An Internet report from Paul Edwards & Associates itemized errors in the installation instructions of HP’s latest version of MPE/iX, documentation bugs that HP didn’t have an immediate plan to repair. According to Edwards, the Software Maintenance Manual for MPE/iX 6.5 “appears to have several serious errors in the Instant Information CD (50726-10378) version. It looks like the step numbering was reset at each paragraph which should not have occurred. An example is in section 5.7, Add-on and Update Tasks: in step 3, the logic says to go to step 16 or 17, which don't exist. I see this problem in several places in the manual. It makes it un-usable for a system manager who is trying to do some very critical tasks, especially if it is the first time through this process.”

Edwards advises anyone doing update, install or patch tasks “not to use this copy of the manual. The PDF (50726-10387) format of this manual on CD is better, but has errors in this same section.” Both PDF and Instant Information CDs are being shipped to customers. Edwards found two PDF version documentation errors. On page 123, Chapter 5, Section 5.7, Step 14: Step 16 should read Step 15 and Step 17 should read Step 16. Also on Page 200, Appendix A, Step 5, java2 should read java. The problems in 6.5 installation may loom largest for independent software vendors (ISVs) who belong to the Solution Providers Program, since this group gets its software update instructions only in the HP Instant Information CD format. Paper documentation and PDF CDs are not sent to these developers. “The ISVs don't have a proper manual to do the 6.5 update,” Edwards noted. “HP doesn't seem to be shipping the hard copy manual with the 6.5 update as it had in the past.”