Q12.4: Finding Information at Sybase

Here are a few pointers on finding information at Sybase. Sybase has recently done a complete revamping of the technical support web site <URL:http://support.sybase.com> making it easy to find any type of information for any Sybase product directly from http://support.sybase.com. This is definitely the first place you should go. As soon as you get there, you'll be deposited on the marketing driven here's-info-about-support-at-Sybase instead of the actual support page, so drop a note to webmaster@sybase.com and let them know that you're displeased with their choice of home pages for http://support.sybase.com, and that you'd like to have the "Electronic Support Services" page be the home page to save you that extra click every single time you go to the site.

Now that you're there, do click on "Electronic Support Services". From this page you can navigate to any of the tech support services that are available at Sybase. The top "In a hurry?" section is very powerful. By selecting a product and a service (such as manuals, Techinfo Library or newsgroups) or all services, you get a page which lists all of the Sybase support offerings for that product/service combo. This is definitely the best place to go for information at Sybase. Each of the resulting URLs will always bring up the most current information about the support services are available for the selected product at Sybase.

Sybase Web Sites

Here's a list of internet web sites at Sybase:

Sybase Technical Support Web site (gateway, meta-search, browse): Gateway to all support information at Sybase.
Sybase corporate (search, browse): Contains product and partner information among many other things, including links to other Sybase web servers. Links to international Sybase offices, support locations, etc.
Sybooks-on-the-Web (search, browse): Sybase Enterprise product manuals. This is the main site for product manuals. It's browseable and searchable.
PowerSoft Documentation (search, browse): Powersoft manuals. Currently only contains manuals for Powerbuilder 5.0 and 6.0, Infomaker 5.0 and 6.0, PowerDesigner and PowerDynamo. Here's another opportunity for you to send email to webmaster@sybase.com and request that the manuals be consolidated onto one web server.
Technical Information Library (search, browse): This is the place to find all of the Answerbase content plus lots more: FAQs, White Papers, TechNotes, Customer Letters, Certification Reports, Problem Reports, Release Bulletins and much more. This is a searchable and browseable site.
Tools Dividison Infobases (search, browse): This site contains the content of much of the PowerSoft technical support case databases. It's browseable and searchable, and searching is very quick...if it's up and running.
Sybase's public news server (browse): Newsgroups for most Sybase products moderated by Sybase representatives. Savvy lurkers here.

Getting Sybase Software

There are a few types of software available from Sybase. These include Enterprise Emergency Bug Fixes (EBF) which are roughly equivalent to patches, Tools patches and upgrades, Beta software downloads,

Electronic Software Distribution (ESD): EBFs for Enterprise, Workplace and Tools products
Free Sybase Software Downloads: Downloadable Sybase software found here includes demos, betas and test drives of Sybase software.
FIBONACCI ONLINE: Online ordering of Sybase software and accessories. Items ordered here will be ground shipped. This service is only available to customers in the US and Canada.