In my 25 year career, I have never had to deal with such a garbage software vendor as this one. I don’t want to go on a rant since I have other things to do today and could go on for hours, but here are the highlights:

  • Application has like 30 modules. Each module has its own config file.
  • Config files are not centralized and reside in the directory with each module.
  • Vendor ships a zip file of slop code that requires manual assembly.
  • Vendor provides no substantial documentation. Every request for technical documentation is met with “Let’s setup a meeting to solve your immediate problem”.
  • Vendor ships dummy config files in every release necessitating manual backup/restore of the config for each of the 30 modules
  • Vendor changes config file format every third release. This requires re-configuring the entire application stack and all 30 modules.
  • Vendor puts the version info in the goddamned config file instead of building it into the compiled .NET application as a variable like a sane person would do.
  • Vendor sends an update every week and gets pissy when we don’t deploy it within 3 hours of their “we shat out an update” email.
  • Vendor has been asked repeatedly to address this. The only response we’ve gotten to these complaints is the sound of crickets chirping. 🦗

To answer any questions:

  1. Yes, I voiced my concerns long ago. They were ignored.
  2. Yes, they are the “lowest bidder” and it goddamned shows.
  3. Yes, they know I hate them.
  4. Yes, I tried writing scripts to manage the config files. They work once or twice until the vendor changes the config file format every 3rd-4th release.
  5. Yes, it is sunk cost fallacy all the way down, but I’ve been given my orders.
  • negativenull@piefed.worldEnglish
    18·
    2 days ago
    • Non-IT group bought very expensive application.
    • Contracted with 3rd party to maintain app/infrastructure (also STUPID EXPENSIVE)
    • 6 months of planning between purchasers, app vendor, and contractors
    • 6 months of rolling out/installing/configuring application
    • realize infrastructure is already obsolete and cloud vendor is about to remove support for it. Updates required ASAP
    • Vendor and contractors are not able to complete updates
    • Expect me to fix everything for them (despite not being involve in any of the above)
    • Contract not voided (they are still getting paid) despite me needed to solve all the problems
    • Admiral Patrick@dubvee.orgOP
      8·
      2 days ago

      Yep, been there. Thankfully that particular boondoggle fizzled out at the “Expect me to fix everything for them (despite not being involve in any of the above)” step because I refused. Normally me refusing wouldn’t fly, but vendor’s instructions required configuring Remote Desktop Services in a way that clearly and blatantly violated Microsoft’s licensing terms and non-IT group did not want to pay for the requisite number of license seats and vendor insisted you did not need RDS licenses for this scenario (spoiler: you totally do).

      I think the non-IT group still has a contract with [shitty robotic process automation vendor], though, but we just washed our hands of it and the non-IT group uses their cloud version.

      I’ve debated reporting that company to Microsoft for license violations because I just hate them (I have their deployment instructions and emails as proof) but I’ve just stopped caring and am not quite petty enough to do so lol.