Useless error message of the day
I love this one...
Well, which is it? If it's unreachable, then there's likely a network problem, or the server is simply down. If it's not configured properly, Sametime gives no information on what might be wrong.
In my case, it was testing a new Sametime server which had our production directory on it. My Person doc pointed to a different server as my Sametime server, so I wasn't permitted to log in to this one. But in order to determine this, Sametime is necessarily reaching the new server and requesting a login. Which means the server is most definitely reachable.
Of course, Sametime Connect 7.5.1 provides ZERO diagnostic tools. And the Sametime 7.5.1 server doesn't even report a failed login attempt. So basically, the cause is completely and totally invisible, and even an experienced administrator can spend 3 hours trying to figure out what's wrong -- as I did. Even something as simple as the Notes port trace would have been enormously helpful here. But of course, what would have been REALLY useful is a message saying "this Sametime server is not set to the Sametime server for this user in the Domino Directory."
Note to IBM: this is a prime example of why IT people laugh at your products. You just wasted 3 hours of my life because someone couldn't be bothered to write a proper comms response message to the UI.
I'm not even going to get into the misery of trying to get Sametime presence awareness working in Quickr. The installation and setup procedures for these products are a joke. You will not crack the SMB market in a meaningful way until you make it possible to set this stuff up in an afternoon. It doesn't matter how great the end result is if it costs this much pain to get there.
Thumbs down, guys.
Comments
Now, what about that "incorrect login" error? That's a good one for another day. And then trying to add the community to a Connect client and being forced to wipe your local buddy list? Can't we just add a community?
Posted by Chris Whisonant At 09:44:40 AM On 07/10/2007 | - Website - |
Posted by Nathan T. Freeman At 09:48:39 AM On 07/10/2007 | - Website - |
Posted by Chris Whisonant At 10:51:07 AM On 07/10/2007 | - Website - |
You have to understand, error messages are sculpted by the little elves in marketing hidden at Charles River or buried under Iris.
Had an actual programmer written the error messages it would have been even less useful, something like "you missed something" or "i'll finish this after a hershey bar".
Posted by Keith Brooks At 01:28:03 PM On 07/10/2007 | - Website - |
Posted by Adam Gartenberg At 01:35:35 PM On 07/10/2007 | - Website - |
Expect an update this afternoon on further progress.
Posted by Nathan T. Freeman At 02:41:53 PM On 07/10/2007 | - Website - |
ps - tongue not in cheek. I'm in the process of trying to set up SQL Server + Project Enterprise...just the basic SQL Server load + service pack was an hour, on a fast machine...we haven't even gotten to configuration and we're still trying to figure our which machine needs what other MS stuff (IIS, .Net framework, yada yada yada)
Posted by Doug Finner At 05:35:29 AM On 07/15/2007 | - Website - |