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Advanced SearchUser Name Christopher Midville
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Total number of Feedback Posts: 15
Total number of comments: 22
Last 10 Feedback Posts by Christopher Midville [ Search for All ]
ClamXav 1.1.0 (Mac OS X)
In addition to the problems with Sentry noted by other reviewers, I discovered it's difficult to get the ClamXav contextual menu working properly if the system language is set to Japanese. A search of the web turned up a solution: open the CMI package and delete the Japanese resources. The CM shows up in English, but it does seem to work. Perhaps there's a flaw in the localization? I also noticed that ClamXav seems to have problems with multiple user accounts. I installed my copy using my admin account, and it has no trouble doing a basic scan when run from that account. But when I try to run a scan from another (normal) user account, the app reports errors. I'm not sure if this problem is specific to Japanese or not. [alert admin]
Wednesday, May 07 2008 @ 06:29 AM PDT
Symantec Norton AntiVirus 11.0 (Mac OS X)
Having gotten tired of trying to get ClamXAV to work, I decided to try a more polished antivirus solution and so purchased this package for my Mac Mini (with an eye to buying two more copies for our laptops). After trying to install it, I've decided it isn't worth the asking price. The installation process seemed to go fairly well until the very end, when suddenly Little Snitch popped up to tell me that the installer was trying to contact Symantec's servers. Neither the manual nor the installer mentioned that the installer would be doing this, and there did not seem to be any obvious reason why the installer should need to phone home, so I denied the connection. Next LiveUpdate launched and asked me if I wanted to update my installation. This struck me as more reasonable than having the installer phone home, but I decided I might as well wait until after installation completed and the Mini rebooted. So I said no. Then I waited for the installer to finish. And waited. And waited. And waited. The installer just sat there, its progress bar poised near the end but not quite touching it. Nothing happened. I got the feeling that the installer was waiting for LiveUpdate to tell it that the update was complete. I guess the folks at Symantec, having programmed LiveUpdate to ask the user a yes or no question, never stopped to think that not everyone would say yes. Ultimately I had to force-quit the installer. Fortunately the Uninstaller program installed by the package worked more or less as advertised. I really have to give Symantec a big thumbs-down for this mess. I'm always less than impressed when a software company tries to sell a product that's supposed to do some fairly complicated processing, and yet cannot manage to get a simple installation script right. Bit of a laugh, eh? But I'm not laughing about the installer that tried to phone home. Symantec, that's just NOT the right way to do things. I don't care even if the installer was simply trying to verify the latest software version. The software comes with an updating service, in the form of LiveUpdate. Let that handle the updates, and keep the installer away from my network connection! The right thing to do would be to have the installer (1) finish up the installation on its own without ever going anywhere near my ethernet port, then (2) reboot the computer. Once the computer reboots you can (3) have LiveUpdate launch and ask the user for permission to use the internet. This is the time-honored, POLITE way of doing things. Had you bothered to follow this protocol, you would have sold me three copies of your software. As it is, you've sold NONE. Symantec folks, read my lips: You're trying to sell me software that protects my Macs from viruses. If I even THINK about buying your product, it's because I'm concerned about my Mac's security. If you want me to give you money, I have to believe you also care whether my Mac is secure. This being the case, do you really think it's wise to have your installer phoning home without the user's knowledge or permission? Do you really think your customers want to trust the security of their computers to a company that adopts a cavalier attitude to the security it's supposed to be protecting? [alert admin]
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Wednesday, May 07 2008 @ 01:54 AM PDT
Zuma Deluxe 1.0 (Mac OS X)
Like I've said elsewhere, I'm not much of a casual game player. Even so, I have to agree with my wife (the Tetris freak in our family) that this is a fun game. It's got a bit of depth to it; not only are you trying to explode marbles as they roll around behind each other and into tunnels, etc. but there are coins to shoot (assuming you can get past the marbles in front of them), bonuses for shooting through gaps, and so on. It makes for a lot of stuff to concentrate on all at once, and the game gets pretty challenging pretty quickly (starting at around level 3-4). And yes, there IS a universal binary of this game now, so I guess PopCap cares more about us Mac gamers than Sebastian thought. It may not be available from MacGameStore (at least I don't believe MGS has it as of this writing), but it can be downloaded from PopCap's website. So if you're looking for a fun, frenetic casual game to play on your Intel Mac, head over and check it out. The UB version I'm playing is polished and very stable. Oh, and the music is great! [alert admin]
Wednesday, August 22 2007 @ 10:34 AM PDT
Bejeweled 2 Deluxe 1.0d (Mac OS X)
I'm usually not very interested in casual games, but it's nice to have one around for those times when a more involved game would just be too much. My wife is a casual game specialist, though, and she swears by this game. I did notice some problems with the music in an earlier version, but I currently using a universal binary version that is very polished and extremely solid. Since it's now Intel-native it loads faster and runs a bit smoother than it used to. The gameplay is pretty good, albeit simple. Like Tetris, it's one of those games that has a bit of depth but not much variety. Even so, it does have a Puzzle mode that can be very thought provoking. If I had to criticize this game, I'd have to say I wish there was some way to turn off the automatic hints that pop up if you take time thinking about your next move. For one thing, they're not very good hints: it looks like the game just shows you the first possible move it finds, which is not necessarily the best move to make at that point in the game. And as long as these the game gives automatic hints there's really no need to click the big "HINT" button on the screen, which I believe penalizes you for asking for help by knocking a few points off the score. That quibble aside, though, this game is a good value whether you're looking for mindless Tetris-style fun or brain-teasing puzzles. [alert admin]
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Wednesday, August 22 2007 @ 10:04 AM PDT
Mystic Inn 1.0.8b (Mac OS X)
I purchased this game from MacGameStore for my wife, who really likes mindless point-and-click action games, but neither she nor I have really played it much. Our experience with this game is the same as that I described for Fairies, but I'll repeat it here so you won't have to look for it elsewhere. The reason I haven't played the game much, and have finally deleted it from my machine, is the existence of several issues that made the game less than fun. At first there was a problem with the MGS version that caused the game to lose its registration codes every couple weeks (they were probably being deleted by periodic maintenance routines). It took half a year and several emails to get a new version of the game in which this problem had been fixed. (MacGameStore initially responded promptly with promises that the new version would be ready in a couple days, but those promises fell through and eventually they started ignoring my emails.) The new version did not lose the serial numbers, but suffered from sporadic crashes. (Like another reviewer who had problems with the game, I am also running it on Mac OS X 10.4, which may have something to do with the problem.) I found it was rare to get through a game session of any length, so the game was basically unplayable. After my experiences trying to get the serial number bug fixed, I decided I didn't want the headache of trying to get any more support from MacGameStore and simply deleted the game. If you're looking for a light casual game then you may want to try this one, but I'd suggest that you test it extensively before purchasing. If you can play it for a couple hours without a crash, then it's probably safe to buy. You also might want to avoid the MacGameStore version. My recommendation, though, would be to check out PopCap's products, particularly Bejeweled 2 and Zuma. They're very polished and rock-solid, and available as universal binaries to boot. [alert admin]
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Wednesday, August 22 2007 @ 09:44 AM PDT
Fairies 1.4b (Mac OS X)
I purchased this game from MacGameStore and haven't really played it much. Another reviewer compared it to Bejeweled 2, which is reasonable. The gameplay is similar in some ways, and although Bejeweled 2 is a far superior game, this seemed like an interesting and relaxing alternative. The reason I haven't played the game much, and have finally deleted it from my machine, is the existence of several issues that made the game less than fun. At first there was a problem with the MGS version that caused the game to lose its registration codes every couple weeks (they were probably being deleted by periodic maintenance routines). It took half a year and several emails to get a new version of the game in which this problem had been fixed. (MacGameStore initially responded promptly with promises that the new version would be ready in a couple days, but those promises fell through and eventually they started ignoring my emails.) The new version did not lose the serial numbers, but suffered from sporadic crashes. (Like another reviewer who had problems with the game, I am also running it on Mac OS X 10.4, which may have something to do with the problem.) I found it was rare to get through a game session of any length, so the game was basically unplayable. After my experiences trying to get the serial number bug fixed, I decided I didn't want the headache of trying to get any more support from MacGameStore and simply deleted the game. If you're looking for a light, relaxing puzzle game then you may want to try this one, but I'd suggest that you test it extensively before purchasing. If you can play it for a couple hours without a crash, then it's probably safe to buy. You also might want to avoid the MacGameStore version. My recommendation, though, would be to check out Bejeweled 2. It's a superior game for more or less the same price, very polished, and rock-solid. And there's a universal binary available! [alert admin]
Wednesday, August 22 2007 @ 09:37 AM PDT
StuffIt Expander 11.0.1 (Mac OS X)
The application launches okay on my MacBook Pro, but I cannot get the preference pane to open. I deleted all the Stuffit-related prefs as per the instructions in the Readme file, but nothing works. I can't use a version of Stuffit that won't let me tell it which file types it should handle. I've gone back to 11.0.0. Really, I've stopped expecting anything better from Smith Micro. [alert admin]
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Tuesday, November 28 2006 @ 04:22 PM PST
ChronoSync 3.3.3 (Mac OS X)
A much better synchronization option 
Until recently I was using Qdea's Synchronize! Plus on my three Macs. I was fairly pleased with the functionality of that app, until I installed Little Snitch and found that it included an unwelcome feature: it was phoning home, and at a suspicious timing at that. (See my review of that application for details.) I was so unhappy with Qdea that I started looking for a replacement. What I ran across was this gem of a program. It does everything Synchronize! Plus does and more, and can be set up to handle a variety of sychronization and backup plans. I've only begun to scratch the surface with what this program can do, but I can see it will keep me happy for a while. What's more, Econ Technologies is offering free upgrades for life! I have to say I appreciate a developer who is THAT prepared to stand by their products. More power to you guys! [alert admin]
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Friday, November 03 2006 @ 11:02 PM PST
Macaroni 2.0.7 (Mac OS X)
Good program, lukewarm support (if that) 
I purchased three licenses for more Macaroni more than a year ago, and was very pleased with its performance on my Macs. It did everything it said it would, and it did it quietly, without fuss. The interface could be a bit slicker, but all in all it seemed a very good program. Then it came time to upgrade to Tiger, and I found I had a question about the relationship between Macaroni and launchd. I posted my question on Atomic Bird's official support site, and emailed the author, and was completely ignored. I'm not sure why he hasn't bothered to answer my question (it seems a lot of the questions posted on that site go unanswered), but I'm feeling a bit miffed. For the first year or so this program impressed me enough that I would normally want to give it at least four stars; the lack of support, however, forces me to give it only three stars. [alert admin]
Post a comment | More Info | 2 of 2 users found this helpful
Friday, November 03 2006 @ 10:28 PM PST
Synchronize! X Plus 3.0 (Mac OS X)
Good software, too bad the company lacks scruples
I have been using Qdea products for several years, and am currently an owner of three licenses for Synchronize! X Plus. I rate this product generally high in terms of quality and features; it has been a handy product to have around. Until just recently I thought it well worth the asking price. Just recently, however, I installed Little Snitch and learned that the product was phoning home to a server named wealth.icompute.com each time I used to to run a backup or synchronization. I consider this timing extremely suspicious. If Qdea's aim is to keep track of who's using their products, this connection could easily be made upon launch. The fact that it waits until I have selected files to be copied makes it seem as if the program is actually taking private information from my computer. I don't know if this is the case, but I'm not willing to trust Qdea any further. As someone who has paid for three software licenses, I expect a bit more in the way of scruples. Sorry, Qdea, but you've just "protected" yourself out of receiving any further money from me. [alert admin]
Read Comments (1) | More Info | 7 of 7 users found this helpful
Monday, August 14 2006 @ 10:03 PM PDT
Last 10 Comments by Christopher Midville [ Search for All ]
And if it doesn't work, will that software help unresponsive customer service? I didn't think so ... and I don't care to send good money after bad.
Original feedback item : Read More
Wednesday, May 07 2008 @ 02:00 AM PDT
Buy it from PopCap at http://www.popcap.com/. They are the developers of the game, so if you buy from them you can be sure you will be able to get all updates as soon as they are released. (MacGameStore is just a retailer of this software; they should not be listed as the developer.)
Original feedback item : Read More
Saturday, November 24 2007 @ 10:54 AM PST
The download link associated with this page will take you to MacGameStore, which (at least at present) does not have the universal binary version. If you've got an Intel Mac you might want to visit the developer's site: http://www.popcap.com/
Original feedback item : Read More
Wednesday, August 22 2007 @ 10:15 AM PDT
The Upgrade Charge Is Quite Unsettling and Callous to NWX Supporters!
If you look back at the comments for Nisus Writer Express version 1.1a, you'll find I posted a comment expressing my anger and disappointment at the fact that Nisus didn't provide an upgrade path for users of Nisus Writer 5. To get upgrade pricing for NW Express you had to have bought Nisus Writer 6, which was not a very appealing package since it didn't include any "must-have" features that (in my opinion) would justify…
Original feedback item : Read More(1 words)
Wednesday, August 22 2007 @ 07:50 AM PDT
It works, its free and there are direct download links
If you pay, you can complain? Who the bloody blue blazes do you think you are? Unless you are an employee of TechTracker, Inc. you have absolutely no right to say who can say what in this forum. When we download a program and use it, we invest our time, effort, and our computer's resources in it, to however small a degree. If that program does not perform as advertised, or if it uses our computers…
Original feedback item : Read More(1 words)
Tuesday, November 28 2006 @ 04:31 PM PST
Still crashes when opening preferences on PPC macs
Oddly enough, I can't open the preferences at all on my Intel machine. It seems as if they've managed to break it for me while trying to fix it for you!
Original feedback item : Read More
Tuesday, November 28 2006 @ 04:24 PM PST
Good software, too bad the company lacks scruples
I thought I ought to mention that I have now replaced this program with a fine little app named ChronoSync by Econ Technologies. This utility does everything Synchronize! Plus does and more, it has a very slick interface, and the developer offers free updates for life! Now I'm wondering where they've been all my life.
Original feedback item : Read More
Friday, November 03 2006 @ 10:51 PM PST
Or provide someway for the author to delete repeats!
Original feedback item : Read More
Friday, November 03 2006 @ 10:31 PM PST
Wish VT would fix whatever it is makes these comments repeat!
Original feedback item : Read More
Thursday, June 29 2006 @ 03:35 AM PDT
Certainly it would be wise to keep separate copies of all passwords stored in a shareware app during a trial period. However, anyone might space out and forget to do so. These things happen. If the trial period could suddenly come to an end and make it impossible to retrieve information stored in the app, then the author owes it to folks to let them know exactly when this will happen.
Original feedback item : Read More
Thursday, June 29 2006 @ 02:04 AM PDT
