ShootEveryDemocRAT
2007-12-22 02:32:28 UTC
O.K. let me get this straight. You would never pay $100 for software no
matter how good it is. So if you knew how much the software costs before
installing it, why did you install the software to try it out and bitch
about it if you never had any intention of buying it in the first place?
No wonder Rick allegedly got upset with you. Your story makes no sense.
I mean why complain about something you never intended to purchase and
then attack the guy over it. The license of his software is not an eBay
bid - as in your willing to pay $20 - his price is $100 or whatever.
Maybe you didn't change the clock, but maybe it is a problem with your
system. In any case, it just seems foolishly fishy to me that you are
trying software you would never buy no matter how good it was. Then
complain about the trial period expiring before the 30 days.
matter how good it is. So if you knew how much the software costs before
installing it, why did you install the software to try it out and bitch
about it if you never had any intention of buying it in the first place?
No wonder Rick allegedly got upset with you. Your story makes no sense.
I mean why complain about something you never intended to purchase and
then attack the guy over it. The license of his software is not an eBay
bid - as in your willing to pay $20 - his price is $100 or whatever.
Maybe you didn't change the clock, but maybe it is a problem with your
system. In any case, it just seems foolishly fishy to me that you are
trying software you would never buy no matter how good it was. Then
complain about the trial period expiring before the 30 days.
Hi all. I wanted to bring this to the attention of the ham community and
also find out if anyone else has had similar dealings with CSS, Inc.,
(specifically Rick Ruhl, W4PC), maker of PacTerm 98, a Windows terminal
software for Kantronics TNCs and others.
My first email to the company is as follows. The help file stated that bug
that the below email is nothing more than that... two bug reports and my
feedback on the product.
Hi there
Installed PacTerm three days ago. Program does not run, claiming my 30
days are up and it exits. Help file states that after 30 days the software
should
continue to function in a limited state.
Not sure why demo period expired after only three days.
Also the uninstall process does not complete successfully, locks up
shortly after
starting.
Lastly, the software is not worth a hundred bucks. Sorry but I would only
be
willing to pay $20.
-- Curtis
<<<
In light of what follows, perhaps I would reword my last paragraph in the
future. The truth is, as much as I liked the software, I would simply not
pay a hundred bucks for it. Frankly, most packet-related hardware and
commercial software is horribly overpriced these days. I can't believe new
TNCs are still over $200. Anyone checked recently how much a 1200 baud
modem goes for?
Now, since Rick threatened me with a copyright suit, I can't show you the
email he wrote back. It's too bad cause it's pretty entertaining (but I
would be happy to show it privately to anyone who asks). I can tell you
that he treated me with no respect and I felt very insulted. I was accused
of changing the clock to get around the thirty day demo (which is simply
untrue) and I was called a "cheap ham". Apparently us "cheap hams" change
clocks to keep from paying for software.
He went on to say that he doesn't even want me as a customer, nor does he
want any cheap know-it-all hams like me as a customer. Then he called me
scrooge and told me to have a nice holiday.
Here I would like to note, and I am being completely honest here, that I
did not make any attempts (including changing my clock) to cheat this
person out of their software.
I can understand that I probably ticked him off with my feedback but I
would have expected a software company to be open-minded to any feedback,
positive or negative. I even told him that in later emails, but obviously
he does not care about customer feedback.
I still don't believe that I deserved such a response. My next response to
him is as follows.
Thanks for your timely response. It's really quite amazing to me that you
would be so negative and unprofessional in your dealings with customers
and/or potential customers. I really don't appreciate being accused of
attempting to cheat you out of your software.
I actually liked the program. The honest-to-God truth is that I did not
change the clock on my computer when I installed the software.
Another truth is that I am not judging anyone. I was simply giving you
feedback with my own personal opinion. I would expect that any software
developer would be happy to receive positive or negative feedback in order
to allow them to better their product.
It's too bad that you needed to disregard any level of professionalism.
Any
considerations I had for purchasing your software are now gone. I will be
taking my business elsewhere.
I have also posted these letters on QRZ, QTH, and ARRL forums for the
world
to see. I don't expect any other potential customers would want to do
business with someone as unprofessional as yourself.
Curtis
<<<
That made him even more upset and that's when he threatened to have his
lawyer call me. I told him I would be happy to speak to his lawyer. I'm
still waiting for that phone call, by the way.
Another email or two were exchanged but it became obvious rather quickly
that it was going nowhere and all he was doing was venting his anger at me
because I decided to "be a 'ham' and be offensive". (Does this mean all
'hams' are offensive? I don't get it.)
I ended my last email to him by telling him as far as I am concerned the
matter is closed and no reponse is needed. Of course I got another
inflammatory response which I ignored.
I notified Kantronics of the matter, because if I were them I certainly
would not want somebody like Rick Ruhl associated with me.
Please feel free to post a reply, I'd be more than happy to discuss this
with anyone. I'm sure anyone here would be much more mature than Rick was.
I was never looking for trouble, I was being civil the whole time and he
decided to throw a tantrum.
-- Curtis
also find out if anyone else has had similar dealings with CSS, Inc.,
(specifically Rick Ruhl, W4PC), maker of PacTerm 98, a Windows terminal
software for Kantronics TNCs and others.
My first email to the company is as follows. The help file stated that bug
that the below email is nothing more than that... two bug reports and my
feedback on the product.
Hi there
Installed PacTerm three days ago. Program does not run, claiming my 30
days are up and it exits. Help file states that after 30 days the software
should
continue to function in a limited state.
Not sure why demo period expired after only three days.
Also the uninstall process does not complete successfully, locks up
shortly after
starting.
Lastly, the software is not worth a hundred bucks. Sorry but I would only
be
willing to pay $20.
-- Curtis
<<<
In light of what follows, perhaps I would reword my last paragraph in the
future. The truth is, as much as I liked the software, I would simply not
pay a hundred bucks for it. Frankly, most packet-related hardware and
commercial software is horribly overpriced these days. I can't believe new
TNCs are still over $200. Anyone checked recently how much a 1200 baud
modem goes for?
Now, since Rick threatened me with a copyright suit, I can't show you the
email he wrote back. It's too bad cause it's pretty entertaining (but I
would be happy to show it privately to anyone who asks). I can tell you
that he treated me with no respect and I felt very insulted. I was accused
of changing the clock to get around the thirty day demo (which is simply
untrue) and I was called a "cheap ham". Apparently us "cheap hams" change
clocks to keep from paying for software.
He went on to say that he doesn't even want me as a customer, nor does he
want any cheap know-it-all hams like me as a customer. Then he called me
scrooge and told me to have a nice holiday.
Here I would like to note, and I am being completely honest here, that I
did not make any attempts (including changing my clock) to cheat this
person out of their software.
I can understand that I probably ticked him off with my feedback but I
would have expected a software company to be open-minded to any feedback,
positive or negative. I even told him that in later emails, but obviously
he does not care about customer feedback.
I still don't believe that I deserved such a response. My next response to
him is as follows.
Thanks for your timely response. It's really quite amazing to me that you
would be so negative and unprofessional in your dealings with customers
and/or potential customers. I really don't appreciate being accused of
attempting to cheat you out of your software.
I actually liked the program. The honest-to-God truth is that I did not
change the clock on my computer when I installed the software.
Another truth is that I am not judging anyone. I was simply giving you
feedback with my own personal opinion. I would expect that any software
developer would be happy to receive positive or negative feedback in order
to allow them to better their product.
It's too bad that you needed to disregard any level of professionalism.
Any
considerations I had for purchasing your software are now gone. I will be
taking my business elsewhere.
I have also posted these letters on QRZ, QTH, and ARRL forums for the
world
to see. I don't expect any other potential customers would want to do
business with someone as unprofessional as yourself.
Curtis
<<<
That made him even more upset and that's when he threatened to have his
lawyer call me. I told him I would be happy to speak to his lawyer. I'm
still waiting for that phone call, by the way.
Another email or two were exchanged but it became obvious rather quickly
that it was going nowhere and all he was doing was venting his anger at me
because I decided to "be a 'ham' and be offensive". (Does this mean all
'hams' are offensive? I don't get it.)
I ended my last email to him by telling him as far as I am concerned the
matter is closed and no reponse is needed. Of course I got another
inflammatory response which I ignored.
I notified Kantronics of the matter, because if I were them I certainly
would not want somebody like Rick Ruhl associated with me.
Please feel free to post a reply, I'd be more than happy to discuss this
with anyone. I'm sure anyone here would be much more mature than Rick was.
I was never looking for trouble, I was being civil the whole time and he
decided to throw a tantrum.
-- Curtis