Licensing vs certification (part deux)

[Swoop]

bhoggett wrote:
The point is that you must contact the hardware manufacturer or the system vendor first, and they have to evaluate the problem and manage the issue, even if you know beyond a shadow of doubt that it is a software problem related to the OS and has nothing to do with the hardware. This is normally a task for either the developers (Hyperion) or the publishers (Amiga Inc).

There are three elements to any system, the hardware, the OS and the application. In case of problems, the majority of users would contact the dealer from whom they purchased the application. (first line of support). if this was not able to be sorted out by the dealer, you would be directed to the application publisher, or more likely the dealer would follow it through himself, in the first instance.  

I have, unfortunatley, to use a PC for my accounting needs, and use Sage Software. If I had a problem with Sage software, I would not expect to contact Microsoft direct to get the problem sorted, and even if I had a problem with windoze, I wouln`t expect to contact MS direct, I would go back to my dealer. If I had a problem with the hardware I would also contact my dealer, or where ever I had aquired the hardware. At no point has the user had any direct contact with Microsoft. If it becomes obvious that there is an OS or OS/Harware related problem, the dealer/publisher/distributor relates the problems back up the chain to Microsoft, who then evaluate the problem, and if it is an OS problem they then provide fixes, not directley to the end user, as this targets only one user, but through the dealer/publisher/distibutor chain, so that all users get the solution.

Microsoft doesn`t provide direct support to individuals, there is always a middleman, that isn`t to say that the individual isn`t supported by microsoft, he/she is, just through the distribution chain.  In the same manner, Hyperion/AInc will support the end user, not on a one to one basis, but through their distribution chain. Which by default means Hyperion is essentialy, the second line of support.

[Swoop]

@bhogett

I appreciate what you are saying, but the conditions of your point do not exist.

A1`s are only sold through dealers, not over the shop counter, and as previously stated, if I had a problem with an application, I like you would also go back to the software publisher, but not the OS provider, until it was found out that the problem was with the OS.

Again, in your scenario,  Hyperion would still the second line of support.

Now if I had a problem running one of Hyperion`s games (the application), then they are the first line of support, but only because they published the application, and not because they wrote the OS.