🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <3986@csd4.csd.uwm.edu> hammen@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Robert J. Hammen) writes:
>In article <11238@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM> dave@PRC.Unisys.COM (David Lee Matuszek) writes:
>>
>>I recently bought S.U.M. 1.1 from Symantec. 
>>
>
>Or get the SUM II upgrade (hopefully for free, in your case). BTW, there is a
>new version of DiskExpress coming out, DiskExpress II (geez, where are all of
>these Roman numerals coming from?). The way their ads describe it, it sounds
>like an INIT ("always optimizing your drive when your Mac is inactive" or 
>somesuch. I called Alsoft today: the upgrade is $28, the list is $89.95, but if
>you buy it now for $69.95 list (MacConnection is cheaper), you'll get the 
>upgrade for free...

Aside:  Yes, David, getting the SUM II update will cure most of your
gripes.


Bob's comment on the SUM and DiskExpress updates, reminds me of a
constant thorn in my side - Software Update policies.  There are
several items that really bug me.  Yeah, I guess this is whining;
companies are in the business to make money, unfortunately, at ALL
costs, but I'd still be curious to see other people's opinions.

1.  If I have MacProgram v1.0 which I bought 3 years ago, and somone
gets version 1.0 from MacConnection two days before some update is
released, I pay and he doesn't.  As nice as it is when you are on the
receiving end, it is really stupid.  Either the update is worth paying
for, or it isn't.  He is getting exactly what I am, but is paying less
for it.  I can understand that if I have 1.0 and he has 1.12, then I
might have to pay more for an update to version 2.0 (because I am
probably going to get not only the update, but any fixes/added
features he already received in 1.12).  That's fair.  I understand the
psychological motivations behind the "bought-withing-last-X-days =
free-update" concept, but it still seems kinda dumb.

2.  At the MacWorld Expo, at the System 7.0 panel discussion,
discussion was raised to the effect that probably many programs' print
routines will bomb when Apple releases the new Print Manager.  Guy
Kawasaki commented that companies will undoubtably release
compatibility updates for "under $20".  BullSh*t!!  Those puppies
should be free, or, at most $5 to pay for shipping and the cost of the
disk. Companies should not charge for bug fixes or system
compatibility updates.

However, then you get the easy way out: when a bug fix is due,
companies will delay shipment until they can throw in a few new
features.  This allows them to charge $50 for the update, rather than
having to foot the bill for the big fix alone.

How about some responsibility and loyalty to the customer base, for
cryin' out loud.  Updates, in general, are too expensive for what we
get. 


I can illustrate my points in what I consider to be the sh*ttiest
update announcement ever in Mac history:  Excel 2.2

Get this.  The biggy is that Excel 2.2 cracks the 1 Mb barrier.
Ooooh! Pinch me!  Can it really be true?  As an aside they throw in
~65 new functions (pretty minor ones, from what I've been told - 99%
of users probably won't even use them), the ability to use multiple
fonts and colors in rows and columns and variable row height (plus a
few other weird things) and to boot, it runs about 20% SLOWER on a
Plus or SE than 1.5 did.  All this can be yours for $100!!!!!!!!!
This is ludicrous.  Basically, they release an update that allows the
program to run the way it should have at release date (except the
colors - they weren't really around then) and they want an extra $100
for it.  As an added slap in the face, the retail price remains at
$395.  Which means that those you who bought Excel from the beginning,
and religiously upgraded get screwed for an extra $100 while the
people who go out and buy it today get it all for the same price you
originally paid.  Talk about crapping on the customer base - what
about the people who bought the thing early and helped make Excel what
it is today?

As for me, I think I'm going to ditch the Excel update and find
another spreadsheet.  It's a great spreadsheet, but this really gets
my cookies in an uproar.

Best update policy I've dealt with:  Williams & Macias

I had myDiskLabeller without color.  When Systme 5.0 came out,and I
got an ImageWriter II, I found a bug that prevented me from printing
in color from my Plus.  I called them an the next day, I had the
newest version of the program, not only with the bug fixed, but with a
couple of new features. All for shipping of $2.98.  Small companies
still respect the customer base.

Oh well, enough whining.  Please don't attempt to change my mind - you
can't.  However, I'm curious to hear other people's upgrading
woes/kudos.


--
                Jeffrey A. Hallett, PET Software Engineering
                    GE Medical Systems, W641, PO Box 414
                            Milwaukee, WI  53201
          (414) 548-5173 : EMAIL -  hallett@positron.gemed.ge.com