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Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcsun!ukc!dcl-cs!gdt!ccsis
From: ccsis@bath.ac.uk (Icarus Sparry)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: RE Zortech problems
Message-ID: <1990Mar5.170809.5120@bath.ac.uk>
Date: 5 Mar 90 17:08:09 GMT
References: <48cc3c8b.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM> <3433@iitmax.IIT.EDU>
Organization: Bath University Computing Services, UK
Lines: 60

Summary: Bad Experience from Zortech Ltd (England)
	Urgent order took long time to arrive, was wrong when it did arrive,
	and it then took 2.5 months to get my money back.

While not directly related to Zortech Inc, I thought I would put in my
two pence worth about my experiences with Zortech Ltd. I had Zortech
C++ 1.06, and was using it for a project, which, as usual, was late. I
had spent a lot of time trying to get the Flash Graphics library
routines to work on a Paradise Based VGA card. At the end of last
November, I called the technical support line, but they were unable to
help, but promised they would take it up with Walter, and that I
should call back in a few days. I called back a couple of days later,
and they still had no fix, although by that time I did, having disassembled
large amounts of the code.
	(Aside, fg_flush(), which is documented to ensure that the
	(Flash Graphics and the screen agree, is coded as return atoi("-314");

I sent a bug report off to Walter at his data-io address on Fri 1st, and
on Monday he sent a one line reply, suggesting I upgrade to 2.0

On the Tuesday morning, I phoned Zortech Ltd, and ordered a copy of
the 'Developers Pack'. They told me they could give me a 15%
educational discount if I sent in a Fax on University headed
notepaper. I explained that it was urgent, and they said that they
could send it out that day. I sent the Fax at 2:15pm, although they
said that it was recieved at 5:30pm.

I hoped to get it on the Thursday, but was sure that I would get it
for the weekend. However, it had still not arrived by Monday
afternoon, so I phoned, and was told that it had been sent the
previous Friday (4 days after the 'Urgent' order).

A package arrived on the Wednesday (8 days after the order), but it
contained the standard C++, no debugger, no library sources, no
example classes etc.

I rang on the Thursday, and I was told to send the package back, and
then they would replace it. I pointed out that I had wanted it
urgently for a week ago, and I wanted them to do better than that. The
person at the far end agreed that the invoice showed that I had
ordered the developers pack, but said they couldn't send it to me as I
"might be trying something on"!

I demanded to speak to the manager, and he said that they would put
the rest of the package in the post for me. I told him that I wanted
it to be sent by one of the services which promise delivery within
24hours, as it was now about a week before Xmas. He refused, on the
grounds of cost, so I cancelled the order, and asked for my money
back, and for them to collect the package as it was faulty. He agreed,
and put the phone down on me.

	A COURIER PICKED IT UP THAT AFTERNOON!

They invoiced my credit card on 6 Dec, and after several mail messages
to Walter, and a letter to the credit card company, I got the refund
on 23 Feb.

On the basis of this experience, I would strongly advise anyone against
having any dealings with Zortech Ltd. A pity, as I am quite happy with
the product apart from the bugs.