SMTIPS  Also I have emailed the dev numerous times up to and including threats of legal action and they simply refuse to respond. If their software screws up systems like this with no path out of it and no response from them at all, then I think they deserve to be brought up on charges, and I certainly hope they have been.  
(Version 1.8.3)

SMTIPS  It's been quite a long while since I used this, as my prvious post said I STILL don't know how to get rid of the changes that this infernal JUNK did to my system although it's completely uninstalled.

I think MacUpdate is doing its users a great disservice by continuing to offer this for download.   
(Version 1.8.3)

SMTIPS  BTW I'm using 10.5.8.  
(Version 1.8.3)

SMTIPS  Do not use this app. It will change your dock however you like, sure. Then after 10 tries it will stop working. Yes, the so-called "free" version is acting like a trial. After many attempts, reinstalls of the app, restarts of the system, permissions repairs, I am still unable to use it to put my dock back to default. The app LOOKS like it's working, but the only thing it will do now (after deleting prefs and reinstalling the app) is to change the app indicators to something else...NOT back to the default Mac. I emailed the dev, but do not use this because it is NOT "free" and it is BUGGED bigtime. I really don't know what I'm going to do to get the dock back where it was, at least it did change the app indicator to something I can live with and not some stupid looking carrot.  
(Version 1.8.3)

SMTIPS  I highly recommend that anyone having troubles with the Minimap which is basically everyone on a Mac, that after you've written billing@blizzard.com and tell them you want a credit for this major issue that has existed for 2 months with no action on their part and they tell you that they A) Know nothing about it and referred you to tech support or B) have refused to give you any kind of credit or C) Have told you it's your addons causing the problem or D) have said it's a "temporary" issue, to go to the Better Business Bureau home page at http://www.bbb.org/ and file a formal complaint against Blizzard. Their techs are STILL telling people they should "repair permissions" and their billing department is clueless to the issue...here are two responses I got from Billing (now remember this is a well known problem on the forums. I told them to go there and talk to their tech dept. to verify my claims):

colinh:

"Thank you for submitting this information, as we are committed to making World of Warcraft as enjoyable as possible. We appreciate your feedback. I will see that this information is reviewed appropriately. While I cannot guarantee a direct response, I can assure you it will be read."

namh:

After reviewing what you wrote, I don't know that I can offer compensation time for this, what seems to be the trouble with your mini map? I haven't any trouble with mine at all. Sometimes there are particular addons that disable the wow interface, or the mini map can be disabled via ingame controls, lets see if we can get the map up and working for you.

Again...I highly recommend that you report them to the BBB if you get any push at all or any nonsense like the above.  
(Version 3.1.1a)

SMTIPS  I should add however that DW did mount the unmountable drive when Mac OS wouldn't mount or repair it at all. I am sure the drive is toast and I'm contacting WD about it. So thanks to Alsoft I'm able to save most of my data.  
(Version 4.1.1)

SMTIPS  Pretty strange that using the Diskwarrior Preview navigation window to copy files from a hosed drive to a good one uses 100% processor of one core of a quad processor, yet copying the files across to the other drive by just opening the preview disk and using the finder uses a negligible amount of processor and copies faster.

Try it yourself.   
(Version 4.1.1)

SMTIPS  Yep...it introduced new things, and also unacceptable bugs that blizzard knew about on the test realm and refused to address. See the thread I started above.  
(Version 3.1.1a)

SMTIPS  I have since learned that Blizzard knew about this bug on Macs during their testing on the test realm, and yet chose to ignore it. THEY KNEW ABOUT IT BEFORE 3.1 WAS EVEN RELEASED AND INSTEAD OF CORRECTING IT DID OTHER STUPID $#%$#$% LIKE FIXING SPELLING ERRORS IN QUEST TEXT!  
(Version 3.1.1a)

SMTIPS  Minimap is broken as of Patch 3.1 on Macs. It is blotched in almost all interior areas. Many many people complaining about it and Blizzard seems oblivious to doing something about it. It is a staple navigation feature that is very needed during gameplay. They seem to be making this a minimal issue and it seems not important to them at all. Indeed, their last notification was over 2 weeks ago when they said "we are looking into it." They have released two mini patches since this 3.1 was released, have done multiple restarts on servers almost every day, and still they refuse to address this issue. They are being very Mac-minimilast about this. You can be damn sure if they were getting this issue on PC's they would address it right away.

Also, 90% of the time users are getting the message "Additional instances cannot be launched, please try again later" when trying to access instances, sometimes up to 30 minutes before you can get in. Supposedly there is a finite number of instances server-wide that can be launched at any given time on a realm. With Blizzard's billions they seem unable to address this and expand realm space to accomodate users.

Northrend has a constant hang bug since the patch, in which every 1 minute to 2 minutes there is a momentary hang of the screen..just for a moment, but happens all the time and very annoying. This is not an issue in Outland and old world. They refuse to acknowledge the issue and have done nothing to correct it. I would blame my machine if I didn't know at least 3 other people that get the same issue.

These issues alone, coupled with the fact that it can take DAYS to hear from technical support, and then it is usually a canned generic scripted answer and they don't deal with you as a person paying them money at all, along with the fact that it takes literally 5 to 10 hours to receive any kind of answer in game from a GM, make this game not worth paying for.

If you want to get your money's worth without major and unacceptable bugs that are being ignored by Blizzard, I suggest you find another game to play.   
(Version 3.1.1a)

SMTIPS  I disagree. Evidently you don't know what the word projection means. When you have a product that features actually worked fine on before, do updates on it, and those features...or rather I should call them functions they are not just some frilly feature they are a staple of the programs function to many users...and those functions are simply removed, wiped out, not available any more, then that indicates completely inadequate testing and review of the update prior to putting a non-finished, it-was-there-before-but-we-removed-it-because-we-don't-know-how-to-fix-it piece of garbage into the users lap.

As many people have indicated, VLC has gone WAY downhill since version 0.86 and continues to get worse all the time.  
(Version 0.9.9a)

SMTIPS  Vuze had a feature to either ban or limit upload speed to any individual client downloading from you. What I'm looking for is the same feature. Say I have a list of 15 people that I'm uploading to...and each is getting 15k. Some are sharing back and I'm downloading from them at say 5 to 100k..as an example. Others...usually a few in the list...are sharing at a rate of like 0.1 kbps. I don't like to give my bandwidth to leechers who can't upload. I can appreciate that some people aren't able to upload very fast..my opinion on that is..just download one torrent at a time. If you're only able to upload at 5k then you probably shouldn't be wasting your time or other people's time by even using a torrent program. But there are other people who don't know what they're doing with a file sharing app and they just load up a list of 20 torrents and then their up speed is distributed in ridiculously small amounts...and I'd just as soon SHARE on at least a 1:4 basis...but this using all my big upstream pipe to "share" with people who can't or won't give it back is a bunch of hooey, and I'd like to block people who aren't sharing and just leeching. Vuze had this feature, I hope the makers of Transmission read this and think about it.  
(Version 1.52)

SMTIPS  Something interesting just happened to me, I had evidently talked for more than 6 hours today on the phone, Skype pulled all the extra money I had in my Skype Credit WITHOUT notifying me, and applied that, and when they applied it they cut me off in mid-call and I cannot use my phone now. Six hours in one day is something plenty of people use...in some cases as in mine with a lot of calls made and much time on the phone in the last few days job seeking. I was completely unaware of this extreme limitation, this is what they call "fair use." It is far from unlimited use or anywhere close to it, and the fact that they would pull the Skype credit out without some kind of notification is criminal.

If I was you I'd seriously think twice about using this service, I will not be any more.  
(Version 2.8.0.438)

SMTIPS  They still have the info window screwed up. So you open the Media Information window, click on Codec Details, and at least now you a Stream 0 and Stream 1 selection. But now you click the arrow to expand either of those selections and it just snaps right back shut again. Sure you can sit there and click on it really fast to see the info as it flashes before it closes but that's just dumb.

While I sympathize with your lack of Mac developers, it's no excuse to put out crap that doesn't work. And you've been getting progressively WORSE on the Mac since version 0.86 and you know you have.

Get at least the basics right and stop screwing up things that worked before.   
(Version 0.9.9a)

SMTIPS  I've been using Skype 2.7.0.330 for a few months. I used it on Windows for a couple of months and now using on Leopard.

The Mac version is reminiscent of the old ICQ in comparison between the Mac and PC versions. Extremely lacking in many features and interface perks that the Windows version has. Many features/preferences are just missing from the Mac version. Not nearly as easy to use as the Windows version is. When calling local phones within say 50 miles, I often get echo bad. It's very consistent. But when I call a lot farther away like to Canada, I get no echo and the quality is fine. I have a rock solid cable internet connection. I've complained about this the the makers, and they are clueless, they like to give generic umbrella answers and direct you to their hard to use website. And it takes them like a week to respond.

And this version that just came out is still a beta. Apparently after all this time they still can't get a new release version and are relying on users to do their beta testing for them. No thanks. And I think BETA should be prominent in the TITLE not just in parentheses below in the "bug fix" listing. Because I don't do beta testing. Beta = BUGS. If a company wants me to do beta testing for something they are ultimately making money on, even if the app itself is a free download, then they should pay me to do their job. That's my take on it.

As already said, I'm VERY unimpressed with the Mac version of Skype.   
(Version 2.8.0.438)

SMTIPS  I'd like to see the ability in this program to block or ban or limit speed on a per-peer basis. I want to be able to choke the leechers who are just downloading and not giving anything back at all.

Otherwise I think it's a great app and it's not bloated down with garbage I don't want like Vuze has become.  
(Version 1.51)

SMTIPS  Tried to convert to aac from flac, the files won't open in iTunes. Generic icon, they want to open in QT. iTunes won't even see them when I drag them to the window. Using 10.5.6...this used to work under 10.5.5, don't know what the difference is.  
(Version 0.8.1)

SMTIPS  So stupid...can't even view media information any more with this...as in...ALL THE FIELDS ARE BLANK WHEN TRYING TO GET INFO ON A PLAYING AVI FILE. Tried it on different ones, same thing, def. not the file. Never used to be like this...the people working on this "project" are failing over and over again...every time I try a new version it has some other idiotic thing removed/broken/bugged in it.  
(Version 0.9.8a)

SMTIPS  O M G ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS.

I've used VisualHub quite a few times for converting flash flawlessly to several formats. Although it's not in development any more, it still works great.

Did I say...ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS?!?!  
(Version 2.3)

SMTIPS  They've dropped support for 2.x and 3.x is just garbage. WTF are these people doing?  
(Version 3.0.5)

SMTIPS  Yeah I agree, I'm using 8.6 again, at least it's somewhat stable. Every one of these 9.x versions crashes when you close out a movie about 80% of the time. For me at least. Not to mention the stupid windoze-like changes they've made in the prefs...it seems like they probly got a couple new devs with a "better idea" at making things better, but a-la-windows, they have only made things harder to make them "easier" for the end user. So much for your better ideas and progress...you guys should wake up and start actually listening to what people are saying about the once-decent VLC because there's a lot of trash bins getting filled up with it any more.

As for Quicktime and Perian...both very good products. Quicktime has ALWAYS been a resource hog...run this test, take say a G5 2.0 or below or a G4...open activity monitor and start looking at CPU use while you play the identical movie in VLC then in Quicktime. QT sucks the resources...on G4 1.2 machines it will use like 80% cpu time compared to 5-10% using VLC. This is very consistent and I've tested this on several machines. There's no excuse Apple can give for such appallingly awful performance. So we have Quicktime the pig or an old version of VLC to choose from...there are no worthy alternatives really.

Just my humble opinions from experience for many years with both apps...please don't come flaming away if you don't agree.  
(Version 0.9.6)

SMTIPS  Might depend on what discs you're using. Memorex came out with some screwed up discs that are media code "CCMG." and there isn't even any info on videohelp.com about that media code. Every one of them failed I took them back twice. Damndest thing is, the first pack I bought of the same brand off the same shelf with identical packaging were Ritek media code and all 50 burned without a hitch. But that is with 9.02 so maybe it is Toast this time causing your issue.  
(Version 9.0.4)

SMTIPS  You know, if people would RTFM they wouldn't come here talking garbage like this. Get it right...Little Snitch INCLUDES INSTRUCTIONS on disabling/removing it! Try looking at them before giving it poor comments.  
(Version 2.0.4)

SMTIPS  "Even after removing all elements I found."

Why did you go "looking" for items to remove instead of installing per the instructions?  
(Version 2.0.4)

SMTIPS  I agree, Chris you should read the instructions. And what's wrong with a FULLY functional demo that lasts for 3 hours? Unlike numerous other apps that are crippled or give you like...2 tries then quit...LS allows you to see the full version in action then to decide whether it's worth purchasing to you.

Too many people come on here giving bad reviews of good software when they should RTFM and pay for the thing or stop bellyaching about it.  
(Version 2.0.4)

SMTIPS  I might suggest instead of the "you must not rely on the search that heavily" and coming here calling people liars and dissing them that you actually provide something useful if you are going to give "suggestions".  
(Version 3.1b1)

SMTIPS  Well I just discovered after using it for a few days that the search field on the upper right, which I rely on heavily, DOES NOT WORK. Tried changing search engines there, still nothing. Can't hit return, can't click the button to search...when I do nothing at all happens. I can change pages fine and that...but that search is broken.

JUNK...to screw up such a staple tool in a browser is simply unacceptable and inexcusable. This was a "trial run" for me after refusing to use firefox in well over a year because of a lot of page issues. Well...back to using the last version of Navigator since I hate Safari.  
(Version 3.0.3)

SMTIPS  Command-I is Mac. Menu/Media Info (Cmd-i) on the current playing file is Mac. As it has been since VLC came out. NOT go to playlist (STEP 1), select File (step 2), Get info (step 3) to get info on the CURRENT PLAYING FILE. How stupid is that? That kind of a change is like...pee cee idiocy, not mac simplicity and SENSE.  
(Version 0.9.2)

SMTIPS  Okay one more...this is supposed to be some kind of "release" version as opposed to a letter beta?? Puh-leeeze!   
(Version 0.9.2)

SMTIPS  PS, another classic example of Open Source being a real F****aroo to users. Too many indians, and NO chiefs.  
(Version 0.9.2)

SMTIPS  WHAT IS THIS CRAP?? The info window has changed now and ALL THE FIELDS ARE BLANK when playing a movie. I have depended on this tool for a long time to check info....you guys have totally f**ed it up...AGAIN!

The last FIVE letter releases have been TOTAL CRAP and crash all the time, almost constantly when closing a movie while it's playing. Now you do something IDIOTIC like screw up a staple part of the app. Good going. Time to start looking for something else for viewing, I'm tired of this caca for the last 6 months you are getting WORSE not better.  
(Version 0.9.2)

SMTIPS  P.S. I think software writers should be like...shot...for charging money for BETA versions....you want people to PAY YOU to TEST your unfinished product? Geezus...get real...trouble is some people are dum enough to actually do it.  
(Version 1.4.3b4)

SMTIPS  Opinion: Haxies bad.

Fact: Won't be trying this I wish there was something that wasn't a haxie that could do similar. Won't be trying it after the comments that they told the guy how to "fix" the issue but not to tell other people.

Dishonesty...lies. Not good. Stupidity on the dev's part.

"Silly" to add "silliness" that can't be easily disabled to something that people rely on as a TOOL.

Unsanity is stupid.  
(Version 1.4.3b4)

SMTIPS  In all the time I've used MTR I've encountered maybe 1 disk that it wouldn't rip...out of probly 1000 at least...regardless of the media it's written on.

"...that defects in mastering (that would almost never occur in a retail disc) can and are introduced by buggy or non-compliant mastering software."

Errr...I use the most current version of Toast or sometimes just burn a conversion directly using Visualhub. I don't know what would be non-compliant or buggy about either. Yes there IS the occasionally poor media being written to...I steer clear of junk media. Toast may have had a couple issues back about v6.x or 7.x but it is probably the least buggy best burning software around on any platform. So I think your "special issues" are perhaps some code in your own software that's missing. If other people can do it you sure can.   
(Version 1.0.3)

SMTIPS  Okay I tried to rip three of my own burned disks using this. Nothing happened. I got a small screen that asked me to submit the barcode, evidently from the retail package of the DVD. I don't have one.

Therefore I must conclude that this app only works on retail-branded DVD's and not any other kind, ie, burned copies of a TS folder.

The only option in the program is where to set the rip-to folder.

Keep working on it guys, it seems simple and elegant but it's going to have to work on almost any DVD I put in not just the 2500+ retail titles you tested so far. Main title, all titles etc are some features that would be commonly chosen with a ripper app. Obviously this just doesn't recognize a *DVD* it recognizes a DVD original copy only with barcoding encoded into it.

Unfortunately this is far from ready for primetime, I'm a Mac user who just wants an app to WORK when I get it. And I certainly don't want to go look at a lengthy list to find out if a DVD I want to back up is on your list of "checked" disks that your app will work with. And I certainly don't want to do trial and error when there are apps that I KNOW work with any disk I plug in.

And I think you're opening yourself up to TROUBLE by listing specific DVD names on a public website like this or your own that your program has been tested to rip.

And you actually think people will give you MONEY for this? :)  
(Version 1.0.3)

SMTIPS  It's okay any more, but since going to leopard, the last several versions of VLC almost always CRASH when I close a video window. I should note that I posted an entire error log on their site a couple of months ago and noone bothered to respond to me...I take that non-response to mean that they know there are issues and aren't admitting to anything. Someone REALLY f***ed it up for Leopard and still after several revs haven't got it right yet. In fact, I had to revert a couple of revs just to get it to watch a TS folder, it wouldn't do that AT ALL the last couple of revs, it would just crash on open. Mostly I get an error log that starts with this:

Exception Type: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGBUS)

Exception Codes: KERN_PROTECTION_FAILURE at 0x0000000000000000

Crashed Thread: 14

Open Source is great and all that...but I would be more than willing to pay at least the price of Quicktime Pro for a STABLE version of VLC that includes support. The MAJOR downfall of Open Source is that noone seems accountable for screwups and you get almost no support from the makers or overseers of these "projects".

I used to think VLC was good...I think it sucks now because this behavior has been very persistent since going to leopard and because noone bothered to even acknowledge my forum post.  
(Version 0.8.6i)

SMTIPS  Why does one have to manually enter the frame rate every time you convert something? It does NOT just pick up on the frame rate of the original. Seems to me it should be common sense you want it the same if you don't specify..but that's not the case.  
(Version 1.9.2)

SMTIPS  This program did not work. Dragged the UIF to it and got something about BLHR data can't be read. 10.5.3.  
(Version 1.0.7)

SMTIPS  So then what app does MKV Gary? And what is "proper TS?" I see programs that aren't as intuitive and versatile like Xilosoft's garbage PC-ported-to-Mac-poorly for over twice the cost and they produce poor results.

Back up your claims with more details if you're going to dis such a great program. It does more, faster, with better quality than anything I can think of for the Mac.

If you know of something that does as much as VisualHub as fast that doesn't require the user to make a ton of settings and then HOPE that it comes out right (can you say ffmpegX?) and actually keeps what you set, then by all means make it known to the rest of the Mac people out there.

And considering the cost for such a versatile conversion program this is a GREAT price...or would you prefer $61 for a windows port (Xilosoft?)?  
(Version 1.34a)

SMTIPS  And then on unistall it does the below in a terminal window? What Mac application kicks up a terminal window when you uninstall it?? That's just kind of lame, you need a better way...Why do I have to give my password to uninstall? I know what I want on my Mac when I'm logged in as the Admin. If it were a limited user account that was trying to uninstall then I could see it...but it's not.

Serene Saver 2 HD Uninstall

---------------------------

Please authenticate this uninstall by typing your administrator password.

This is the password you created when you initially set up your Macintosh.

You will not see it being typed and it is used ONLY to uninstall

Serene Saver 2 HD. To cancel, just close this window.

Password:  
(Version 3.0.5)

SMTIPS  Looks great. Checking out the trial now.

Couple things:

The Lushness Trail trial scene does not work at all on the desktop.Even when I have it selected as the only one, one of the others appears for the desktop.

After popping up a reminder notice within 10 minutes of installing the trial that Serene saver has GONE PRO, and kicking the movie out of full screen that I was watching, the sound started working on them. It hadn't before that.

Now after turning the sound off in all 4 trial scenes, the sound won't go away. I will have to uninstall it to get it to quit playing the sound.

If this is any indication of how it behaves in the full paid version I won't even consider buying it. Because it seems BUGGY with the trial. A trial should work JUST LIKE the paid version does. And it should kick a movie out of full screen with a reminder notice. I read that it was a 10 day trial when I installed it...I don't WANT any frigging popups interfering with me til my 10 days is up.

So I'm unimpressed with the behavior of it, but very impressed with the scenery and the sounds. That is, if it's possible to STOP the sounds and it doesn't seem like it is once they are selected.  
(Version 3.0.5)

SMTIPS  Used to use it, loved it, no Leopard version, a year and a half since an update...it's dead.  
(Version 2.3.9)

SMTIPS  But who would care if anything that uses APE is ready or not? FAR too many issues using haxies.  
(Version 1.4.1)

SMTIPS  Before you play this you should consider that customer service is practically nonexistant. If you attempt to report a problem, or complain about an ongoing server issue that everyone complains about, such as constant lockups at a certain time of day, and you ask for a specific response and explanation, you will get a canned email from them and they do not consider individual users at all.

Also, if you're expecting a game that you can casually play as a solo gamer, forget this and find something else. The entire business plan of Blizzard with WoW is to promote group play, so you can only get to a certain level unless you like bowing to join some guild or join random groups with cheaters or people who have no clue how to play...or little children who just don't care who the screw. In other words, you will not get the really good items in the game without being a group player...you will be stuck at a high level with mediocre equipment.  
(Version 2.4.2)

SMTIPS  The people that make KDX have a major attitude problem and are very rude. Go look at their FAQ's and documentation if you don't buy that.

Their FAQ states falsely also:

"You might experience problems with these:

* Little Snitch by Objective Development (on MacOS X). Causes networking problems."

Little Snitch does not cause networking problems with anything. KDX has networking problems, I've been using the server and client for a long long time, and they have had issues with dropouts in network speed and connection for at least two years, regardless the version. And it got worse with Leopard. To make a blanket statement about Little Snitch (which has NEVER caused any networking problem for me), is just wrong and stupid.

Most of the people I know using KDX are changing...we're tired of their attitude and their unwillingness to listen to user suggestions about making changes for the better in the applications.   
(Version 1.6)

SMTIPS  The people that make KDX have a major attitude problem and are very rude. Go look at their FAQ's and documentation if you don't buy that.

Their FAQ states falsely also:

"You might experience problems with these:

* Little Snitch by Objective Development (on MacOS X). Causes networking problems."

Little Snitch does not cause networking problems with anything. KDX has networking problems, I've been using the server and client for a long long time, and they have had issues with dropouts in network speed and connection for at least two years, regardless the version. And it got worse with Leopard. To make a blanket statement about Little Snitch (which has NEVER caused any networking problem for me), is just wrong and stupid.

Most of the people I know using KDX are changing...we're tired of their attitude and their unwillingness to listen to user suggestions about making changes for the better in the applications.   
(Version 1.6)

SMTIPS  I haven't experienced any stutters or skips on my home players after converting to DVD, it's always worked just great, I just did like 15 last week.  
(Version 1.33a)

SMTIPS  Well I wouldn't call this a DRAWING app. I was looking for something very simple to just make up a flat wall drawing with colors...a preview for painting....and searched for drawing apps. This one came up.

Can't even draw a simple SQUARE with it.

You might want to classify this as a PAINT program...and even silly old (and I do mean old) Windows Paint or Mac Paint would draw a SQUARE with a line.  
(Version 1.2.1)

SMTIPS  I'm appalled to come her and see people bashing GC so much. It's a great app, it does FAR more than any other app of its kind on the Mac, the dev has always stayed right on top of updates for compatibility, and it's still the best app of its kind available.

Unless you just want to view photos...which I think these bashers are talking about. And there are about a hundred apps for Mac OS X that will do that.

iPhoto is CHEESY. Just my personal opinion of course.

The powerful scripting/exporting/batch conversion in GC is UNRIVALED and I challenge you all who are blasting away at this great program to actually USE a lot of the features you know nothing about then try to find something that does it better - or at all - that doesn't cost you $499 such as a lot of these unbelievable GOUGERS charge for certain Photoshop plugins that have poorer functionality than the same features in Graphic Converter.

You guys are just...BAD. Stop it...here is a developer who has stayed on board and provided a great app which is STILL a great app - if you know what to do with it and not just open a JPG once in a while - for the Mac.  
(Version 6.1)

SMTIPS  Finderpop still does this better than anything else, no menu, no "common" folder, sinply select, click, choose folder all in one fluid motion and click...your choice of move copy or alias appears on the screen. None compare to Finderpop's ease of use and simple elegance. And it's FREE.  
(Version 1.0.5)

SMTIPS  I haven't had any trouble with this, except that on my G4 the eDrive was invisible and on my dual G5 it's not. It works, it works good and I like the suites.

Comment on Diskwarrior: I have used DW for years and I find it to be one of the best tools available. TT is also. To be honest I've never had a serious HD crash where I had to really USE any of the recovery stuff on these. DW was a dream on OS 9. But my problem with DW now is well...it takes like TEN OR FIFTEEN MINUTES to boot from the damn disk! Most of the people I know are maddened about this also and they just haven't seemed to get it right...so imho DW is losing ground because of that, and because of the lack of versatility compared to TechTool. I like TT.

My 2˘.  
(Version 4.6.1)

SMTIPS  A couple of observations:

First, the documentation doesn't describe anywhere what the physical connections of the macs are supposed to be. It just basically says...install the software and you can control two macs. Well how, exactly? This isn't a simplistic question...how does this work? Across the net, do I need both computers plugged into a router, do I need KVM hardware or what? Please explain to a newbie "mac-sharer" in detail exactly what I need to do to use this software, from step one as if I didn't know a thing. STARTING with how to physically connect my macs to make your software work.

Second, in the read me it says:

"Note: File transfers are limited to 512M."

That is really, really unfortunate. Many files, such as divx movies and just complete folders full of music, are way bigger than 512 megs. This seems worse to me than the 1-gb file size limit in Mac OS 9. Do you have any plans to get around whatever is causing this limit in your application?  
(Version 1.0.1)

SMTIPS  Seems to work okay...but....

How in the world do I get the hops to show up on the Map? This used to work just fine. I do a trace now, I can see it hitting the addresses at the top of the map window, but it isn't showing the hops on the map. Strange.  
(Version 1.8.18)

SMTIPS  Please Please Please update FP to work in Leopard...I'll send you some more ale! :)

FP has always been a cut above anything else of its type in ease of use and elegant simplicity as well as having very useful features, and I've greatly appreciated your efforts for years now.  
(Version 2.0.1)

SMTIPS  Oh MAN!! I was just about to get this because for some stupid reason I can only get a 60Hz refresh rate through the Displays panel when my monitor supports 75Hz. I think it's stupid that a mac with a 256 Nvidia card will only show a single refresh rate available when the monitor will support higher. It's ALWAYS been a problem with Macs way back since System 7 that the res/refresh rates that COULD be supported weren't selectable in the system...DUHHHH on you apple!!

Anyway....Unsanity APE has been known to cause FAR FAR too many issues. I refuse to use it, and you just lost my money...I was all ready to buy this til I saw the below comment...forget that APE CRAP.  
(Version 3.7.11)

SMTIPS  LOL. Won't do sit and sitx files. Hilarious.  
(Version 3.2)

SMTIPS  First, they made my account "expire" even though it wasn't expired. This company has changed and now you have to pay a $5 a month fee, they didn't bother to make you aware of it they just expired the account and force you to recreate one...and they want to charge you $5 a month.

I emailed the company that I wanted my information removed from the site because THEY PROVIDE NO AVENUE AT ALL TO REMOVE OR CANCEL AN ACCOUNT WHEN IT HAS BEEN CREATED. SMELLS BIGTIME OF INFORMATION FARMING.

DO NOT USE THIS APPLICATION.  
(Version 1.81)

SMTIPS  VERY simple to use and much more user friendly than Snail Mail which I had used for a long time. One thing I think is cool is if you copy a name and address from anywhere, it puts that name and address in the To field...you don't have to even paste it in. And it keeps the size parameters for the font, the other one didn't.

"Two thumbs up!" as they say.  
(Version 1.0.5)

SMTIPS  My latest beef about Firefox is that it only prints PAGE ONE of a webpage. I don't do that much printing off the web, usually I'm in a rush if I do to just print something off to take to work to read.

So I try this with some different pages, and Firefox only prints page 1! I remember trying this quite awhile back and it was doing the same crap. Open the site in Safari and it printed just fine. Checked all my setttings and page setup for Firefox, absolutely nothing wrong with any print settings at all.

As I mentioned before, friends saying the same kind of bad things about firefox. Just talked to my brother a couple states away the other day, said firefox on PC trashed all his favorites, and he said it did that to one of our nieces over there as well. They were just gone.

I'm not seeing Firefox as a viable web browser any more. I got a couple days off here and I'm fixing to transition to something else that is RELIABLE, STABLE, and hopefully not UNEXPECTEDLY BUGGY when you go to do something with it. I've just had it and I think Firefox with those kind of bugs is low on the list of a usable Mac program. I'm a very long-time mac user and know how to troubleshoot anything, and this firefox is just maddening and upsetting any more...so like any other buggyass app (and there've been a few I've encountered for the Mac)...if it don't work it's dumpage time. Bye Bye Firefox.  
(Version 2.0.0.4)

SMTIPS  VisualHub is an excellent app. I just have one complaint. You put more than one file into the window, it *doesn't* just do them. Or have I completely missed something? Will that little part of this Automation app be a menu command in the next version? Cuz I sure don't feel like writing applescripts myself no matter how simple they are, and processing a queue of files should be a staple part of this app (batch processing is part of MPEG Streamclip and it's free).  
(Version 1.25)

SMTIPS  I'm a long time CDFinder user, it's the absolute best cataloging app available on any platform.

That said...I'm not real happy with this new version for the following reasons:

1. I don't like dual windows in the interface. I'd rather have a single list view. I realize some users have complained about the single window thing in previous versions, but I for one dislike Apple's column views, and panes...call me an old-timer if you like. Give the user a choice...it's all about choice...and just like Apple's non-turn-offable paned view in the finder (I mean in save windows and such, I can't change it at the system level to be the way *I* would like it to be), this new version of CDFinder gives no option to turn off the panes and use the "old style" CDFinder window that I've been so used to and like so well.

2. Comic Sans text does not work in CDFinder 5 windows. All y's and p's and anything else with a lower leg on it has that leg cut off making it look stupid.

3. I have not verified with a burn of my own, but according to a friend, and according to the update notes, CDFinder is directly integrated with Toast, and CDFinder launches and asks to catalog every time you burn a disk with Toast. My friend was asking me if I know a way to stop that behavior because he knows what a huge proponent of CDFinder I have been for years (Indeed, every chance I've had I've raved about what a fantastic app this is to my friends and family). Unfortunately I can find no such pref within the program to turn off this integration. If there is one, I've missed it.

Thanks again for the great program! I think until I'm offered interface and integration choices I'll stay with 4.7. Progress is great, but progress does not have to mean forcing things on the user he can't turn off. The Toast thing really bugs me....I don't want to catalog *all* the disks I burn and don't need an app making me close it again when I don't need it.

Cheers :) Still a near perfect rating, Features just need a little adjustment.  
(Version 5.0)

SMTIPS  Nice, but the themes selection to add more themes takes you to the firefox themes page addons.mozilla.org, and I tried a couple and of course they are incompatible. Where's the list of themes and addons that works with THIS browser? Why would I waste my time scrolling through hundreds of themes and addons to maybe find some that work with this one?

Get a real list of addons that work with this and I might actually USE it, the speed seems good but the default navigator design has to go. I'm looking for an alternative to that sucky firefox and Safari.  
(Version 9.0b1)

SMTIPS  I'm just about to stop using this browser. I have used it for a long time, but it's getting quite maddening when I unexpectedly can't see a secure page on the web. This happened with my phone bill online, it wouldn't display it at all, and it's just happened with the forums at World of Warcraft. Couldn't figure out WHYYY it wouldn't load the page after logging in, tried everything even called Blizzard. Decided to try Safari and the damn thing worked (I have hated Safari's slowness with a passion and still do, Apple has said with a lot of updates that they improved page loading and every time I've EVER tried it it has a very annoying delay loading pages).

Firefox above version 2 STILL displays some weirdass grey splotch (some might call it an icon) beside most of the menu items in all the menus, and next to any bookmark in my list that the site doesn't have a custom icon for. And it even displays these stupid grey boxes or whatever they are, next to items that never eve HAD an icon next to them in the first place!

In my opinion not keeping up with the current design of the web and the inability of this "main stream" browser to load some pages correctly is inexcusable.

And last, most everyone I talk to these days tells me they have troubles with Firefox displaying some pages correctly and they just don't like it much any more.  
(Version 2.0.0.3)

SMTIPS  If you can hold off on this update, do so.

It deleted over 100 gold worth of items in my inventory, and they've had to do two lenthy restarts of the servers so far because of this and other problems.

The spam filters they incorporated may help some but they didn't stop the losers from sending private message with "gold-selling for real cash" content 3 or 4 times.

Blizzard with all its millions seems completely incapable of incorporating USER END controls on filtering what YOU want to see in the chat window. Why, I have no clue.  
(Version 2.1)

SMTIPS  Shades of windoze crap! 1.0.8076?? OMG Nooooooooooooo not Winblows version numbering schemes on a Mac! Microsoft GO AWAY!  
(Version 1.0.8076)

SMTIPS  I gave up on Logitech's buggy junk a long time ago, when they removed (for no good reason at all) the ability to scroll a page at a time with one turn of the mouse wheel. Last I checked it would only do 6 lines. There is MUCH better mouse control software available, as mentioned, SteerMouse and USB Overdrive.

And if you have problems with a Logitech product, GOOD LUCK trying to get any answers through their system online. Those people can't answer one single easy question, I spent 5 exchanges just trying to get them to answer one question, they would keep giving me answers to things I never even asked...LOL...idiots  
(Version 2.1.3)

SMTIPS  Been playing this for a long time. Cool game.

OS X version seems unable to do autoswitching of resolution, if your screen is set at 1024 x 768 the game plays in a window not full screen. One is forced to go to system prefs and set the computer to 800 x 600 then launch the game to play full screen. No matter how the game prefs are set, this still has to be done. Ambrosia provided me with no solid answer as to why (assuming it's a programming issue, they have not made it possible for the game to do autoswitching like ALMOST every other game out there can!).

A real pain in the you know what.

Although this game is great in every other aspect, my rating is a 2 for Ambrosia's lack of attention to this in the 1.0.2 update when they know well what the issue is.  
(Version 1.0.2)

SMTIPS  I should elaborate after further exploration...and reversion back to 1.5.0.7.

In ALL menus in 2.0 there is some ugly gray icon for almost all items, the File menu, Edit menu, Bookmarks menu etc. I guess I was so used to having NO ICONs at all in 1.5.0.7 that I didn't even catch that. So I'm back at 1.5.0.7 and all menu and bookmark menu items have no icons at all as it should be.

I glanced at the Firefox forums...and I'm just not gonna use 2.0 til they get it right, there are FAR too many issues.  
(Version 2.0)

SMTIPS  Why are my icons all looking like an ugly gray box in the bookmarks menu? I downloaded the "final" from the website. Bookmarks look okay in the personal toolbar, but in the bookmark menu itself they are UGLY, any of them that don't have a custom website icon look AWFUL.

This is a "release" and they didn't know this??  
(Version 2.0)

SMTIPS  Well, it's alright compared to others.

It crashes when you got a lot of files going in it. When you go to stop one file, it stops the one above it, and if you do this a few times in a long list, it just up and crashes. This behavior is very consistent.

Hasn't been updated in a LONG time and needs to be. Could stand to have the ability to download individual files within a torrent, badly needs that feature.  
(Version 1.0.6)

SMTIPS  Okay last comment...

Don't bother telling the authors, they ignore their emails. Free app or not, that's just stupid to ignore your users.  
(Version 2.0b2)

SMTIPS  This is a comparison of encoding an IDENTICAL file, the first encoding on a G4 Sawtooth PPP machine, the second on a new iMac Intel G5 2.0GHz machine. My only question is WHY are these different?? If you notice, the G4 is outputting in XVID codec even though Avi Divx is the selected encoder. Talk about a BIG BUG, this is apparently why this won't export Divx properly on my G4. And YES all the binaries are installed correctly on both machines. All output settings are exactly the same on both machines, we have the same version of the app and everything.

I'd sure like the authors to address this question.

G4:

Forcing output fourcc to 58564944 [XVID]

Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/s16be -> 44100Hz/0ch/s8...

Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/s16be -> 44100Hz/2ch/s16be...

VDec: vo config request - 672 x 272 (preferred colorspace: Planar YV12)

VDec: using Planar YV12 as output csp (no 0)

Movie-Aspect is 2.47:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.

SwScaler: using unscaled Planar YV12 -> Planar YV12 special converter

videocodec: libavcodec (672x272 fourcc=58564944 [XVID])

Writing AVI header...

G5:

Forcing output fourcc to 58564944 [DIVX]

VDec: vo config request - 672 x 272 (preferred colorspace: Planar YV12)

VDec: using Planar YV12 as output csp (no 0)

Movie-Aspect is 2.47:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.

SwScaler: using unscaled Planar YV12 -> Planar YV12 special converter

videocodec: libavcodec (672x272 fourcc=58564944 [DIVX])

Writing header...  
(Version 0.0.9wr5)

SMTIPS  Well I tried this again because I'm a glutton for punishment. This time I cranked the video bitrate up to 1350 from the appr. normal default of ~940 that the program puts on a 700 meg (appr 1 hr or so) file. I thought that may solve this issue of it not making Divx files that are playable on Divx home players like the philips dvp642.

Silly me...I've wasted my time again. They can't get it right.

Interestingly enough...I can take a file that won't convert in Dvision, convert it in ffmpegx, then re-convert it again in Dvision and usually it will work in my philips.

But these guys say they offer DIVX exporting they're pulling your leg. The option may be named that in the app, it might LOOK like a Divx file on the computer when you look at Movie info in QT or VLC, but it is NOT or it would just work on a divx player.  
(Version 0.0.9wr5)

SMTIPS  Oh and also this game wants to call home to critter wants to connect to this URL:

projects.sourceforge.net on TCP port 80 (http)

Now why does a freeware game want to track when I launch it? Would the author please comment on WHY?? What is your purpose for this?   
(Version 1.0.1)

SMTIPS  fun game, but how FRIGGING LAME of the author to give you just one guy then have enemies shoot directly horizontal on your level with no way to avoid them.

I played for all of 2 minutes and died 5 times which means I played 5 games.

Author is insane and sadistic, don't bother downloading this, he is probly sitting back knowing exactly what he did and getting pleasure out of posts just like this one.   
(Version 1.0.1)

SMTIPS  I agree, it takes FAR too long to update, and often won't update at all, and often won't even let you choose the dropdown menu to UPDATE NOW. At this moment at 7 pm, TV Tracker is STUCK at 9 am this morning and refuses to let me do a thing.

It wasn't quite as bad until the 10.4.7 update to OS X. Now it's such a pain in the ass it's gonna get dumped off my system til they get a decent update to it and update their servers to handle the traffic.

It's really VERY cool when it works, and I especially like being able to select only the channels I watch.

The other thing is, they COULD make the scrolling work with a mousewheel scroll, but it doesn't right now.  
(Version 2.0b2)

SMTIPS  Does this fix the problem of re-coding muxed mpeg4 to divx and having them play on a Philips DVP642 player? Because I did a buttload of those and then I discovered that NONE of them will play on the philips player even though they appeared to encode just fine and play on the computer just fine, and VLC and Quicktime identifies them as Divx 4.1.2. I wasted a lot of time reencoding those and pretty much gave up on ffmpegx being reliable at all if this kind of garbage is gonna go on.

The REASON they won't play is, ffmpegx was encoding the bitrate at less than half of what it said it was...e.g., the windows all said the video bitrate of the output was like 940 kbits/second then the final was only playing at 550 or less and sometimes under 450. This jibes with the speed they finished too, I thought it was about 20 minutes faster than all the other video converters out there and couldn't figger out why (G4 1.2 GHz) all the others would take 45 minutes to an hour and this was whipping thru them in about 25 minutes. Guess VLC and QT can play the slower bitrates but not settop players. There's no reason for this kind of ridiculous screwup and I'd be interested to hear from anyone converting muxed mpg's to Divx Avi's using this app that has had the output play successfully on a Philips player, cuz they are supposed to play ALL divx formats. Note that I'm not talking about a re-conversion of some exotic XVID format that was made on a PC with stupid wma audio or anything like that, these were simple muxed mpeg4 and ffmpegx wasted a whole lot of time deceiving me into thinking it was doing them fine.  
(Version 0.0.9wr5)

SMTIPS  Hi there here is an update of my efforts with MPEG Streamclip, thanks for the inquiry about my progress Robert.

First of all, I did an extensive phone conversation with a friend who has a new Intel iMac (I don't have an intel machine available to me), attempting to make MPEG Streamclip export Divx files. This is simply not possible with an Intel machine, because Divx 5.x will not work on an intel. And we could get nothing done with installing the current version of divx on her machine (MPEG Streamclip hasn't been updated to work with Divx 6). Note that MPEG Streamclip does work just fine on Intels for exporting to many other codecs.

After SEVERAL emails to the people at Divx support asking them one single question: How I can possibly purchase a serial number for Divx 5.1.1 so it doesn't expire, I was directed to links that I already knew about on their site, links at macupdate and versiontracker (?!), and even told me that Divx 5 wasn't available at ALL for Macs anymore (LOL the links to them are on their site in the FAQ's)! Almost noone there even had a clue how I would purchase Divx 5.x. The big insult is that they didn't even RESPOND to the specific question of buying it, they simply directed me to download links for it! Ĺfter repeatedly sending them more and more agitated emails yelling at them to simply ANSWER the question and stop giving me links, I finally got an email from a tech named Kenji Wakisaka who said that he would give me a serial number for 5.1.1 if I purchased the current v6.5 and sent him the order number so he could verify. Very good of him after all that I had been through with them.

I also discovered (my bad before, I didn't know) that if you make like you're going to purchase 6.5 on their site, on one of the screens you can elect to purchase v5.2.1, and will receive not only 5.2.1 but also 6.5 to use on newer machines. I read somewhere on a forum (not on divx I think) that one could use the serial for 5.2.1 to register 5.1.1 also, that it would work retroactively, but I have absolutely no way to verify this. So...buy 6.5, select the 5.2.1 option, then you get both, and you can still dl 5.1.1 on their site in the FAQ's. Then I recommend you send email directly to Divx support and tell them you'd like a number for 5.1.1 and give them your order number. To save confusion you may wish to ask that the incident be forwarded directly to Kenji Wakisaka, because in his words "Otherwise, other tech support guy will take care of you and they won't give you the serial number of old DivX." I can't post a direct email to him, this was done in the context of a specific incident number.

Oh I haven't made the purchase yet, otherwise I certainly could verify if the 5.2.1 number will allow reg. of 5.1.1. I can post and update soon about that.

Point is you really NEED the 5.1.1 version if you want to encode mp3 audio into a Divx 5.1.1 output (again curiously, the actual codec of an output "Divx 5.1.1" selection is Divx 4.1.2). No later versions of Divx allow it, the mp3 encoder isn't included. I won't belabor the point any more about why the authors of MPEG Streamclip even NEED to use this method. They could incorporate a free mp3 encoding source into the program IMHO. But they certainly do pride themselves on their all-original coding of the app, and I do commend them for it. But there certainly are mp3 codecs he could write into the app, he just won't use any open source code.

Again I will mention I think it's the best most stable encoder there is. And to back up again, I did a very extensive search for ALL divx items, prefs, etc, on my machine, deleted them all, and completely removed and reinstalled MPEG Streamclip, and it no longer has any problem with the Batch Lists, it will do many one after another.

Lastly, On my G4 Sawtooth with a 1.2 GHz OWC Mercury upgrade, and a gig of ram, and not doing other processor intensive tasks, output to a Divx file of a 45 minute TV Episode takes from 44 to 48 minutes.

Good luck!  
(Version 1.7)

SMTIPS  Only taking 5 to 7% of CPU on my G4 Sawtooth with a 1.2ghz upgrade. With the eq on and the windows up it takes up to 8%. But I don't have any movies running or connections active to the music store or anything, just music playing. About a 7000 song library in itunes.

Quicktime now...LOL we won't mention that here, but it takes WAY lots of CPU time playing movies, that's pathetic.  
(Version 6.0.5)

SMTIPS  Okay I have found that you CAN encode mp3 into avi's with it...but you need to have Divx PRO v 5.1.1 (or v 5.1 with the divx mp3 encoder) installed (NOT!!! v6.x). Which means you can use the 15 day trial and then buy it, or not buy it.

Problem is there doesn't seem to be any way to purchase Divx Pro 5.1 any more, no option on their site. Guess I wait til it expires and email them. It's still stupid that of all the conversion apps this one is the only one where you need a 3rd party pay app installed to export mp3 in a video. Others do it with the standard divx 5.1.1 or 5.2.1 installed.

Mpeg Streamclip has the easiest batching I have found (doncha hate having to add files one-by-one to D-vision or ffmpegx when you're doing a bunch, I sure do), however with v1.7 the app just quits completely after doing a single file in the batch. I've done numerous tests (a dozen times I've tried!) and a complete uninstall/reinstall today and it has only went to the next file one time...then it quit on that one after the second. No warning, no nothing, the app just VANISHES off the screen. I emailed the author about this, but I doubt he will answer, the readme says he only answers "when he has time" which evidently is never.

Except for the aforementioned issues this has the potential to be the best conversion app available for the Mac. ffmpegx, forget it, it's buggy and outputs files with incorrect bitrates and has several other bugs. D-Vision, well it's okay but unstable and locks up my machine too often, same thing with FortyTwo DVD Plus. MPEG Streamclip has a better interface and is much more stable and consistent than any others I've tried.  
(Version 1.7)

SMTIPS  Just another quick note. YES, I have QT Pro and the MPEG 2 component. After further exploring I see that MPEG Streamclip uses MPEG Level 2 audio, NOT MPEG Level 3 (mp3). Quicktime reports the audio as just MPEG, not MPEG Level III. VLC reports the audio as mpga.

I've done much hunting and can't seem to find any codec that would remedy this situation.

So my next question to the author would be...why the heck can't you just put in MP3 support for your audio like every other conversion app out there uses??

Apparently QT has an issue with mpga audio within an avi, which I have never seen in an avi til now, I've see AC3 and mp3 (and sometimes wma yuck) in every other avi file out there except the ones created by your application.  
(Version 1.7)

SMTIPS  Well I like it alright...except:

I open a Divx 3.11 avi that has 128kbps audio in Quicktime. It plays fine, video and audio.

I open that same file in MPEG Streamclip, cut a few seconds of garbage out of it at the beginning, Re-encode the entire file, which comes out as Divx 4.12 and 128kbps audio. Okay fine.

Then I open it in Quicktime and the audio refuses to work. QT's info shows that the audio is there but it just won't play. This happens in Quicktime 7.04, 7.1, and 7.1.1. VLC and my Philips home player play the audio just fine.

So here are my questions...I should note that I emailed the author awhile back with #1, and more recently with #2, and he chooses not to respond.

1. Why does this program use a Divx 4.12 codec when the only thing I have installed is Divx 5.1.1 and Divx 5.2.1? Is the 4.1.2 codec what's incuded in Divx 5?

2. What's up with this not recognizing the sound in Quicktime? ffmpegx sound is recognized (which also uses the 4.12 video codec). Dvision sound is recognized all the time...unless it's converted from wma audio within the file, then QT just doesn't see audio at all in the file, not even in the info, but plays in VLC. mplayer recognizes the sound. So is this a matter of a Quicktime bug, or a matter of the author not keeping up to speed with proper encoding so these files play in Quicktime?

Thanks.  
(Version 1.7)

SMTIPS  Kensington wireless desktop is the pits. I bought one awhile back that didn't work right. One of the things it did was to auto eject the CD tray any time that the usb receiver was plugged into my G4 Sawtooth. Another was that the hot key buttons didn't work.

Long story short: Customer service are raving idiots at Kensington. I have a folder full of 52 emails attempting to correct their problem. They would tell me to download software I already had installed. They would tell me I had the wrong version. The version number of the downloaded files did not match the version on their website. The software for ANOTHER MODEL was the correct software for the keyboard I had. They told me to do things completely unrelated to the problem. When they got stumped, I would receive a NEW email from a different tech, and they would try to start all over again with me. DUH. I called them, they sent me a new unit without even attempting to troubleshoot. Did the same things as I knew it would. Then they wanted to send me a THIRD.

I wound up sending everything back, getting a refund and vowing never to use Kensington products again. I posted a scathing review of my experience on the newegg website, and they evidently saw fit to remove my poor review. Now I see that they have an "open box" special on the 64354, which I would assume means they are getting a lot of returns. I would be willing to bet that newegg will stop selling these after their open box specials are sold.

I have had bad experiences with products before, but this was the absolute worst, and the customer service is a pathetic excuse for human interaction. They don't have a clue.   
(Version 1.8r1)

SMTIPS  One thing I hate is a developer continually blowing their own horn on a review site.

Developer says:

The small donations window will automatically close after 4 seconds. Its presence has been discussed so many times before I don't want to talk about it again.

I say:

So get a clue and pay attention to what people are saying. Most mac users don't like the Windows-esque nagware screens.

Developer says:

7z is a popular format on the Windows side, and is opensource.

I say:

Oh I get it now...Windows developer! No wonder there's a nagware screen!

Developer says:

Why would you want to turn the update feature off? (In regard to no option to turn off update checking). It makes sure that you always have the most recent version, with all the known bugs ironed out.

I say:

It also gives ME no control over what *I* want to do on MY computer! A lot of developers are as bad as Microsoft (oh but wait, you're from the windoze world) and just ASSUME YOU KNOW WHAT A USER WANTS. I CAN CHECK FOR UPDATES WHEN *I* WANT TO. Why would YOU want to NOT GIVE ME THE CHOICE AS A USER?? Who says updates are always GOOD updates?!

Developer says:

Moral: next time you decide to review a software, please make sure that you test it in an exhaustive manner, and that you document yourself on the features it is supposed to have.

I say:

I review software based on MY use of software. Not on what YOU think it should be. There were enough unpleasant things to illicit a poor review without my needing to do an "exhaustive" check of the app.

Moral: Don't talk down to your users who don't like your windows program.

Moral 2: This software is NOT compatible with Mac's own BOM Archiver built into the system. BOM Archiver is a perfectly functional built in FEATURE of the Mac OS, proven, tested, no nagware screens, no small developers tooting their own horn to get you to send them money, and no arguments when someone doesn't care for it.   
(Version 1.4)

SMTIPS  Nag screen every time the app is used.

Not compatible with system's BOMArchiver (I'm REQUIRED to have this app if I want to decompress a file made with it). Proprietary "7z" format.

No option to turn off the update check. In fact, no accessible prefs at all.  
(Version 1.4)

SMTIPS  I got sick of fighting with Azureus for 3 or 4 days just trying to maintain a 1 to 1 ratio and decdied to try Bits On Wheels. Suddenly now I'm getting true high speed and not being continually CHOKED on the download speeds like I am with Azurues. As I said, all NAT settings were correct in AZ and everything was in the green, and I've been downloading "good" torrents, so there's just no damn reason I can fathom that Azureus doesn't work NEARLY as fast as Bits On Wheels, all other factors being the same. Azureus is going in the trash, I wasn't really aware there were better options til the other day, I been fighting this application for a long time to get decent speeds. NO MORE.

I don't recommend this application at all after my long-term "trial run" of unhappiness with it.   
(Version 2.4.0.2)

SMTIPS  This price should open the door for a more reasonable developer to offer a similar product at a much lower and less insane price.  
(Version 4.1)

SMTIPS  I've been playing with Azureus for quite some time now and I think it sucks.

I almost NEVER get 1 to 1 up/down ratio. I've researched this a lot, tweeked the settings correctly, no NAT problems or anything. I can have 50 t0 100 peers, with 10 to 20 seeds, and I still don't get it. Whether I have 4 upload slots or 20, people never seem to share the same as I give. I'll have 15k going to one person who's giving back 1 to 2k constantly.

Conclusion: Unless you're fool enough to be using an app like this to download the most popular brand new movies which to me would be very high risk (I use it mainly to get old star trek and other sci fi stuff), where like 1000 people are sharing a file, the whole bittorrent thing is a crock. There doesn't seem to be any way in Azureus to set something like "only share if the peer is giving you at least half of what he's getting" or anything like that. I find myself going into the Peers section and kicking and banning people who are giving me sub-1k but taking 10 or 15k, that's the only thing that seems to work...trial and error with that til I get some users who actually want to share and who aren't on DIALUP or something using an app like this. It's almost a waste of time but the only way I know to get some of this older stuff without spending hundreds to buy it from Amazon.

Not just that...but Azureus very often refuses to shut down in OS X. If I stop the torrent dl first then usually it works. If the torrent refuses to stop, and stays in "stopping" mode and I try to shut it off then, not even force-quits will make it go away. From what I've read this is a big problem and one they aren't addressing effectively at all over many version releases.  
(Version 2.4.0.2)

SMTIPS  Web player does not work with Firefox. Why do software authors think Safari is the endall of browsers? It's inferior and slow and has issues others don't.

Make it work in Firefox please.  
(Version 6.5)

SMTIPS  Got it on their site.

Why .sit files? Is this OS X? When are developers going to start using Mac things and not 3rd party garbage like stuffit? It's no longer needed, or WANTED, by many OS X users.  
(Version 1.0b50)

SMTIPS  Xutils are all so...WINDOWSISH!  
(Version 1.1)

SMTIPS  I refuse to "try" an application that forces me to connect to the maker's website and send information before I am allowed to "try" the app.

And judging from most of the reviews here, these people are from the Windoze world and their application isn't worth "trying" as a "demo" unless you like sending your personal data to someone that WHO KNOWS what they will use it for.

A DEMO is a DEMO...thank you again Little Snitch for alerting me to software shysters like this!!  
(Version 1.4b1)

SMTIPS  Firefox is the best browser. Looks like they finally got Safari speeds fixed in about OS 10.4.3, it was pathetic up til some recent Tiger updates.

I was having an issue with ALL web browsers loading slow including Firefox, and someone suggested I go to the Network Prefs and add Primary and Secondary DNS Server IP's (available from your ISP usually) in the "DNS Servers:" field, and I did, and everything is fantastic now.

Can't recommend it enough, it's very good and it keeps getting updates to address things. Hardly "old" as the previous poster put it.  
(Version 1.5.0.3)

SMTIPS  It works. BUT even after over a year they still can't get their head together enough to make these binaries install correctly through the window they SAY will install them just fine. You have to manually install the files, you have to create ffmpegx in Application support and drag them there or you will see the below message pop up from the install window that's SUPPOSED to work and was SUPPOSED to work about 8 versions ago and STILL doesn't...DUH. I have talked to MANY people who have this issue. Authors seem to be completely ignorant about this or would have fixed it what...a YEAR and 8 versions ago?? They sure don't read these reviews or they would be aware of this.

##/bin/sh: -c: line 1: unexpected EOF while looking for matching `''

/bin/sh: -c: line 2: syntax error: unexpected end of file  
(Version 0.0.9w)

SMTIPS  Test 2 and Test 3 say an XVID avi I have is broken, and repairs it fairly quickly, but after that there are anomolies with the controller window (sometimes only a white area appears instead) and other windows. PLUS the fix can't be saved, well I guess it could, but VLC itself reports that file-to-file exporting isn't best suited to VLC. So every time you launch it you have to fix the file. Quicktime plays this file just fine ironically, because anything QT won't play usually plays in VLC.

VLC 0.84a plays the file fine without the warning, but it is a little slow in re-indexing when changing positions in the movie.

I hope the developers read the reviews and comments on these download sites.  
(Version 0.8.5test3)

SMTIPS  Great player, probly the best for X.

Only thing I'd like to see is a right click menu in Full Screen mode, like the windows version has.  
(Version 0.8.5test3)

SMTIPS  Well I thought this program was supposed to fix problems. I used it to do a complete reset, told it to make a backup file etc, then I went out of town for awhile with my printer issues unresolved. I was going to make another attempt, but the program has "expired" leaving me with no way to use it without buying it. Sorry, you don't get my money...now I am having major headaches with the other printer I got because evidently your little "reset" damaged or removed some files needed for printing...can't even run the Printer Utility to clean and align cartridges, apparently because some vital files were removed that can't be restored without BUYING your stupid app. Well your "demo" messed things up worse than if I had been frogging around removing files manually. Thanks for the JUNK.

DO NOT BUY THIS PROGRAM.  
(Version 5.0.4)

SMTIPS  Works great on a G4 Sawtooth.

Wow, 32 megs of ram and the man is complaining about speed and stability. Have you bothered to read the MINIMUM Requirements for running this program?? Or maybe...yeah maybe you could update that G3 to say, 64 megs wow then you'd really zoom! :)

Operating Systems

* Mac OS X 10.2.x and later

Minimum Hardware

* Macintosh computer with an Intel x86 or PowerPC G3, G4, or G5 processor

* 128 MB RAM (Recommended: 256 MB RAM or greater)

* 200 MB hard drive space  
(Version 1.5.0.2)

SMTIPS  It overwrites files of the same name with NO WARNING. If you have a list queued up and accidentally added the same one twice, first of all it LETS YOU do that, and secondly it just up and overwrites the previous file of exactly the same name without asking. That's EXTREMELY stupid.  
(Version 0.0.9v)

SMTIPS  "Note: The demo only works on 100MB drives and smaller."

Well either that's a typo or it's completely useless unless I buy it :)

Okay, DRAELREN...Mr. "expert"...then please give people some technical data as to why almost every Apple install does an optimization at the end of the install. What is that if not an optimization. I've seen many reviews of so called defrag apps that fry people's OS's. Why would I trust this based on one single good review?  
(Version 1.2)

SMTIPS  Thank you all for the comments. I usually come here first to see how others fare with an app...and you can be sure I will NOT be frying my drives with this piece of garbage. Once it was...okay...on OS 9...but I've seen WAY too many bad reports of this to make it even worth the risk of trying on OS X, especially Tiger. A HUNDRED BUCKS?!?! You must be JOKING...WAKE UP MICROMAT AND APPLE!!  
(Version 4.1.1)

SMTIPS  Just a note...would be nice to have mirror locations posted on this site. Whenever a new version of GC comes out Lemkesoft is down because it is always overloaded, and the only way to see the mirror site list is...yep you guessed it, at Lemkesoft ;) Or it would be nice if MacUpdate actually hosted this program.  
(Version 5.8.1)

SMTIPS  Director errors. Unplayable in some decks.  
(Version 1.1)

SMTIPS  No ability to specify WHAT avi format to output. There's only sevaeral standard formats one could use. This only gives cinepak compression, or DV formats or BMP..BMP? Windoze? Where's the XVID, DIVX, DX50 or other common avi support? Why would this app have a problem with outputting avi format if Flip4Mac is installed, which allows viewing of Windoze Media on a mac? Why would I want to disable Flip4Mac to output an avi?

No format or codec info given about current movie - Video Track, Audio Track? What's that mean?

No progress time indicator. Just a bar.

Impossible to HIDE this app or even to minimize it to the dock...it just pops right back up!

Three basic types of audio compression formats to output. Alaw, IMA, or uLaw. Or None. No mp3 or other common audio support offered in every other conversion app.

The interface and view window look nice...LOL...otherwise it appears to be just what it is...a pre-version 1 program. Should be called a beta.  
(Version 0.95)

SMTIPS  Hmmmmmm...wonder why the authors want my computer to connect to host142.ipowerweb.com on TCP port 80 (http) when I launch this program. There is no prefernce for checking for the latest version or not. I hate when people just want me to send (whatever) information without my express consent or knowledge.

Thanks again, Little Snitch, for tattling on authors who don't tell you the "whole story".  
(Version 0.95)

SMTIPS  Author obviously has no interest in responding to issues or suggestions or updating this program. It seems to lock up not only as described below but just randomly when performing finder functions like dragging or resizing windows. This program is reminiscent of ALL the things we left behind with OS 9.

Don't waste your time with it...obviously the author has wasted enough of everyone's time with this garbage.  
(Version 3.1.5)

SMTIPS  Excellent! Who needs a heavy expensive app when there's this. I'm impressed. Editing and noise removal capabilities are great.  
(Version 1.3b)

SMTIPS  I agree!

Dump Stuffit Mac OS X users! Use .zip or .dmg formats.

WE DON'T NEED YOU ALLUME, we've endured bugginess and issues for years, and we prefer developers to dmg or zip their files.  
(Version 1.0.6)

SMTIPS  Well, I surely appreciate the fix for turning off the bell sound. Very quickly too! I have no problem with this app, it does what I need it to do and with no bugginess. Pretty darn fast compared to some of the other conversions apps too.

Thanks alot Chris :)  
(Version 3.0.4)

SMTIPS  Just a comment, the host mirrors.xmission.com they are using for this file seems to not have enough good bandwidth to host a file this big...download has failed about a dozen times in the last day. I'm using Interarchy so I can resume it, but "starving students" may not have the luxury of buying an app that will resume http downloads. Maybe an ftp alternate link here would help out. Or a suggestion of a freeware app that will do it.   
(Version 2006.01)

SMTIPS  Works okay but you can't turn off the dum little bell noise when it finishes converting in a queue...so every time one gets done it's waking you up with a stupid bell if you like to just let it go and go to sleep. Might not seem like a big thing to some people but I use my Mac for an alarm clock too, and with the volume up loud this little lack on the author's part is VERY ANNOYING.  
(Version 3.0.3)

SMTIPS  I quit even trying with Logitech's software when I discovered that they removed the ability to scroll a whole page at a time (Apple Software never has had the ability do this). And then I spent about a month trying to get an answer from Logitech via their infernal "tech support" pages. I only wanted them to answer if they were going to add support for this feature in the future, as they DID have it in the OS 9 version of their software. I got nothing but doubletalk from the person. The last version was buggy and wouldn't keep settings as well. Forget it Logitech, make your software work for Mac OS X as well as it works in Windoze with as many features as the Windoze version and i might consider trying it again. Til then...it's not even worth the half a minute to download.  
(Version 1.6.2)