Existing users, 
 MailSteward - 8.2.7Archive your e-mails in a database for later retrieval. |
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(4.2)
Feedback Summary:
| This Version: | |||||
| Overall Rating: | Not rated (0.0) | Features: | Not rated (0.0) | Support: | Not rated (0.0) |
| Ease of Use: | Not rated (0.0) | Quality / Stability: | Not rated (0.0) | Price: | Not rated (0.0) |
Key to Types of Feedback:
Reviews 
Troubleshooting 
Usage Tips 
Developer Notes 
Commentary 
Featured Reviews
Poor handling of upgrade policy - Version: 7.9.6, 5/9/2009 05:07AM PST
(4 of 5 users found this comment useful)
likes2read
I agree with several of the previous comments. I purchased this product with a "free upgrade" policy only to find out that shortly after, the developer decided to charge for upgrades with no apology. I understand that developers have to make a living, however, deceiving customers may not be the best way. Having lost trust in the developer who I feel handled this very poorly when I contacted him about the upgrade, I stopped using the program.
Most Recent Replies: View All 2 Replies
- Poor handling of upgrade policy
Absoulutely Perfect 
- Version: 8.0.7, 10/31/2008 12:26PM PST
(1 of 2 users found this comment useful)
jtrowbridge
Seamless automated backup of all my e-mail. Fantastic support for a program at a fair price. I consider it a must have for all my Macs.
Upgrade suggestion - Version: 8.0.7, 10/18/2008 07:00AM PST
(2 of 3 users found this comment useful)
john331
I'm a software developed and can confirm that I can't afford the time to fix/improve the software for nothing.
Here's a suggestion for an upgrade policy:
Free updates to the same second level versions - that is upgrades are free for 8.0.8, 8.0.9, 8.0.10 etc. These are generally bug fixes and customers deserve that for free.
Upgrades from 8.0.x to 8.1.x cost a small amount. They should not include simple bug fixes, but are added features. A person with 8.0 can skip updates, and pay just the single update price even though going from 8.0 to 8.4
New versions, ie 9.0.0, are major changes, major new features and power. A new price is set with a discount for current users.
Shareware is a cheap price for software, and no one should expect free-for-ever updates, regardless of what is said. You should expect bugs to be fixed. Bug fixes without new features and with a charge is wrong. What appears to have happened here is new features and bug fixes for a small charge -- that's reasonable.
For those that deleted your previous version and then found there was a charge. You should have been warned about the cost. You should have backed up and be able to restore the previous version. Forgive the author, forgive yourself.
Here's a suggestion for an upgrade policy:
Free updates to the same second level versions - that is upgrades are free for 8.0.8, 8.0.9, 8.0.10 etc. These are generally bug fixes and customers deserve that for free.
Upgrades from 8.0.x to 8.1.x cost a small amount. They should not include simple bug fixes, but are added features. A person with 8.0 can skip updates, and pay just the single update price even though going from 8.0 to 8.4
New versions, ie 9.0.0, are major changes, major new features and power. A new price is set with a discount for current users.
Shareware is a cheap price for software, and no one should expect free-for-ever updates, regardless of what is said. You should expect bugs to be fixed. Bug fixes without new features and with a charge is wrong. What appears to have happened here is new features and bug fixes for a small charge -- that's reasonable.
For those that deleted your previous version and then found there was a charge. You should have been warned about the cost. You should have backed up and be able to restore the previous version. Forgive the author, forgive yourself.
Most Recent Replies: View All 3 Replies
- Upgrade suggestion (1 replies)
Honest Developer. Exellent Turbo Support. Best App. - Version: 8.0.6, 9/20/2008 12:36PM PST
(1 of 2 users found this comment useful)
Yoruno
The best App. of it`s kind. Best and quickest support i ever see. Absolutely earns every cent you pay for it. Sure some people like all for free & write crap like revenge for 20 $ developer support, after long line of free upgrades. Don`t take care.
Most Recent Replies: View All 2 Replies
Dishonest Developer - Version: 8.0.6, 9/11/2008 08:44AM PST
(1 of 3 users found this comment useful)
21
Buyer BEWARE that this developer rips off customers by charging for what were supposed to be free upgrades!
You can even listen to the developer himself (set to music no less) lying about his upgrade policy here:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/mypodpromo/mspromo.mp3
"My policy has been that all registered users get free upgrades"
Yeah sure.
You can even listen to the developer himself (set to music no less) lying about his upgrade policy here:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/mypodpromo/mspromo.mp3
"My policy has been that all registered users get free upgrades"
Yeah sure.
Most Recent Replies: View All 2 Replies
I Gave In - Version: 8.0.3, 6/4/2008 02:46PM PST
(4 of 4 users found this comment useful)
mail117
I had been looking at this software since it was version 7.x where x was a large number and wondering if I should hang around for the next version to come out.
After all too much fruitless searching of emails in Mail I decided that I might as well bite the bullet and buy the app. As luck would have it the app had matured into v8 so I downloaded it and archived the 8,700 in Mail into MailSteward. It's not a quick process, so set aside some time, especially of you are still running a 1.33 PowerBook.
Good: I had a problem with an error message, which was sorted almost instantly by the author.
Good: I can find things again!
Bad: I wish that it had NOT statements in the field drop down menus. Not currently being an expert on SQL means that I will have to dig out the book to find out the right syntax as there is nothing in the Help file to give you a clue.
Bad: The dates are the wrong way around for us Brits. We like DDMMYYYY.
Bad: A family license would be good
Overall: Yes I like it. I would recommend it.
After all too much fruitless searching of emails in Mail I decided that I might as well bite the bullet and buy the app. As luck would have it the app had matured into v8 so I downloaded it and archived the 8,700 in Mail into MailSteward. It's not a quick process, so set aside some time, especially of you are still running a 1.33 PowerBook.
Good: I had a problem with an error message, which was sorted almost instantly by the author.
Good: I can find things again!
Bad: I wish that it had NOT statements in the field drop down menus. Not currently being an expert on SQL means that I will have to dig out the book to find out the right syntax as there is nothing in the Help file to give you a clue.
Bad: The dates are the wrong way around for us Brits. We like DDMMYYYY.
Bad: A family license would be good
Overall: Yes I like it. I would recommend it.
Disapointed - Version: 8.0.3, 6/3/2008 10:02PM PST
(4 of 6 users found this comment useful)
armandoarroyo
They told Free Upgrades, now not only i need to pay for the upgrade, i cant download the old version. so the developer is trying to Force us to upgrade!!! Bad Move. stay away.
Simply the best email archiver available for Mail.app - Version: 8.0.1, 5/14/2008 12:17PM PST
(2 of 3 users found this comment useful)
donperreault
I have been using MailSteward for well over a year. I tried almost every email archiver available before purchasing the full version of MailSteward and none compare to the features and speed of MailSteward.
Over the past year the developer has updated MailSteward over 20 times, adding features and fixing bugs. He made an error when he promised free upgrades. He is working very hard and doing his best to continue to keep MailSteward current.
Let's continue to reward him for his work so he doesn't abandon MailSteward to work on another application so he can survive.
Over the past year the developer has updated MailSteward over 20 times, adding features and fixing bugs. He made an error when he promised free upgrades. He is working very hard and doing his best to continue to keep MailSteward current.
Let's continue to reward him for his work so he doesn't abandon MailSteward to work on another application so he can survive.
Not worth the upgrade fee - Version: 8.0, 4/30/2008 01:22AM PST
(11 of 12 users found this comment useful)
Trevor Harley
First, as a piece of email archiving software, I have absolutely no complaints. I have used MailSteward for a year now and have found it to be reliable and easy to use - just what I wanted. So if you are buying this for the first time, fine.
However, I agree with the previous two reviewers. The upgrade policy is deceptive. In addition to the advertising about free upgrades, it isn't really obvious that v8.0 is a paid for upgrade. So I installed the update from VT, deleting the old copy as usual - only to discover that it costs $20.
To be honest, I wouldn't mind paying the upgrade if the new version was substantially different from the old, but as far as I can tell, it's exactly the same except for a new system of licensing and updating.
And even having said that, I would even pay a small sum for that. But to charge $20 largely for the convenience of the developer is a rip-off.
However, I agree with the previous two reviewers. The upgrade policy is deceptive. In addition to the advertising about free upgrades, it isn't really obvious that v8.0 is a paid for upgrade. So I installed the update from VT, deleting the old copy as usual - only to discover that it costs $20.
To be honest, I wouldn't mind paying the upgrade if the new version was substantially different from the old, but as far as I can tell, it's exactly the same except for a new system of licensing and updating.
And even having said that, I would even pay a small sum for that. But to charge $20 largely for the convenience of the developer is a rip-off.
Cancelling of free upgrades handled VERY POORLY. - Version: 8.0, 4/29/2008 06:30PM PST
(10 of 11 users found this comment useful)
jwiede
The simple reality is that the developer chose to advertise the product to date offering "free updates", not "free updates until I feel otherwise". I believe the developer means well, and had good intentions, but the way this situation is being handled is very poor compared to how other developers have handled similar transitions. Existing customers are not being treated in a professional manner.
There are ways the developer could have handled the change that would have been far more professional, fair and reasonable. For example, informing existing customers well in advance the policy would be moving to paid version upgrades, and changing the product advertising to state the new policy, with the "paid version upgrade" policy only enacting on the next version (or some reasonable period, say 6-12 months after notification).
Had this approach been taken, and the first paid version upgrade offer compelling reasons (for and upgrade costing a very substantial fraction of the initial cost), not all customers would be happy, but I believe most would understand and be accepting of the transition.
Instead, the developer created a situation where with virtually no notice, the stated free upgrade policy was recanted. To make matters worse, despite charging 30% of the initial cost, the upgrade in question consists primarily of bug fixes, not long after releasing a particularly nasty bug to the public. While recouping maintenance costs is reasonable, a 30% upgrade cost for bug fixes just isn't reasonable, particularly in context of the way the whole situation is being handled.
The approach taken ensures most customers feel misled (because we WERE misled). The developer's failure to even attempt to recognize the inequity of the situation just makes things worse. The approach also raises serious questions about the developer's ongoing commitment to existing customers, given the disrespectful way the transition has been handled.
Legal repercussions? Possible, but unlikely. That said, shareware relies heavily on word of mouth and online reviews, they both play an important role in sales. The kind of reputation and credibility damage from this kind of conduct tends to be long-lasting, and very harmful to small shareware developers. I suspect the developer is about to learn a rather nasty lesson in the role of developer reputation to shareware sales.
I guess what I'm saying is that while I was happy to purchase MailSteward, and would have gone along with a well-handled transition to paid version upgrades, the current approach really leaves me feeling misled and cheated. However diligent the developer's efforts and intentions, false advertising is inexcusable, and the developer's failure to make ANY attempt to mitigate the situation just comes off as further disregard and disrespect for us customers.
There are ways the developer could have handled the change that would have been far more professional, fair and reasonable. For example, informing existing customers well in advance the policy would be moving to paid version upgrades, and changing the product advertising to state the new policy, with the "paid version upgrade" policy only enacting on the next version (or some reasonable period, say 6-12 months after notification).
Had this approach been taken, and the first paid version upgrade offer compelling reasons (for and upgrade costing a very substantial fraction of the initial cost), not all customers would be happy, but I believe most would understand and be accepting of the transition.
Instead, the developer created a situation where with virtually no notice, the stated free upgrade policy was recanted. To make matters worse, despite charging 30% of the initial cost, the upgrade in question consists primarily of bug fixes, not long after releasing a particularly nasty bug to the public. While recouping maintenance costs is reasonable, a 30% upgrade cost for bug fixes just isn't reasonable, particularly in context of the way the whole situation is being handled.
The approach taken ensures most customers feel misled (because we WERE misled). The developer's failure to even attempt to recognize the inequity of the situation just makes things worse. The approach also raises serious questions about the developer's ongoing commitment to existing customers, given the disrespectful way the transition has been handled.
Legal repercussions? Possible, but unlikely. That said, shareware relies heavily on word of mouth and online reviews, they both play an important role in sales. The kind of reputation and credibility damage from this kind of conduct tends to be long-lasting, and very harmful to small shareware developers. I suspect the developer is about to learn a rather nasty lesson in the role of developer reputation to shareware sales.
I guess what I'm saying is that while I was happy to purchase MailSteward, and would have gone along with a well-handled transition to paid version upgrades, the current approach really leaves me feeling misled and cheated. However diligent the developer's efforts and intentions, false advertising is inexcusable, and the developer's failure to make ANY attempt to mitigate the situation just comes off as further disregard and disrespect for us customers.
