) (11/05/90)
Last month, I foolishly bought the educational version of Aldus PageMagker 3.0.
The main difference between the educational version and the standard version is
that I'm not entitled to any upgrades. No problem, I thought. I'm buying a
program which wouldn't have any significant bugs. WRONG!
Even though there's a Windows 3 logo on the box, PM 3.0 is not a true Windows 3
application. The run-time module of Windows which the software came with is
2.x. That should have told me something, but I still opened the "tag." When I
run the software, Windows tells me that it's not a Windows 3 application and
recommends that I run Windows under real mode to correctly run the program. I
found that the program doesn't work properly unless I'm in real mode. Again, I
thought no problem since at that time, I was a novice to Windows 3. My friend
tells me that under real mode, I'm only able to use conventional memory. I
couldn't take advantage of my 2meg system.
When I went back to the university store, the salesperson told me that he knew
about the problem, but I can't return the software. What crooks! He said that
Aldus is planning to release an upgrade to "fix" the Windows 3 problem and will
check whether or not I can get that upgrade. Three weeks later, I was told that
I was stuck with a turkey.
I'm posting this message to warn people to be wary when buying the educational
version of Aldus PageMaker 3.0. PM 3.01 is supposed to have fixed the bug.
Be very wary about buying any educational versions. Fortunately, Borland sells
their standard Turbo packages at quite a reasonable price for students. Why
they too have educational packages is a mystery to me?
--
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Santanu Sircar BITNET: ssircar@umaecs.bitnet
University of Massachusetts/Amherst INTERNET: ssircar@ecs.umass.edu
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"A pig ate his fill of acorns under an oak tree and then started to root
around the tree. A crow remarked, `You should not do this. If you lay bare
the roots, the tree will wither and die.' `Let it die,' said the pig. `Who
cares so long as there are acorns?'" -"Animal Farm" by George Orwell
------------------------------------------------------------------------------sw@ (Steve Warner) (11/06/90)
In article <11308.273462bf@ecs.umass.edu> ssircar@ecs.umass.edu (Good writers re-write -- not write!) writes: >Last month, I foolishly bought the educational version of Aldus PageMagker 3.0. >The main difference between the educational version and the standard version is >that I'm not entitled to any upgrades. No problem, I thought. I'm buying a >program which wouldn't have any significant bugs. WRONG! [stuff deleted] Pagemaker is presently in a Windows 3 compliant mode and continues to be one of the best written pieces of Windows software I have found. You have probably purchased an older version. Regardless of what the salesman in the store told you, give aldus a call, and they will probably upgrade you to the Win3.0 version for free. "quitcurbitchin" -- ---- Steve Warner - Fremont, CA, USA etc... reply to: sun!indetech!stables!sw
aaron@jessica.stanford.edu (Aaron Wallace) (11/06/90)
In article <11308.273462bf@ecs.umass.edu> ssircar@ecs.umass.edu (Good writers re-write -- not write!) writes: >Last month, I foolishly bought the educational version of Aldus PageMagker 3.0. >The main difference between the educational version and the standard version is >that I'm not entitled to any upgrades. No problem, I thought. I'm buying a >program which wouldn't have any significant bugs. WRONG! > >Even though there's a Windows 3 logo on the box, PM 3.0 is not a true Windows 3 >application. The run-time module of Windows which the software came with is >2.x. That should have told me something, but I still opened the "tag." When I >run the software, Windows tells me that it's not a Windows 3 application and >recommends that I run Windows under real mode to correctly run the program. I >found that the program doesn't work properly unless I'm in real mode. Again, I >thought no problem since at that time, I was a novice to Windows 3. My friend >tells me that under real mode, I'm only able to use conventional memory. I >couldn't take advantage of my 2meg system. > >When I went back to the university store, the salesperson told me that he knew >about the problem, but I can't return the software. What crooks! He said that >Aldus is planning to release an upgrade to "fix" the Windows 3 problem and will >check whether or not I can get that upgrade. Three weeks later, I was told that >I was stuck with a turkey. Now waittaminute. I've seen and used the Educational version of PageMaker/ Windows and it works fine under Win 3--all modes as far as I can tell. The packaging inside is a bit misleading, though--you get a bunch of 2.xx disks and a few more "Win 3 upgrade disks". Almost everything is Win3 compatible, except for some antedeluvian conversion routines. The help is also still Win 2-based. But it is a "Win 3" protected-mode application... >I'm posting this message to warn people to be wary when buying the educational >version of Aldus PageMaker 3.0. PM 3.01 is supposed to have fixed the bug. >Be very wary about buying any educational versions. Fortunately, Borland sells >their standard Turbo packages at quite a reasonable price for students. Why >they too have educational packages is a mystery to me? I hate it (this isn't at all the only offense) when people generalize. Most companies have very good educational programs, including full update priv- ledges... Aaron Wallace
) (11/07/90)
I'm not the type of person who would not admit to being wrong. I ended up
calling Aldus for technical support and I was told that there's a disk which
has Windows 3.0 updates. The technician told me that a lot of people made that
mistake. A long distance call to Seattle was worth it! I should've listened to
myself and be wary of salespeople.
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Santanu Sircar BITNET: ssircar@umaecs.bitnet
University of Massachusetts/Amherst INTERNET: ssircar@ecs.umass.edu
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
"A pig ate his fill of acorns under an oak tree and then started to root
around the tree. A crow remarked, `You should not do this. If you lay bare
the roots, the tree will wither and die.' `Let it die,' said the pig. `Who
cares so long as there are acorns?'" -"Animal Farm" by George Orwell
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