I saw an argument yesterday reflecting pretty much this same concern, and
no one remarked (everyone agrees that it would be a hassle, but I differ
with "insurmountable" and "just impractical", and not just for these
examples).
Forgive me if I seem a bit draconian about this. I believe the way I'd
handle this (and I've seen my own ISP handle things like this in a similar
fashion) is to notify all our users of the impending change and what's
required on their end (after having gone to the effort to analyze as many
of their setups as possible), then send a reminder one week, then one day
before the change takes effect, then just do it. If their setup breaks
because they didn't pay attention, I'm sure they'll be calling -- and I'll
be referring them to the instructions and asking them if they want me to
send it to them via postal mail. ;-)
Okay, okay, for paying customers you'll have to go a little further out on
a limb for them, but I'm guessing MOST of them will be reasonable and will
have bothered to _save_ the messages, and even most of those who do will
have understood them and done what was needed, and that it'll only be your
"problem children" who you'll have to deal with by holding their hand
through the change. Unless you've got over a thousand customers and only
one tech support person, I don't think the work load will come anywhere
near "insurmountable".
Try to make the change overnight and with no warning, and yeah...
(Says he, after having made a similar mistake in the past -- those rope
burns on my neck still haven't healed completely! ;-)
-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Allen J. Newton BASIS International Ltd, (505)-345-5232 5901 Jefferson NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109 anewton@basis.com Network Administrator <*>