Hey BuBBy!

As usual, you make some very good points. Okay, its off to the (other) forum I go - well, after I wake up and have something to eat that is. Hey, when its as hot as it is here right now, being a nocturnal creature has its up side - much cooler after sundown.

HG

I haven't had a chance to look at it yet - I'll install it and have a closer look for you.

Also I have found the advice about support from the developers (or the products user community) is a good one.

Often on the developers site - they have a support forum where you could ask your questions. The way I read the GOTD "no support" clause - is developers are not obligated to provide any support. At their discretion they may decide to provide some support so the product can be evaluated (if it doesn't install or function). Also the developer may be interested in any legitimate bugs or useful suggestions to improve the product.

A developer who outright refuses any contact or communication with a potential customer or someone interested in improving the product is probably a developer who has no interest in developing their business or increasing their customer base. I have even had dealings with some developers who I have helped fix some pesky bugs or made some brilliant suggestions displaying superhuman insight ;) - and was rewarded with a free full license (or multiple licenses).

But hmm - back on topic - some of these problems with software, like incompatibilities or crashes and lockups - some developers actually like to find out about these - so if there is a problem in their program - they can fix it, to make other future users happy that they don't have to experience them.

Thanks Face - thats good advice, and I appreciate your taking the time to post it. And you're right about contacting the developers. I want this program enough to wait and see what options are available. As for my wheel, again, good advice. There is just one problem. The other hamster is using it.....and he doesn't share - remember what I said about grafting onto body parts? Not worth it - guess I'll just keep chewing on the furniture instead.

hamstergirl

hamstergirl:

I don't have anything specific to offer at the moment, but my advice would be:

1. Do not do anything rash! - So many times people have trashed programs that they were having problems with and shortly thereafter someone has come along with a simple fix - so leave it be - do not uninstall!

2. Try contacting the developers. Even though the arrangement is - no help, several companies have been very responsive when problems have occurred. And these guys have demonstrated their support of GOTD in the past and by continuing to offer great products. E-mail them (Be sure to be polite and tell them how much you appreciate them offering such a great product and how wonderful you think it is, etc., etc.) You may be pleasantly surprised by a response.

3. Give people here time to find this thread and consider possible solutions - there are almost always suggestions when a member runs into problems and who knows - someone else may have had the same thing happen and have come up with a solution.

4. And while you wait - go run your wheel - a little exercise may clear your head and you might come up with a new approach!

Good luck and hang in there!

I know the hour is late, but I have been wrangling with today's giveaway and how time can fly even when you're NOT having fun.....anyone else have this problem?

Dl'd just fine. Activated and installed just fine. Uninstalled just fine......repeat process from "Activated" three times, just fine. The problem is when I try to save anything, it crashes. And when I restart the app and try to load the autosave of the document, it just hangs.....forever. Oh, wait...on one attempt, I tried to open the help file (you know, the one for another program....). All I got for my troubles was a handful of msgs telling me the requested plug-ins had failed and would not open, then a big msg saying the program asked MS runtime libraries to "shut the program down in an unusual way" and that I needed to contact the developer. After that - all hell breaks loose - nothing worked, including shutdown. I had to just reboot manually and fortunately, things seem to be okay - even Concept Draw, which has still retained that little saving problem.

Look, I'm not really mad at anybody in particular - I'm just mad, like generically speaking (and hamsters can be vicious little animals, like when we surgically graft ourselves to an extended body part). This is the first time I have ever had a problem with a program from here and I was really excited about this one. I know its not a program for a beginner, but I figure thats the best way to learn (hey its gotten me this far). So, before I tank this one permanently, if anyone has any ideas.......no I haven't tried the developers - didn't think it was an option.

OS is XPPro. - and thanks for letting me gnaw on a finger or two
hamstergirl

P.P.S.

Bahhhh,..knew I forgot something....

http://www.htmlforums.com/
http://webdesign.about.com/c/ec/9.htm

Bobby,

Thanks so much for the insight.
In return (don't know whether you have seen this program)... http://bibleocean.com/?default.aspx?

Cheers.

P.S. Found any good arrow heads lately?

OooOoOo! Good find, Michelle! I do a lot of (self-taught) graphic arts work nowadays, for my genealogy as well as for the grandkids' school projects. This will be a unique addition to my library. I'm no artist (well, ok...stick figure cartoons--ha!) so anything that aids my efforts is a genuine blessing.

http://www.freewarefiles.com/program_3_36_13982.html

Bobby - Can I call you BoBBy?

Are you originally from Oz or is your brother an import? It seems the more chatty ppl here are Poms, Aussies, and Yanks.

If you could organize it, Lee would like to mail order a few uniforms? :D

My father joined the Navy and took home all the WRENS (Women Residing Everywhere Near Ship). At this point I should say "Hi" to all of my illegitimate half-brothers and sisters, somewhere out there in cyberspace.

Interesting life you have led there, Bobby. When can we expect the autobiography?

I'm jealous...Your brother lives in the desert and gets more rain in one day, than the wet region I live in has had over the past 12 months.
I hope his chooks turn into emus and kick his dunny (latrine) down!

[crying smiley]

LEE:
You might want to grab a song called Women In Uniforn, by Skyhooks (70's Downunder band).

Wish I had joined the Navy knowing all the Wrens could take home their uniforms!

I had a girlfriend named Roberta 'Bobbi or Robbi' with an 'i' (English, living here DownUnder). Typical POM - She used to stand her socks up in the corner of the room - One day they fell over and smashed!!

Sorry Lee,..couldn't resist.

[Place smiley here]

Bobby could be Roberta!

My cousin (she is Italian) is called Roberta.

Bobby?

You're a GAL!! Crikey, are you sure? I thought you were a guy, ...Go check again!

Looks like another nice proggie - Ta muchly.

--------------------------------------------------
[EDIT] I thought it was FREEWARE!!

http://www.mediachance.com/register.htm#realdraw

Thanks anyway, but I have Corel.

Grrrrr..."Too much salt air and sunshine".

Corel aquired Ulead products I do believe, so down the drain it will go.

Like Jasc PaintShop pro.

Soon as I have done a full security scan I will install what you posted.

Didn't realise you were a Wren! Do they allow you to take home your uniform?

awwww .. I bet you say that to all the Navy gals! <blush>

Actually, I use Photo Impact 11 .. pondering the upgrade to 12, if it has new features worth the investment. Tried all the high-end software, including CS and that monster Corel program, which I gave away and went right back to U Lead .. absolutely the best.

Glad you like the Real Draw program, too .. it seems to have some very useful features that would compliment our ULead programs.

I have never used photoshop myself, too expensive, so maybe I will have to give this a try.

I prefer Ulead PhotoImpact 12. Used every version except XP & 11 from and including version 6.

Thanks Bobby you're a dazler!

http://www.mediachance.com/realdraw/index.html

Real Draw combines vector, 2D, 3D and bitmap AND vector editing in one drawing package, without conversion operations and the need for multiple drawing packages. According to the author, it is the only program to combine all of these features.

Tucows said of Real Draw: 'Photoshop has some competition!' Pretty high praise, that.

Try someone else with the games, not sure about them so don't want to give bad advice.

Well browse to them and save them.

Then export them back.

I just did a soft restore, which reinstalled original MS software ... and disabled software I had purchased or downloaded.

I did try to back up my screen shots of the registration keys, but the WinRar file was corrupted in the soft-restore process. I did successfully export the registry before the crash (apparently caused by Advanced Windows Care .. which worked beautifully the first couple days) so I'm wondering if I could replace the registration keys for the past week's programs by culling them from that exported registry? The programs I really miss are Aston, Flash Spring, and ConceptDraw's Mind Map. The games would be nice, but those programs were genuine blessings.

Can anyone help?