« Google Pimpin | Main | Decypher Corporate Speak »
July 17, 2005
Software Purchases
I've been quiet recently, mostly because I've been frustrated at work and the inability to get much done. These frustrations run deeper then having another group steal my project(s) and the lawyers tell me to kill another project. Adding a layer of gravy to this is IBM.
In a past life, I had the chance to use Purify on a very large code-base project. I found I liked it a lot, and was always disappointed that it didn't cost significantly less. The open source community has valgrind, which works rather well for the most part, but just doesn't feel as refined or complete. Plus it only really works on Linux, which is a limiting option in my current development environment. For it's part, Mac OS X has MallocDebug, an application that has NEVER worked for me despite it's apparent simplicity (I've only tried it with CLI applications).
Back in late April, I had put in a request for the purchase of a single license of PurifyPlus. The purchasing guy informed me he needed a PO for this, and it'd take a few days to go out. The PO went out within the first few days of May and I was hopeful to get my full licensed copy of Purify before the end of Q2 so that I could justify it's purchase. At this point, IBM ceased all communications with us. After a few weeks of trying to get in touch with them, the sales rep from IBM emailed me a 30 trial license and promptly disappeared again.
On Friday I received a phone call from another sales representative at IBM saying that our PO had expired and they could not fulfill the order until we sent an email requesting this be processed ASAP (literally with the word ASAP in it). When I pointed out to the rep that the order was placed in Ma. In disbelief the rep put me on hold to look up the record. June 15th was the last time the order was edited by anyone. I asked if the rep thought the PO expired, or if they sat on it too long. Regardless the information was forwarded to my purchasing guy, who is taking care of this.
Is this really how IBM plans to continue it's ordering system now that it's almost completely a consulting company? The overall process has left such an awful taste in my mouth that I'm hesitant to purchase anything else from them.
Posted by Dan at July 17, 2005 06:47 PM