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From: amichiel@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Allen J Michielsen)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Lotus 1-2-3
Message-ID: <1990Sep13.035141.26578@rodan.acs.syr.edu>
Date: 13 Sep 90 03:51:41 GMT
Sender: amichiel@rodan.acs.syr.edu
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Lines: 36

A word of warning and an atonement to lotus.
The version 3 Install program is my nomination for the worst work
of the year.  The distribution is on high density media, (in my case 1.2M)
and gets worse from there.  The files are compressed to save space.
All 3 copies I opened were missing the card to request 360K disks.  No
mention of 3.5 drives.  The software requires a AT & about 1 MB, and the
only computer with all the media resources I needed was a XT.  The install
program also requires a AT.  Why is beyond me.  The Install program crashed
time after time, for reason after reason.  Each time ruining or almost
ruining the 1.2 M disk.  After everything, there isn't any option to install
all the drivers the first time so just about any change requires the original
distribution media to change the selected hardware.  What's worse, the
program MUST use the same drive media as the distribution disks.  If you 
upgrade to 3.5 in drives, you basically won't ever be able to change the
selected equipment without paying lotus for new disks....
The whole ordeal was a mess, and I abhore the thought of trying to manage
multiple copies of this stupid thing on a variety/ mish-mash of patched
up hardware.
I strongly stand behind lotus's rights to be paid for their products, etc.
But, in this case the 'copy protection' deal is a terrible mess.
I must add that the customer service (I called) was VERY helpful and took
care of the problem almost without comment.  Still it's the very idea of that
stupid mess.  I also must add that now that I seem to have the whole
thing patched up and running, I can say that I know just about everything
anyone would ever need to know about getting it to work.
I'll also add that with 640 base, and 128 extended there was enough to do
basic work like with 2.2.  I'll be playing with minimum memory configs
for awhile, but have read that it will actually work in 640 too (not from
lotus).
al


--
Al. Michielsen, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Syracuse University
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