract 3/ personal visits (depending on who lives near) 4/ "We log in and fix it" support One part of the idea is that Australians and Asians are lounging around at home and available for moonlighting while Europe is in business hours, and Europeans are at home available when Americans are at work and americans.. etc. If we had people in enough places, I envision the following set-up at each 'employee's home.. 1/ 1 permanent Internet link, (or as close as we can get to it) e.g. ISDN line or at least 28.8 link to a well connected ISP. 2/ 1 secondary telephone line with 28.8 modem 3/ 1 PC running FreeBSD connected to both lines.. (permanently up) 4/ a (voice) phone line most people who would be involved in theis would already have at least 2 of these and many would already have all 4. One of the support options we offer is ON_LINE support and administration.. When we agree to support such a site/machine we set the machine up to have the serial console on a modem and possibly have a 'reset box' as well. (maye we can ask someone to hit the 'big button') who ever get's assigned to a job, wherever they are, connects to the closest internet site, and dials into the custommer site from there.. thus a russian wouldn't have to do an international call to the US to support a US system.. he might connect to here and call from (say) my-place.. (My guess is that we'd use encrypte tenet as standard through the company.. (sssh don't tell the french) possibly we could make arrangements to have a line placed in client's sites for 'cross-support' if there was no member near-by.. We would offer 'By the hour' support of freeBSD systems (and attached systems if we are comfortable with them) and would keep them up-to-date. If we could get even a littel work, it would be enough to be able to get the 'members' better equipment for ISP connectivity. I envision that initial contacts would have to be via the local person in the case of an emergency call, but 'ongoing supg support issues and 'grunt work' would probably be performed by remote personell. if the client signs up for 'remote support' we either put them on-line (they might want to do this anyhow) or we install a modem line to the system (unless they already have one..) as part of the cost.. mostly I think this would be if a school set up a whole LAB of machines or something.. Mostly I think people would sign up for the "5 hours of support " package or something.. certainly I've heard of people not wanting to use FreeBSD in commenrcial environments because of "Lack of proffessional support". Comments? julian
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