ADONSA  Please clarify the price. The MacZot website shows that full retail is $19, and the discounted price is $9.50 (today only). Thanks.  
(Version 1.2.8)

ADONSA  Hello Anonymous and Vollare2,

Congratulations, Anonymous, for coming from the dark side of computing to our side. Macintosh users (since 1984) define, demand, and usually get excellence in computing - far above the IBM-PC-AT-Clone/Windoze industry standard.

The Roxio staff needs to closely monitor comments on this, and the Version Tracker website, and they need to respond quickly to any comments less than 4 stars or less than favorable. The Roxio staff also needs to be more cognizant that they have competitors out there. Every employee on the Roxie property needs to read, "The Macintosh Way," by Guy Kawasaki!!! Failure to respond to customers is NOT "the Macintosh way."

Version 7 still works fine under System Leopard on a new Mac Pro, the Roxio website isn't clear whether or not upgrades to version 8, then 9 are fee based or free.

Given that Roxio is charging full price for upgrades ($99 for version 10 under Roxio-Smith Micro) for as long as version 7 performs, there's no reason to buy a full price upgrade.

Again, the Roxio staff needs to respond to each and every less than favorable comment posted here to The Macupdate. Construe all these comments as constructive - that Toast is good software in need of seriously good customer support. Be responsive, Roxio staff!  
(Version 10.0.2)

ADONSA  Pardon me. The name "Secrets" is already taken by a public domain (freeware) application. Scroll down on the MacUpdate page to Secrets version 1.0.6.  
(Version 1.0.1)

ADONSA  Once you register, you have to put up with Esellerate. :(

And, MacScan phones home (to esellerate), especially when you check for updates. Fortunately, Little Snitch detects the application's attempts to contact Esellerate, and the "phone home" attempts are preventable.   
(Version 2.6.1)

ADONSA  Hi JM4,

It's presently $12 on the MacZot website, today, July 5, 09.  
(Version 1.7.2)

ADONSA  The Mighty Mouse is a mouse (hardware) sold by Apple Computer.

Hence, the words, "Mighty Mouse," are already taken.

The last 2 commercial software applications I wrote, I had to get written permission from Apple Computer attorneys just to use certain words within my application.

Good luck.

Oh yeah, by the way, has LabelsX been officially abandoned - "abandonware?"  
(Version 2.0b1)

ADONSA  To the developer, Belight Corporation.

Have you read the user's emails? Key is that no crash report was produced, the program froze on his mac and would not recover from spinning beachball status. The condition is that you're "pinning the rose" of troubleshooting responsibility on the user. It's reasonable to ask the user to describe the conditions and to submit the "About this Mac" description of what system and hardware he uses, and it's reasonable to ask the user to reboot with the shift key down and then try your software. It is reasonable to ask the user to open the console/terminal, and type the command you provide, then email the results to you. Why didn't you give him the console/terminal command to produce a report of the conditions that preceded the unrecoverable freeze? That's it. This is the point where the user's troubleshooting man-hours should end. If the only way he can recover is a power off reboot, then going to the console/terminal for a crash report won't happen. It is NOT reasonable to ask a paid user to perform the duties of a beta tester, especially if your beta tester failed to do his job.

Recommendation for the developer: Email the user the terminal/console command to apply, receive his email of the resulting file. If the user has to do a power off reboot, then you're wasting his time asking him for a terminal/console report. if you can't fix it, then refund his money and declare your product incompatible with this HP model. Know that the user has done a service for your company by reporting on a problem that your beta tester failed to notice.

Read "The Macintosh Way." by Guy Kawasaki

To the user, AFMAC.

Without spending an inordinate amount of man-hours, run the program one more time, let it freeze, attempt control-alt-escape (which probably won't help), reboot if necessary, run terminal/console and type in whatever command is supposed to pull the conditions that happened at the freeze. Since you probably have to power-off reboot, this will probably be useless, but do it anyway; email the results to the developer - expect a refund if he can't fix it. If he wants to hire you as a beta tester, then that's up to you.   
(Version 1.3.1)

ADONSA  I've been using Dantz Retrospect off and on for years. I don't do any of the feature stuff, I just back up, and get done, and it works.

Below this comment are a lot of 1 and 2 star postings/complaints. Above this email, and dated more recently, is a long list of bug fixes. Are those of you who posted complaints, going to bounce your complaints against the bug fixes and revise your comments/ratings?

Now that I'm running System Leopard, I'd like to get back into Retrospect, if I can figure out what Retrospect Express is upgradable to.

Although quite a good application, Retrospect has gone through a wierd, convoluted history - specifically, various versions and upgrade for money schemes. Well, it's Dantz-Retrospect, right? Or did they change ownership AGAIN? How many owners has retrospect had so far? Is the owner change history longer than the version revision history? Just kidding. But, it might be nice to know who the next owner will be.   
(Version 8.0.733)

ADONSA  What does the acronym FLA stand for?

Why not define it, at least once, in your description of the software?

S.W.F. is probably Shock Wave Flash, and why not reveal the long definition at least once?

OK, it converts files from the S.W.F. format to the F.L.A. format; WHY is it desirable to do that?

I've been macking for a long time, and still don't know all the acronyms; developers, why not indicate the long definition of the acronyms at least once in your descriptions? Too hard to do?   
(Version 4.5)

ADONSA  I ALMOST bought, until I saw "esellerate" at the bottom of their web page. :( One bad experience (having to deal with esellerate) is enough.  
(Version 2.6.4)

ADONSA  5 Stars - This applies to Version 3.0.

I'm a newly registered user of MactheRipper 3.0. The need to upgrade for System Leopard compatibility motivated me, and I have no regrets. The full version 3.0 is absolutely elegant and a pleasure to use. I haven't explored all the capabilities yet, because I haven't needed to. This is one of the finest Macintosh applications out there.

You need to know, that registration is complicated and requires a lot of steps and procedures. Take your time and follow all instructions to the letter. I dare say that this registration is the most complex of any Macintosh application out there. You won't get any hand holding during registration, so follow the instructions precisely, then it will succeed. Don't complain about the registration process because now you know - you're gonna have to pay attention to what you're doing. Your willingness to precisely follow instructions is paramount.

The good news (about the registration) is that esellerate is not involved. So, once you're completely done, it won't be "phoning home" all the time like a lot of applications are starting to do. As far as I can tell, after you're registered, it won't phone home at all.   
(Version 2.6.6)

ADONSA  Hi, I just downloaded the demo of the new version 2.1 and it works with System Leopard version 10.5.6.

The description above reads, "It's also possible to just apply a color to the item icon, and skip its label name."

How do you skip the label name and color just the icon?

If this is possible, then we may just have a replacement for Labels X.

Thanks much!

Adonsa  
(Version 2.1)

ADONSA  I tried the demo under System Leopard 10.5.6.

I could not get it to colorize multiple files at once

I colored about 2 files successfully; there are some other file types I could not get it to work on.

During this time, it left a large white vertical bar obscuring about 1 inch of the right side of the screen.

Then the demo returned a warning that I must wait until tomorrow until I use it again. So, I quit the demo and restarted it.

Bad bad bad

The demo then placed a large white area obscuring about 95% of the screen, then froze everything; control alt escape was disabled. I had to do a power off reboot to recover. So much for protected memory.

I suspect that either it is not adequately System Leopard compatible, or that the demo is so crippled it's unwise to use. Next, I'll have to run Disk First Aid, repair permissions, onyx, in order to resolve any corruption the demo might have left behind.

This application has the potential to replace the neglected Labels-X, HOWEVER, until a fully compatible and well tested version is published, don't even think of running the demo under System Leopard.  
(Version 1.2)

ADONSA  Labels X is one of the top 10 most important applications for the Mac.

Hi Profinite,

Your message is 7 months old, System Leopard is over a year and a half old, the messages at the URL you cited are a year old. How responsive is this?

Will there be a System Leopard compatible version of Labels X?

Yes?___ (if so, when?)

No?___

Maybe?___

Is there a plan to upgrade Labels X to System Leopard compatibility? If so, what is the plan?

If the coding is difficult, then why aren't Apple programmers helping out in accordance with the provisions of the Apple Developer Connection?

Helllllooooo? Anyone home?  
(Version 1.8.2)

ADONSA  First impression (of the demo).

The demo is NOT fully functional during the 10 day "trial" limit. It seems to download other scenes, however the screensaver defaults back to the sunset ocean scene even though other scenes are selected. Therefore eval of other scenes is impossible. The crippleware demo also displays an obnoxious narrative at the bottom of the screen when the screensaver is invoked.

Developers need to get a clue and realize that obnoxious crippleware is not the way to sell a product. The 10 day limit should suffice, but "ohhh noooo" they just gotta cripple it to make it look sick.

No demo is better than a crippled demo. It's better to make a quicktime movie of how the real thing runs, then make the beta testers ensure that there are no compatibility issues.

If you want to sell a product, then you need to present it to would-be buyers favorably, and crippling with obnoxious messages is counterproductive. Pricing. %50-$70 for a screensaver? Wouldn't more people buy it if it were competitively priced? Even the MacZot discount seems high for a screensaver. Oh well, what you charge is your call.   
(Version 3.1.1)

ADONSA  How do you get it to work?

Remember the old System 9 application, "Move to Top?" You double click it and it loads, and quits.

I put it into the Applications Folder, double clicked it, it loaded then nothing happened. Option Tab, nothing. It's not running. Where could it be; looked for something new in the menu bar, nope.

Great price, great screen shots; it says requires System 10.4; I'm running System 10.4.7, so that shouldn't be an issue, should it?

Maybe I'm missing a step or two.   
(Version 0.70.4)

ADONSA  It's commendable that refunds are being offered.

Letting a product go orphan without a plan to convey the source code and further development, to another developer, is not.

The netflix website is a pain to use, and Netflix Freak serves an important purpose.

The Netflix Freak developer should have arranged a successor developer (even Netflix) PRIOR to making it go orphan; or the source code should be provided to a responsible developer in the Open Source community.

Abandoning a software is serious. Abandoning software reflects negatively upon the entire shareware and commercial developer community.

The impact of software abandonment upon users is very significant and conveys distrust. The greatest word processor for any microcomputer [in its time] was Fullwrite, orphoned by Borland, International after they bought it from Ashton Tate. Heroic efforts on the part of buyers, to persuade Phillipe Kahn to revive it, fell on deaf ears. Another was Claris Emailer, in its time, it was the greatest email software in existance. Apple ordered the product abandoned, and ignored the efforts of the vast "Save Emailer" campaign.

Recommendations:

-- Talk to the Netflix staff, ask them to revive and continue upgrades to Netflix Freak.

-- Talk to certified Apple Developers, ask the Apple staff to help identify a developer that can give the product a future.

-- Talk to open source developers.

-- Recognize, that the Netflix web page sux when it comes to managing the queue list.

-- If necessary, release the source code into the public domain.

-- You have a good product, do the right thing toward getting it a future.  
(Version 2.6.3)

ADONSA  Is Kameleon supposed to be considered a replacement for Shape Shifter?  
(Version 1.0.3)

ADONSA  It has to be installed into the applications folder, not just any folder, then it works.   
(Version 1.0)

ADONSA  Unable to get the demo to work

Clicking the "Try it" box, the application returned this error:

ChecksumDRM: fopen() failed!

Amazing that the beta testers didn't notice this. Does the paid/registered version return this error too?  
(Version 1.0)

ADONSA  The application name, "Snapper" is already in use.

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/25290/snapper

Or, was this a deliberate agreement between the two developers?

The IBM-PC community doubles up on application names; Mac users are far more creative.   
(Version 1.0.5)

ADONSA  Is this a new trend with developers?

-- To annoy users?

-- Or they just can't think up a name for their application?

-- Or just a carry-over trend from the IBM-PC community?

C'mon guys, my cat can think up unique application names. Sheesh!!  
(Version 1.3)

ADONSA  To get Bracketeer to work, it must be specifically installed or copied into an applications folder, not just any folder.

If you put it in another folder, it lets you import one graphic, then it freezes and returns an effuse error upon trying to add the 2nd grahic.

Recommendation: Add this, as a warning, in instruction manual, or, fix the software so it can be installed into any folder. Get a new beta tester, any good beta tester would have caught that on the first day.   
(Version 3.2.5)

ADONSA  FILE MISSING, UNABLE TO EVALUATE.

Tried downloading from both this website and the developer's. Upon unstuffing (unzip), Stuffit returned this error:

"An error occurred attempting to expand 'PortDetector2Trial.zip'. The archived may be damaged. Error 17537"

The only result of the expanded zipfile was an empty folder titled, "PortDetector2.0Trial"

Recommend the developer download it and attempt to expand it himself.

Why didn't the beta testers notice this?   
(Version 2.0)

ADONSA  No software. The download link goes to Spork Software which includes 5 Mac applications by other developers, none of which come even close to fitting the description of Web Jumper. MacUpdate staff, please talk to the developer of Web Jumper. Sheesh!  
(Version 3.1)

ADONSA  Where's the Macintosh version? The download link is dead, and the "more information" developers link contains a download link to a list of manufacturers mobile devices, none of which are Macintosh.   
(Version 1.1)

ADONSA  Where's the Macintosh version??? The download link points to two different windoze (yucko) versions and a Linux version.   
(Version 0.2.1)

ADONSA  Re: >LicenseKeeper is the first and only license

> manager to store both serial numbers and license

> files along with receipts, email and other related files.

Sorry, Not the first. Software Accountant tracked software purchases, expenditures, license, and any other info (in remarks) back in 1990.   
(Version 1.2.3)

ADONSA  Hi Rick999, thanks for your advice using PPOE. Unfortunately that made no difference. By now I've tried 2 different Macs on 8 different ISPs (due to the fact that I travel a lot, I can do that both wireless and wired). Right now I'm plugged into a T-1 line, no router to configure, with ports UDP 5198,5199 enabled under firewall. Results: nil.

So far I've spent hours trying all sorts of combinations and settings, nothing works. I sent a long descriptive email to the programmer and have received no reply.

Because the software is freeware, I have no right to complain, although I'm already violating that unwritten rule.

Before I enter a negative review with "zero stars," I will physically take this Mac to my ISP and attempt a direct connect with the engineer watching me. If we conclude that the software simply does not work at all, then I'll take my complaint to the MacUpdate webmaster.

If anyone believes that Echomac works, and would like to share enough real details as to how they got it to work, I'll be most appreciative.

A Macintosh user should not have to spend hours troubleshooting a software just to get it to work.   
(Version 1.16)

ADONSA  Thanks to the developer for developing EchoMac.

Charlie is correct. I carefully configured my NetTopia router to allow pinhole 5198 5199 5200 UDP TCP, etc. per the insructions; ditto for my Mac. Total failure.

Tried two different Macs on 3 different ISPs. Now trying a Mac direct to ISP, not even through a router, problem persists. Tried echolink under Parallels Desktop, total failure.

I do not think it's a UDP 5198 5199 problem.

I am skilled as a programmer and I've been trying everything possible with zero success. The troubleshooting documentation needs a lot more detail and procedural steps.

A Macintosh application ought to be successful immediately first try. Let the windoze users spend days and weeks troubleshooting.

If anyone knows the secret to getting Echomac to work, I'll highly appreciate finding out.   
(Version 1.16)

ADONSA  Nusentinsaino has a valid point.

I experienced the same error after accomplishing full diagnostics

-- Ran Disk Utility

-- Repaired Permissions

-- Ran Onyx - Every diagnostic Onyx is capable of.

Did all the above on two completely different bootup volumes running System Tiger 10.4.8.

All diagnostics passed.

Neither Apple Computer nor this website explains what the "requirements" are that are not being met.

If the Apple staff would be so kind as to publish a list of the requirements for performance of the security upgrade, then we wouldn't be jerked around like Pee Cee users.

Again, Nusentinsaino's question is valid and has yet to be answered.

Regards.  
(Version 2007-002)

ADONSA  Tried the demo, it does what it's supposed to do. If you need to password protect the encrypted files, try Kremlin, here on the MacUpdate. Kremlin has a multitude of features that may justify its higher $35 shareware price.   
(Version 1.5)