TomeRaider for Windows

User Reviews

• TomeRaider is a piece of work

  Wooden BrainJuly 21, 2005

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  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />TomeRaider is truly a bad product in many ways. From the start no Mac support for one, even though it would have been relatively easy to develop something for the mac that at least could convert the .tr files to palm format. Some guy in Japan made an applescript for OS 9, but that was about it. Then there's no upfrontness about compatibility issues. I dare you to look at their web site and find any information on whether TR 2 and TR 3 files are compatible, let alone with any other products. Their web site is a mess, with pretty pictures about the great content you can download, but with links that pop up windows with the pretty pictures, with another link, that you can't tell if it points to a download file or to yet another web site, such as memo ware, with another download link. They have no FAQ on their site. I went to a great deal of trouble to convert some content to TR format way back when, and I don't want to repeat that to upgrade to TR3, which has a slightly better but still ugly interface. Who the heck does their interface design? Must be stuck in the 80s. It really horrible. Yet the thing to recommend TR is it's function. It's the best and fastest of the bunch in reading large bookmarkable content. It's just the trouble you have to go through to get that great content is amazing. Why not at least make .tr files available in .pdb format instead of making mac users go around groping for a converter. think of all that processor time that could better be spent.

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• Failures so far

  rodoletzApril 30, 2005

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  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />TR3 cought my attention with lofty promises of usability. We have been unable to get it to work with Treo 650s, save that it runs its own manual, a manual quite short on information or specific protocols for use. We actually purchased a license hoping the shortfalls were only in the demo, no such luck or improvements despite correctly installing the keys. During the purchase we were asked to identify the device we used and we identified our Treo. No warning ensued. Nonetheless, the TR3 application is totally at odds and in a practical sense useless on our Treo if it cannot download its own formatted files. We also now note anomolies with the developers claims of converting thousands of files to the TR3 format and such. Absense of any reviews, from their own page mind you, for the whole of 2004. We politely requested technical support which did secure a response almost within the two days advertised, (it arrived in three). However the response to our detailed entreaty was no more than a link to once more download files of supposedly available books at Memoware, that plus all the indications of an automated response as if our inquiries and questions had never really been read. A telephone call to a phone number laboriously gleaned from their site produced a somewhat angry sounding recorded male voice stating that you'd reached Proporta and to leave a message. All in all, we're awfully sorry we gambled on the license. Proporta and their TomeRaider 3 seem more fraudulent than capable of fulfilling their claims or reasonable responsibilities as an honorable business. Now we have asked for a clear response affirming or denying compatibility with Treo 650s (we had and have again informed them of Maker, Service Provider, and PalmOS) as well as their protocol to demonstrate effective use as advertised. Absent that we are requesting a full refund. We'll post our results. Until then I must warn persons using Palm 650s of our experiences and counsel great caution before commiting to purchase a license to fail. We had hoped to use this app and the Treo650s amongst persons with disabilities as a reading device. If Proporta can suppy a happy response all may end well. Lets hope so. We really wanted this app to deliver its promise. The answer is in the email.

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