Existing users, 
User Name summerstormpictures
Member Since 2006-11-06
Total number of Feedback Posts: 66
Total number of comments: 16
Last 10 Feedback Posts by summerstormpictures [ Search for All ]
Parachute 1.0b7 (Mac OS X)
Same folks who snatched up MainMenu and ''stole'' sideNote
I love Austria--especially this time of year. I love the Austrian people. I love The Sound of Music and I had an Austrian girlfriend years ago. That said, I have to say I'm a bit tentative about Vienna-based Dare To Be Creative, Ltd. They snatched up a great free utility called MainMenu and threw a coat of paint on it, renamed it 2.0 and now charge for what is essentially pre-existing OS functionality put into a menu bar item. It is not an application but a front-end cosmetic convenience. They also want $20 for it. Way overpriced. They basically stole one of the top ten best Mac utilities called sideNote, renamed it SlidePad, call it their own and charge $14 for that. Now, we're supposed to jump up and down and provide free testing to these folks with yet another backup utility? What's more, the beta expires in just a couple weeks? Just how much will you charge for this? I downloaded this utility and it offers nothing really special over so many other alternatives not in beta, so what's the point? Sorry, but I am just continuing to not get good vibes from your organization. [alert admin]
Wednesday, November 04 2009 @ 05:56 PM PST
Windows Sync Live 14.0.8096.0903 (Mac OS X)
Finally a seriously better alternative to the overpriced "un-MobileMe" 
I am glad to see a Snow Leopard compatible version is finally out. I had almost given up the idea of ever seeing it, but here it is and it seems so far to be good-to-go. Apple should take a page out of Microsoft's book: Make MobileMe a free perk to those who shell out too much money for a premium product...especially the "Pro" line of Macs. There are just too many free alternatives to the cloud and sync world out there including Dropbox and ZumoDrive...and of course, Windows Live Sync. Dropbox just plain works. Windows Live Sync just plain works. Both are fast and update quickly. MobileMe does not. Just so nobody thinks I'm a Microsoft shill, I own three Macs and I'm happy. Nothing against MS/Win folks or their machines, I just prefer to "be a Mac." I like to be balanced in my reviews and WLS is great. I'm also merciless when warranted, and unfortunately Apple is pulling a stupid with MobileMe. I (over)paid for a year's service and it never worked reliably. I wasted my money and will never go back. [alert admin]
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Tuesday, November 03 2009 @ 02:57 PM PST
Edgies 2.6 (Mac OS X)
Getting that "Abandone-ware" feeling
There has been no development for over a year now (since 8-30-2008) and the developer desperately needs to bring Edgies into line with the modern OS.
While I have yet to find the "perfect" note-taking utility, I've found Edgies to be as close as I can get "but..."
It's definitely nice to have ready access along the screen edge for notes. This was an inspired design in pre-Leopard, pre-Exposé days "but..."
Times have changed. There is a longstanding issue with Edgies I've tried several times to get addressed by the developer that have gone unanswered, and I'm starting to get that "abandon-ware" feeling.
I've asked for some time in repeated emails to the developer to make Edgies more "Exposé friendly." In this one area Edgies is living in the last century along with every other Stickies-type reincarnation.
What's the issue? One word: Exposé.
When you use Exposé to show all windows, a bunch of little tiny collapsed tabs uselessly labeled "Window" show up and not only clutter up the screen in general but take up so much room that they make the other "Exposé friendly" applications and utilities so small as to be unintelligible, rendering Exposé generally useless. I've had to stop using Edgies and return to... yes... Stickies... because I find Exposé just too useful a time saver.
Until this is addressed, I cannot recommend Edgies, not even as a long-time paid user. There are just too many alternatives like dotNotes, sideNote, the original Stickies and many others that offer the same thing with the same draw-backs.
SUGGESTIONS:
1. Reengineer Edgies to show the actual title instead of just the tiny collapsed tab with the meaningless label "Window" when Exposé is activated.
2. Reengineer Edgies to show the expanded/un-collapsed Edgy when Exposé is activated rather than just a tiny collapsed tab that hogs up valuable Exposé real estate for nothing.
3. BEST SOLUTION: If possible, simply make Exposé ignore Edgies altogether. Having the tabs along the border is good enough. Edgies doesn't need Exposé.
4. WORST SOLUTION: Abandon Edgies and make it free and upset all those who paid for it.
[alert admin]Thursday, October 29 2009 @ 03:58 AM PDT
Final Draft 8.0.1 (Mac OS X)
So what's changed? Why should I choose this over Screenwriter?
Guys, come on, it only takes a moment to write a little something-something about the changes and fixes for this update. You're giving me no reason whatsoever to even remotely consider switching from Write Bros. Screenwriter to Final Draft. Not to mention your scary two-star rating. Many many years ago...must be fifteen or more now...I actually used Final Draft. The only reason I switched to Screenwriter at the time was because I kept running into productions using that in conjunction with Movie Magic Scheduling and Budgeting (at that time owned by Screenplay Systems now Write Brothers). I got used to Screenwriter and even after SS sold off MMS and MMB, I've gotten so "comfortable" with it I still have no reason to change. There are also a lot of free alternatives cropping up all the time now as well, so you gotta catch our attention. Someone in your marketing department needs to get on the ball. [alert admin]
Monday, October 26 2009 @ 06:12 PM PDT
Miro 2.5.3 (Mac OS X)
What's new? What's changed? What's fixed? Hulu seems to be...
Guys, you gotta give folks a little more to go on. It's not that hard to type a few words about the changes and fixes...including that Hulu seems to be fixed. Let's hope it stays that way. Now my real problem is that having waited so long for this, I was forced to and have now grown accustomed to iTunes and Hulu Desktop, and suddenly Miro is the "old friend" I need to get to know again. It's nice to see Hulu working once more, but I have to be honest, if Hulu "breaks" again, I'm most likely going have to say a fond, sad farewell. Stay on top of things. Just because you're free and inspired in your design doesn't mean you can sit back. You're competing with too many others that do the same thing, albeit not as well...however...they work consistently and are reliable. I'd like to see Miro become for iTunes and media in general what Adium has become for iChat and all the other IM options, and what VLC has become for QuickTime. There's room for Miro but it takes a lot of work. Both the folks at Adium and at VLC have shown how it's done. Follow their lead. [alert admin]
Monday, October 19 2009 @ 04:22 AM PDT
Adium 1.3.7 (Mac OS X)
How the hard-working folks at Adium manage to year-in and year-out keep the bar raised so high on such a wonderful "all under one roof" application like this and for free is a real head-scratcher. Like so many Mac owners I know, iChat's video capabilities such as screen sharing and video chat are "consistently inconsistent" to the point of unreliability, that iChat is relegated to just a text chat utility anyway, so the video chat capability is not a feature missing from Adium. They're just wise not to jump in that pool yet. Also, for an Apple feature, iChat is surprisingly uninspired and uncustomizable and offers no solution for the various IM protocols other than Google, AOL/AIM and Bonjour. So many of my IM buddies are spread all over the spectrum of IM protocols (MSN, Google, AIM/AOL, Yahoo etc.) that to have a bunch of ad-ware laden individual chat utilities cluttering things up would be such a pain. Adium does all that and more. My own customization of Adium is even more clean as I have shrunk the buddy list down to just the images of my buddies--no text or surrounding box--just little square photos and I have them running down the right side of my screen beneath the Menu Bar--out of the way but enough of a visual cue who is online. I have a list of must-have Apple/Mac applications and utilites and now with Snow Leopard, Adium has moved up from #2 to #1 because AppleJack still hasn't been ported to Snow Leopard. Even if AppleJack, the best ever maintenance and troubleshooting utility for the Mac OS does finally get a Snow Leopard version out, I think I'll let Adium stay #1. It's richly deserved. Thank you to the folks at Adium for a consistently reliable, inspired, clean and customizable application and for supporting and developing it all these years since I've been using it (since Tiger). [alert admin]
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Saturday, October 17 2009 @ 02:24 AM PDT
1Password 2.11.1 (Mac OS X)
For those on a budget I suggest LastPass plug-in and Firefox
I long ago switched over to Firefox from Safari when it looked as if Safari were full of security holes. I've never turned back. I discovered the plug-in there and besides having an entire category dedicated to security, there are several password "rememberers" for lack of a better word. Of them there is LastPass and it has worked flawlessly for over a year now... ...and it's FREE. For those worried about keeping their passwords safe online, there is a version for self-hosting. What's more, it will sync itself across your Macs and Windows machines through Firefox and keep them all up-to-date. All communications are encrypted and you can pick and choose which passwords to keep and which ones to ignore in autofill. Short of spending $40 here for what I'm sure is a good product judging by the reviews, I'd give LastPass and Firefox a whirl first. Just a suggestion for those who could benefit by saving that $40 until the economy bounces back. [alert admin]
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Monday, October 12 2009 @ 12:43 PM PDT
OnyX 2.1b4 (Mac OS X)
WHY IS THERE STILL NOT A SNOW LEOPARD SPECIFIC CATEGORY YET?
I HAVE, AS HAVE OTHERS, SENT MESSAGES TO THE FOLKS HERE AT VERSIONTRACKER THAT A SNOW LEOPARD SPECIFIC CATEGORY IS DESPERATELY NEEDED. SNOW LEOPARD IS A SIGNIFICANT UPGRADE...A POINT UPGRADE IF YOU WILL...JUST LIKE PANTHER, TIGER AND LEOPARD (10.3, 10.4, 10.5 RESPECTIVELY). SNOW LEOPARD IS 10.6. SIMPLE MATH. DO IT. WHAT IS THE HOLD-UP? ESPECIALLY IN THE CASE OF SYSTEM UTILITIES, THIS COULD RESULT IN NOT JUST CONFUSION, BUT POSSIBLY SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING. COME ON VT. I'M BEGINNING TO WONDER WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOP. MOE, LARRY OR CURLEY? [alert admin]
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Sunday, October 11 2009 @ 02:05 AM PDT
Circus Ponies NoteBook 3.0 (v363) (Mac OS X)
The Kool-Aid has worn off unfortunately 
The inspired simplicity of CPN's design...looking like a simple notebook...belies an ironically confused and epically jumbled practical usability. This application really needs to be re-designed from the ground up. I too was jacklighted by the "coolness" and good looks and "ponied" up my $50 bucks, and of all the software I've purchased in the last few years that I feel was money wasted, this is a close second to MobileMe. I never thought I'd do this, but I have to recommend Microsoft Word's notebook feature. It just plain works and is intuitive while CPN is conversely complicated, confusing and non-intuitive. Sorry folks, but I reached the end of the road. [alert admin]
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Tuesday, October 06 2009 @ 11:25 AM PDT
MacAppStuff Blank 1.0b (Mac OS X)
If this is a beta why is there a price?
I'm increasingly confused by this "beta" category. You don't charge people to beta test software that isn't ready for prime time. You charge them when your software is good to go. I've been in any number of official beta testing programs for various applications and I have never paid to do it. [alert admin]
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Saturday, October 03 2009 @ 06:15 PM PDT
Last 10 Comments by summerstormpictures [ Search for All ]
Just curious if you like the grape or raspberry Kool-Aid better? Actually I'm happy someone's content with the confused, convoluted and unintuitive CPN.
Original feedback item : Read More
Wednesday, November 04 2009 @ 03:36 AM PST
Maybe not back to square one, but maybe square four or five?
You said it much better than I did. I'm glad I'm not the only one who desperately wishes this application would get some sorely needed attention to make it much more user friendly. It could be so much better and live up to its good looks, but alas, beauty is only skin deep.
Original feedback item : Read More
Tuesday, November 03 2009 @ 02:48 PM PST
A good name, an inspired and well designed "utility" (not software) that put existing functionality under a menubar item was snatched up and a fresh coat of paint was thrown on it. It's one thing for the original owner/developer to decide to finally make some money off their hard work. I don't think that's really being debated by anyone here. However, I don't think the original owner/developer would ever have charged the exorbitant price of…
Original feedback item : Read More(1 words)
Friday, October 23 2009 @ 12:21 PM PDT
WARNING! ABSOLUTELY HARD FREEZES SYSTEM AND CORRUPTS HARD DRIVE
THIS APPLICATION IS JUST PLAIN DANGEROUS. IT DOES INDEED HARD FREEZE YOUR MACHINE AND ONE MUST NOT ONLY PERFORM A HARD SHUT-DOWN BUT ALSO THE DISK ITSELF IS CORRUPTED. DON'T BELIEVE ME? FROM OFF, TURN ON AND HOLD DOWN THE "OPTION" KEY UNTIL YOU SEE YOUR START-UP DRIVE. THEN, HOLD DOWN THE APPLE AND S KEY SIMULTANEOUSLY, THEN CLICK ON YOUR START-UP DISK...HOLDING DOWN APPLE-S UNTIL YOU SEE THE UNIX CODE SCROLLING. WHEN IT FINISHES, TYPE: fsck…
Original feedback item : Read More(1 words)
Wednesday, September 23 2009 @ 06:22 PM PDT
Developer is NOT being non-responsive
I know I'm an impatient person when it comes to a lot of software and freeware, but in this case I must disagree. Back a few months the same thing began to happen with my own local library and upon emailing the developer, he ''fixed'' several times what kept breaking while someone in the library system was ''tinkering'' with what is generally really badly developed and arcane software running the library system. Anyway, after several…
Original feedback item : Read More(1 words)
Friday, August 07 2009 @ 08:54 AM PDT
Okay, so I figured out what happened. Now, still, can there be a way to set the default view to ''unviewed'' so that someone doesn't have to keep selecting this each time.
Original feedback item : Read More
Thursday, July 23 2009 @ 05:30 PM PDT
Link to previous (''free'') MainMenu still active today
The download link for the original free version of MainMenu is still active. Hopefully someone else will provide another link by tomorrow. http://soldiersofpawns.110mb.com/MainMenu%201.7.4.zip (you will probably have to copy and paste the above into your browser) I would also go to your user Library/Preferences folder and delete ''com.santasw.MainMenu.plist'' before running the old version just in case there is some disabling code of some sort insinuated by the ''new'' version. Also, I suggest you disable automatically checking for new version.…
Original feedback item : Read More(1 words)
Thursday, July 16 2009 @ 04:53 AM PDT
MAINMENU ''2.0'' = SHAMELESS CASH-GRAB! USE APPLEJACK FOR FREE!
Having friends who are significant and successful musicians in the music business, I think they would find it a bit insulting if I did that. Secondly, those that say things like you just wrote here are typically themselves downloaders of free content. Either way, you're mixing issues that are apples and oranges. When you understand the real issue at hand, write something intelligent and I'll listen.
Original feedback item : Read More
Wednesday, July 15 2009 @ 06:56 PM PDT
For those interested in the previous ''working just fine thank you'' version of MainMenu, I will provide this temporary link to the ZIP file which I will keep up until the end of today. Then it's up to someone else to provide a download link. http://soldiersofpawns.110mb.com/MainMenu%201.7.4.zip (you will probably have to copy and paste this into your browser)
Original feedback item : Read More
Tuesday, July 14 2009 @ 07:59 AM PDT
Nobody wants apps for free. What is prompting this uproar is that not only are there numerous free alternatives including the ''old'' MainMenu that work just fine. You can slap a cheap coat of green paint over a red wagon but it's still just a red wagon painted green.
Original feedback item : Read More
Monday, July 13 2009 @ 04:35 PM PDT
