User Profile for YourNameHere

OpenBase SQL 10.0.5 (Mac OS X)

Be prepared to PAY for help to get this running  

This product is VERY difficult to install, particularly if you are trying to upgrade a prior version and move that upgraded version to a new server. Unfortunately, the help offered by the vendor is virtually non-existent. When I tried to get help, all I got was a form email response "recommending" that I purchase their support package. Really! After paying a couple thousand dollars to buy the package, they want me to spend another couple of thousand to get it running? This product may be better than MYSQL, but the support certainly is not. I am very disappointed. [alert admin]

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Thursday, February 15 2007 @ 03:19 AM PST

Macromedia Contribute 3.11 (Mac OS X)

Updater broke my registration  

Installing the 3.11 update requires you to re-enter your registration number. However, at least for me, after installing the update, my registration number was no longer accepted. [alert admin]

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Sunday, October 16 2005 @ 05:08 AM PDT

Brushfire 2.1 (Mac OS 9, Mac OS X)

Will it work with Filemaker 7.0? - I think not.  

This product worked great with Filemaker 6.0. Unfortunately, just after Brushfire 2.0 was released, Filemaker came out with a new version (7.0) which adopted a radically different file structure. When I last checked, Brushfire 2 did not support Filemaker 7.0. Maybe, the developeer has since rectified this issue--but I doubt it, as their web site does not suggest that FM7 even exists. Therefore, if you are using FM 7 (or if you plan to), I would not recommend this product until the developer commits to supporting FM7. That said, the quality of the product was quite good with FM6, so I would not hesitate to give it a try. If I am wrong about FM7 support, I trust someone will correct me. [alert admin]

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Wednesday, July 07 2004 @ 06:12 PM PDT

Kotoba 1.3 (Mac OS X)

Great program - but be careful - lexicon errors  

Great program, but be careful with the user-contributed lexica. The JLPT-4 lexicon appears to have some Kanji errors. I'd suggest having a native Japanese speaker check before you use this lexicon. Otherwise, you may end up learning things you will have to correct later. Example: find the word for "skilled" in the lexicon. You'll see the lexicon creator has substituted the Kanji for "un" in place of the Kanji for "upper." The same problem carries through with other words that appear to confuse "un" (fu) with "upper" (ue). Fortunately, the Kotoba program allows you to correct the lexicon. [alert admin]

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Monday, December 15 2003 @ 07:07 PM PST

WriteKanji 1.0.2 (Mac OS X)

Current version has fixed font problem-Program  

Thankfully, the developer has fixed the font issue. Version 1.0.2 is definitely worth checking out--as is the Heisig book for which this program is designed to support. If you are using the Heisig book, this program will definitely be helpful to you. You pick the range of kanji you are studying, and the program generates a flashcard test--in the way Heisig would approve: the program displays the English meaning and you then have X seconds to write your answer (in kanji) on a piece of paper. The program then shows you the correct answer. Most kanji flashcard programs show the kanji first, and then have the student pick the English meaning. While this is also a useful drill, the Heisig book encourages the opposite approach. According to Heisig, if the student learns how to write the kanji character, the reverse process--how to recognize the kanji character--is free. Once trained to generate the kanji, the brain handles the reverse process automatically. [alert admin]

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Wednesday, August 06 2003 @ 06:11 PM PDT

WriteKanji 1.0.1 (Mac OS X)

Kanji Font Bug or Inadequate Instructions render Program Not Useful  

This program could be useful for practicing the Heisig kanji learning method--once the bug is fixed so that the software program will actually display the kanji characters. In Heisig's method, the student first learns to associate kanji character with meaning. The entire Heisig volume one is devoted to this. No Japanese pronunciations are taught until volume two. That is perhaps why the developer did not give any kana pronunciation information on the flash cards. A key component of Heisig's method, lacking from this software program, exploits the human ability to remember a story. Heisig explains that this part of our brain works much better than the part that memorizes visual information. Heisig thus conjures up short stories for each kanji character that are designed to help one remember how to draw the character. For example the kanji character for "risk" is a combination of "sun" above "eye." Heisig's story for this is in the form of a cautionary warning not to look directly into the sun, or you "risk" injuring your eye. It would be nice if these flash cards could include stripped down versions of these stories, as these are the Heisig link between kanji character appearance and meaning. [alert admin]

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Tuesday, July 22 2003 @ 05:01 AM PDT

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