TWL: Re: Nobeltec news
Re: Keith Emmons post,
I think that Nobeltec may have a very fine product, but the policy
statement that you shared with TWL will turn off a lot of people,
including me.
I am in the market for reasonably-priced ECN software. I refuse to buy
any software that may still have bugs in it, and be forced to upgrade at
more than the wholesale selling price, in order to get the latest version
that has all the bells and whistles - and/to get rid of the bugs.
Software upgrades ought to be priced reasonably for users who have been
loyal customers. They do not deserved to be gouged.
Furthermore, the fact that the company is willing to sell me a USB or
serial 4 port expansion device for only five times more than the hardware
costs in the market shows more customer milking. Nobletec is 20 years
behind the market in copy protection if they insist on use of a parallel
port dongle, and updating that technique to work on USB ports is no
improvement.
Why not follow the example set by Symentec with Turbo Tax. Anybody can
download or get a free copy of Turbo Tax, but the catch is, features are
not enabled (like printing) until you register with the company online.
Here is the good part of customer relations with this system. You get the
software to work with your hardware first, or no registration takes
place. They take their calls for customer support because it is a
beneficial and symbiotic one for both the customer and the company. No
dongles nonsense!!! All of those extra copy protection steps that
Nobeltec took only add to the cost for the consumer.
I don't know if anyone agrees with me, but I think that Nobletec has just
shot itself in the foot. Although I have used Visual Nav on somebody's
boat and thought it was great, I'm going to avoid Nobeltec like the
plague.
Martin I. Veiner
Marine Trader 44 Micha
Email: veiner@hcsmail.com
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passe
ADJECTIVE:
- No longer current or in fashion; out-of-date. 2. Past the prime;
faded or aged.
Yes, hardware keys (dongles) are both inconvenient and passe.
I would go so far as to say that both serial and USB or any hardware
GPS/ECN interfaces are rapidly becoming passe.
http://www.socketcom.com/product/gps.asp
I would go even further in suggesting that ECN developers should
consider that the pleasure craft of the future (near future) will be
equipped with an on-board computer (server) monitoring systems as well
as providing ECN to remote users...wireless...and OS independent.
Those same developers would go a long way in offering fully functional,
time expiring (or chart excluding) demos of their software.
My $0.02 worth. Now, if I can just get this S-57 data to interface with
my heads-up display projected on my windshield...:)
-fred
Trawler Wannabe
On Wednesday, March 5, 2003, at 07:51 AM, Martin I Veiner wrote:
Re: Keith Emmons post,
I think that Nobeltec may have a very fine product, but the policy
statement that you shared with TWL will turn off a lot of people,
including me.
I am in the market for reasonably-priced ECN software. I refuse to buy
any software that may still have bugs in it, and be forced to upgrade
at
more than the wholesale selling price, in order to get the latest
version
that has all the bells and whistles - and/to get rid of the bugs.
Software upgrades ought to be priced reasonably for users who have been
loyal customers. They do not deserved to be gouged.
Furthermore, the fact that the company is willing to sell me a USB or
serial 4 port expansion device for only five times more than the
hardware
costs in the market shows more customer milking. Nobletec is 20 years
behind the market in copy protection if they insist on use of a
parallel
port dongle, and updating that technique to work on USB ports is no
improvement.
Why not follow the example set by Symentec with Turbo Tax. Anybody can
download or get a free copy of Turbo Tax, but the catch is, features
are
not enabled (like printing) until you register with the company online.
Here is the good part of customer relations with this system. You get
the
software to work with your hardware first, or no registration takes
place. They take their calls for customer support because it is a
beneficial and symbiotic one for both the customer and the company. No
dongles nonsense!!! All of those extra copy protection steps that
Nobeltec took only add to the cost for the consumer.
I don't know if anyone agrees with me, but I think that Nobletec has
just
shot itself in the foot. Although I have used Visual Nav on somebody's
boat and thought it was great, I'm going to avoid Nobeltec like the
plague.
Martin I. Veiner
Marine Trader 44 Micha
Email: veiner@hcsmail.com
-----Original Message-----
I think that Nobeltec may have a very fine product, but the policy
statement that you shared with TWL will turn off a lot of people,
including me.
I am in the market for reasonably-priced ECN software. I refuse to buy
any software that may still have bugs in it, and be forced to upgrade at
more than the wholesale selling price, in order to get the latest version
REPLY
Has everyone forgot that the founders of Nobeltec were employees of
Microsoft before they decided to strike out on their own.
What else do you expect. These guys learned everything they know from
Microsoft.
As for "dongles" please note this is for the Transas passport vector
charts. Dongles are a favorite with European companies and Transas
originated in Russia but now based in the UK.
regards
Arild
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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-----Original Message-----
Yes, hardware keys (dongles) are both inconvenient and passe.
I would go even further in suggesting that ECN developers should
consider that the pleasure craft of the future (near future) will be
equipped with an on-board computer (server) monitoring systems as well
as providing ECN to remote users...wireless...and OS independent.
Those same developers would go a long way in offering fully functional,
time expiring (or chart excluding) demos of their software.
REPLY
Careful what you wish for!
Regrettably too many software developers think they can safely migrate
techniques learned in office based applications to marine use.
Online registration, online help and "rental" as opposed to ownership are
all part of the infra structure culture being created by the industry
leaders.
Not to mention the incessant online updates with patches and fixes that
automatically take place every time you connect to the internet.
This is their way of keeping the failures and short comings hidden.
As long as you are connected to the web you are constantly upgraded in the
back ground and are not even aware of it being done.
Trouble with that is the fact most failures occur when you are away from
the dock, far away from cellular access or land lines.
A stand alone machine installed on a boat would be cut off from such
updates and flaws have a nasty habit of materializing at the most
inopportune times.
"ET - call home" doesn't work in the real world of recreational boating.
regards
Arild
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.423 / Virus Database: 238 - Release Date: 11/25/2002