[ale] WARNING - beware if you buy a "device" with "software"

[Ron Frazier (ALE)]

Hi all,

Warning, RANT ON

I just had a rather unfun experience at Frys and thought I'd share to possibly save others the trouble.  As I've been discussing in another thread on video conversion, I bought a video digitizer package which is designed to import video from an analog source and produce dvd's.  It includes a digitizer device.  It also includes a device driver, and some rather limited application software.  My needs are modest, so I thought it would work.  Well, it doesn't meet my needs.  The quality of the digitized file is somewhat lower than I wanted and the application software doesn't have the features I need although it does work at a basic level.  You CANNOT tell this by reading the box.  When I tried to return it, they tried to tell me I couldn't do so because I had activated the software key.  I tried to tell the supervisor there that this is a device, that I have to test it to determine if it meets my needs, and that I cannot do that without the software.  I suppose it's possible I could use the software on another device, but I'm going to delete it.  I virtually had to get into a verbal fight to get my money back.  I eventually got my refund.  They slapped a return to vendor sticker on the product, which I brought back in pristine shape.  I told him just sell the thing again.  He said he couldn't because the software had been activated.  I just said whatever and left.  If they took a loss on the product, I'm truly sorry, and I hope the supervisor doesn't get in trouble for making an exception for me.  But I don't think I should be held responsible because a bunch of other people are software pirates, which I am not.  I have no problem paying for legitimate useful software if I have to.  Developing it can take thousands of man hours.  I do have a problem paying for software that doesn't meet my needs that I don't want to keep and will not use.

RANT OFF

So, the moral of the story is, if you buy a "device" with "software" and you activate a product key, you may own it permanently whether you ultimately want it or not.  In this situation, you pretty much have to install the device driver.  However, do not enter any product keys or break any magic seals.  Try to find another application to test your "device".

Sincerely,

Ron


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Ron Frazier
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linuxdude AT techstarship.com