[no subject]

[Bob Stromberg <stromberg -at- VNET -dot- IBM -dot- COM>]

Re:   E-Mail Address for comments
Ref:  Append to TECHWR-L DIGEST (CUSTNET) at 23:29:01 on 93/07/23

Jon Waldron writes...
>That's the infomercial. I'm also interested to know if anyone else on
>this list has experimented with electronic doc support via e-mail or a
>BBS and what you've learned...

Starting in September 1991, the IBM department responsible for
documentation for MVS/ESA and several associated products set up an
address for receiving electronic reader's comment forms.  We announced
this on several discussion lists, including IBM-MAIN, JES2-L, JES3-L,
and OPERS-L.  We also announced it at GUIDE and SHARE, and started
publishing the network addresses (and FAX number) in the books.

Here's the gist of the announcement:

  Electronic Reader's Comment Forms (RCFs)
  ----------------------------------------

  You can now send an "electronic RCF" (like the "paper RCF" at the
  back of the books).

  o   Thru the appropriate networking connections

      For BCP, JES2 and JES3 books, send comments to:

      IBMLink (USA customers only):  POKVMCR3(D58PUBS)
      IBM Mail Exchange: USIB2NZL at IBMMAIL
      Internet: d58pubs -at- pokvmcr3 -dot- vnet -dot- ibm -dot- com


      For RACF books, send comments to:

      IBMLink (USA customers only):  KGNVMC(KGNRCF)
      IBM Mail Exchange: USIB27BQ at IBMMAIL
      Internet: kgnrcf -at- kgnvmc -dot- vnet -dot- ibm -dot- com

  o   Include the title and order number (plus the dash level)
      of the book.

Note that IBM products are developed at different sites around
the world, and the technical writing groups (a.k.a.  "information
development" groups) have some latitude in handling reader's
comment forms.  So, to find out if (and how) to send a comment
electronically, users are advised to look into the book they are
using for the currently supported method.

MVS/ESA has favorable results, but (surprisingly) not a flood of
comments.  My feeling is that some customers like online methods of
communication, and others prefer paper or FAX.  Our intention is to
open the lines of communication so that the mechanics of sending
don't inhibit users.

Many other IBM information development groups have also set up such
addresses.  I can't speak for their results...they are in different
parts of the USA (and the world!).

We also use other methods of communicating with users. For example:
   -- Active representation at GUIDE and SHARE user groups
      (my colleague went to GUIDE in Toronto last week; I'm going to
      SHARE in Washington, DC, in August).
   -- Attendance at regional user group meetings (the Capital District
      MVS User's Group meets in Albany, NY)
   -- Monitoring, and occasional participation in Internet discussion
      lists
   -- Face-to-face customer visits (rarer now, with expense cutbacks)
   -- Telephone callbacks to customers who indicate dissatisfaction
      on surveys
   -- For customers who have signed confidential disclosure agreements
      (these are legal agreements about how to handle classified
      information), we can send hardcopy or softcopy for their review
      and comment.

Bob Stromberg
MVS/JES Information Development
IBM Corporation
Poughkeepsie, NY