Re: phrasing of unavailable options

[Margaret Packman <mpackman -at- CISCO -dot- COM>]

I never tell customers that a feature is planned for a future release.
There are many things than can stop a planned feature, including:

*third-party software changing
*third-party software _not_ changing as _their_ documentation promised
*products being discontinued before the promised feature can be implemented
*companies being acquired by other companies who decide the feature isn't
important
*new management deciding that the feature "isn't a good business decision"
*engineering concluding that a feature "just can't be done".

And what happens when a planned feature doesn't materialize?

*angry customers
*lawsuits, or threats of them ("Look, it says right here that this feature
will be available soon.")
*analysts and magazine editors writing bad things about "vaporware"

I leave the predictions to the marketing folks and Jeanne Dixon.

(You can draw your own conclusions as to whether I've BTDT,bought the T-shirt.)


Ms Packman >(<
mpackman -at- cisco -dot- com
Documentation Goddess, Queen of FUN, DNRC O-
Holder of Past Knowledge

"Alpha's just another word for nothin' left to lose;
Beta's not much better, but it's free."


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