Existing users, 
User Name pderby
Member Since 2000-04-04
Total number of Feedback Posts: 97
Total number of comments: 3
Last 10 Feedback Posts by pderby [ Search for All ]
CrashPlan 01.06.2009 (Mac OS X)
Crashplan looses SMB connections 
I've been trying to get Crashplan to work with OS X to backup files from a MacBook Pro to a local network SMB mount point. Even though OS X can see the mount point just fine and I can navigate the mount point with the finder, Crashplan fails to connect to the storage device. The Crashplan screen shows the device but fails to make the connection. If this gets "fixed", Crashplan would be fantastic. But right now I would make sure you have other backup until Crashplan works. [alert admin]
Tuesday, January 20 2009 @ 04:38 PM PST
VPN Tracker 5.4 (Mac OS X)
I use both CISCO's VPN Client and VPN Tracker. VPN Tracker will establish a VPN connection through a tethered bluetooth mobile phone connection. CISCO's VPN client will not do this (at least that I could figure out). So if you need a robust VPN tool that works with most anything including bluetooth IP connections, VPN tracker is great. The times I've needed technical support they have answered my configuration questions overnight with knowledgeable staff. The built in capability to generate a support request and the extensive logging options are extremely well done. [alert admin]
Wednesday, November 05 2008 @ 05:17 AM PST
Intuit Quicken 2006 R6 (Mac OS X)
Unable to recover corrupt file
For some reason, after using Quicken for Mac for many many years, my data file became corrupted. Rebuilding the index didn't solve the problem. I can limp along with the corrupt file, but it is damaged and Quicken doesn't have good analysis and repair utilities for fixing corrupt files or even letting you know what is corrupt in the file so you can delete and reenter transactions. I tried to find a good backup, but the corruption snuck in before the error messages started, so my backups are also corrupt. I looked for a decent replacement competitive product and didn't feel comfortable with the two that are emerging for the Mac market. So I bought Quicken 2008 for Windows and now run Quicken using Parallels. I hate doing this, but I need full featured financial software. I hope Quicken eventually makes a good product for the Mac, a product where you can use the data file from either Windows or OS X and a product that checks the file integrity often and gives detailed diagnostics about corruption when the corruption happens. Migrating from OS X quicken to Windows Quicken is brutally hard. The export/import doesn't work well. Lots of issues to deal with too numerous to list here. The Quicken instructions are terrible, too. It took me 3+ days to do the migration with a lot of repetitive entry to get my 2008 data entered and full securities data entered. I'll just use Quicken for the Mac as my "history". I think Quicken for the Mac is one of the worst maintained products and a textbook example of bad software implementation. If only there was a good, full featured alternative! [alert admin]
Post a comment | More Info | 2 of 2 users found this helpful
Friday, August 15 2008 @ 01:17 PM PDT
VersionTracker Pro 4.5.1 (Mac OS X)
Version Tracker Pro getting worse and worse
For years and years I've used Version Tracker and Version Tracker Pro to keep my software up to date. It seems that VersionTracker Pro has gotten worse and worse over the last year. I just ran VT Pro where it says I have 47 pieces of out of date software. Most of these are bogus entries. For instance VT tells me my version of BBecit is 8.7.2 and the current version is 8.7.2 and needs to be updated. VT Pro keeps telling me my Flash Player.plugin is out of date but the Adobe Updater in CS3 says I have the latest. and it goes on and on and on with VT Pro saying more and more programs need updates that don't. I would like to move on to something better. Anyone have an alternative to VT Pro since VT Pro is getting close to joining the club of "software that totally sucks". [alert admin]
Read Comments (4) | More Info | 6 of 6 users found this helpful
Tuesday, April 15 2008 @ 08:12 AM PDT
Intuit Quicken 2006 R6 (Mac OS X)
Quicken for Mac terrible for managing securities
Quicken for Mac ties to a "quotes server" provided by Intuit. Over the past few months fewer and fewer prices are updated. You don't know what wasn't updated until you carefully check prices of each security and dates. I would not recommend spending any money to license this product at this time. It seems that Intuit has let this product slip into an unusable state if you need to track securities. Unfortunately, I don't know of another product to recommend to replace Quicken, either. This is a great opportunity for an entrepreneur to take over the home accounting software market for Mac users. [alert admin]
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Monday, December 24 2007 @ 12:00 PM PST
Readiris Pro 11.5.6 (Mac OS 9, Mac OS X)
Version Tracker reports a Version 11.5.6 exists. How to move my version from 11.0.4 to 11.5.6 escapes me. The "search for updates" under the HELP menu says there is no update. So I search the Readiris web site and try to phone this company for 2 months now, calling and leaving word, I've concluded they do not have technical support. So if you buy this product, you are on your own. [alert admin]
Post a comment | More Info | 2 of 2 users found this helpful
Thursday, December 13 2007 @ 10:31 AM PST
VPN Tracker 4.9.2 (Mac OS X)
Great product especially for GPRS connections
VPN Tracker is the only way I've found to do VPN over a bluetooth port to my mobile phone. At times I need VPN access and the only connectivity I have is through the mobile GPRS network (T-Mobile). If I'm using Airport or ethernet ports both VPN Tracker and Cicso's VPNClient both work great. For Bluetooth/GPRS only VPN Tracker works for me. It takes less than 4 seconds for me to establish a VPN connection from my MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo, so VPN Tracker speed is not an issue for me. I'm very happy with VPN Tracker. [alert admin]
Tuesday, May 22 2007 @ 07:04 AM PDT
PGP Desktop Home 9.5.3 (Mac OS X)
I've used PGP for ages and it did work pretty well up to version 9. Since then it has been too intrusive with the mail proxy approach and too many bugs. I didn't know what a pain PGP was until I stumbled onto Thawte's free x.509 certificates for encrypting and signing email. OS X supports these certificates nicely in mail, the address book and the keychain. The integration is nice and clean and the interface is just a couple of buttons to click if you want to sign and/or encrypt. I even tracked down a couple of Thawte notaries so my certificate is tied to me, instead of my email address, for even better security comfort. I'll keep PGP around to read my old emails and decrypt one folder with sensitive info inside. But I've decided to end my contributions to PGP efforts and go the x.509 route which is nicely integrated into OS X. Check out http://www.thawte.com/secure-email/personal-email-certificates/index.html# if signing and encrypting email takes care of your needs. Thawte's web page and process to get the certificate is cumbersome and a little confusing. They act like Macs don't exist, but once you get your own certificate installed, you will love the seamless integration compared to fighting with PGP. [alert admin]
Post a comment | More Info | 2 of 4 users found this helpful
Thursday, March 29 2007 @ 06:23 AM PDT
VPN Tracker 4.8 (Mac OS X)
VPN Tracker and the support is excellent
I have a CISCO 800 series router for my home network. VPN Tracker is the only solution I know of that allows me to access my home network while I'm travelling in airports and road stops and sitting the back of taxi cabs using my mobile phone to get to my home network. The CISCO VPN client works well if I have access to an ethernet port (wired or wireless). However, the CISCO VPN client will not do a VPN connection via Bluetooth to a mobile phone used as a modem to the internet using GPRS. But VPN Tracker does understand both ethernet ports and the Bluetooth port. With version 4.8 you can have a minimal "easy VPN" configuration set up in the CISCO router and use VPN Tracker on your MacBook to get to your remote network securely. The company worked with me for over 2 weeks to resolve one problem that was stopping VPN Tracker from working in my setup. It took a little work to get the right dumps and settings to them, but they stuck with me and released version 4.8 that solved the connection problem. I, personally, think the price they charge for a VPN client, the much better documentation than that provided by CISCO, and the support, is well worth the price. If you are a travelling "road warrior" and need the most robust VPN client to get back to your home or corporate network, the VPN Tracker is the way to go. [alert admin]
Post a comment | More Info | 4 of 4 users found this helpful
Friday, September 29 2006 @ 06:33 AM PDT
Parallels Desktop 2.2.1884.0 (Mac OS X)
Parallels works great for me most of the time
I use Parallels daily for accessing windows specific web sites and running the ESRI ARC GIS software suite which is only available under windows. In these areas I have NO problems. USB support is weak, but that is a tough area to interface. Each release is getting more robust USB support. I look forward to seamless USB in the future. I'm running a MacBook Pro, which has been on the market long enough for the Parallels team to analyze and interface their software solution and Parallels works quite well on the MacBook Pro. [alert admin]
Friday, September 08 2006 @ 05:11 AM PDT
Last 10 Comments by pderby [ Search for All ]
The ".ART4" file is on your installation CD and would have been installed when you originally installed DIscus or would have been in the Discus folder. If you ditched your Discus folder, you have to reinstall. When you upgrade all you do is replace the Discus application inside the DIscus folder to get the new features. The "art" file, which is around 790MB, stays the same.
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Monday, November 19 2007 @ 04:20 AM PST
The developer posted his intentions regarding this wonderful tool on SourceForge: http://junkmatcher.sourceforge.net/News/index.html So it looks like there is hope, we all just need to wait for Ben to get the time.
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Sunday, June 11 2006 @ 09:25 AM PDT
I export OmniGraffle diagrams as TIFF instead of JPEG and paste the diagrams into PowerPoint. If I export at 300 dpi I get wonderful results even on large format printers. 150 dpi works well for letter (A4) size printing.
Original feedback item : Read More
Friday, May 20 2005 @ 04:00 AM PDT
