Author Topic: Upgrading RoboForm from v6 to v7: worthwhile? (Read 78810 times)

Darwin · « **Reply #50 on:** December 22, 2010, 09:26 AM »

Of course it's about money! I don't begrudge Siber Systems the need to generate some revenue but, as you point out Bamse, they should have been upfront about what they were doing.

I don't kinow - perhaps we DC'ers are a special breed and I live in fantasy land, but had Siber Systems somehow contacted its existing user base and explained both the necessity and the mechanics of the change, I think people would have been fine with it. Instead (AFAICT) they simply released v.7 and existing users updated only to discover that the Pro version was no longer activated. Not too swift (and a bit morally bankrupt, I think). All this has done is piss people off, particularly given that sticking with v.6 will be a viable option for only so long. Browser updates will likely render it useless - IE9 will be out soon and Firefox, Chrome, and Safari are updated frequently, so the window during which v.6 will remain viable will be very brief indeed.

Bamse · « **Reply #51 on:** December 22, 2010, 09:42 AM »

Handling of transition completely blows regardless of $$$ but in the end it is about money. Just wanted to point that out. With a fair upgrade policy majority of "cheap bastards" would accept change. They can be tossers all they want provided they don't charge too much for what is seen as too little.

Now 7 has introduced application logins it is possible their focus is on business world and private users can come along or just go away. They are acting like unprofessional idiots but can still be very nifty evaluating spreadsheets showing revenue stream

Beth UK · « **Reply #52 on:** December 22, 2010, 11:29 AM »

I mentioned earlier that Password Depot is quite decent (though not perfect) as a desktop app.
-Beth UK (December 20, 2010, 04:47 PM)

Could you expand on Password Depot, please?
-rjbull (December 21, 2010, 03:02 PM)

I'll try! Password Depot is a desktop password application made by AceBit. It's not new, but it is regularly updated. I have run it alongside Roboform and LastPass and keep returning to it as my preferred password app. It can run in a number of ways but I tend to have it as an autohiding toolbar at the top of the screen. You can store program passwords as well as www passwords, do backups, print lists for extra precaution if you choose, and it works across browsers (you define your primary and secondary browsers). I use it with Opera, Firefox and rarely IE. Later versions have the ability to capture and store passwords (mostly successful but with glitches here and there just like RoboForm). You can store to FTP, hard drive or USB, and also run it from USB (no extra cost).

I don't have time to do a full review right now but having used it for several years I do find myself returning to it in times of crisis. Importantly, you are not locked into to server-side storage.

Far more features than I can describe here (password generation and time-limiting on passwords so you are reminded to change them - if you choose. There is a trial period so you can try before you buy.

rjbull · « **Reply #53 on:** December 22, 2010, 11:43 AM »

I don't use Firefox so going back to v.6 is always an option for me.
-Darwin (December 22, 2010, 08:22 AM)

I'm using Firefox 3.6.13, which is recent, and RoboForm 6.10.1, the last of the v6 series, works fine for me. Of course, I don't know how long that will continue.

I am seriously unimpressed with how this was handled and with the responses that I've seen from Siber Systems thus far.

As I wrote above, I notified Siber Systems about this thread in the online ticket I submitted when 6.10.1 wouldn't activate. They did neither told me how to activate - thanks again, CWuestefeld - nor replied to my invitation to view this thread, which I thought would give them a platform to make their case. All they did was ask if I wanted to "upgrade" to v7.

Roboform is ABSOLUTELY indispensible to me

I find it so very convenient that I'd miss it badly. But being out of work, in an economy that's on the rocks, I'm resistant (well... partially) to paid upgrades, especially ones that are badly handled. And if it stops working, well,

Got along without you before I met you
Gonna get along without you now
http://lyricsplaygro...ngwithoutyanow.shtml

rjbull · « **Reply #54 on:** December 22, 2010, 11:46 AM »

I'll try! Password Depot is a desktop password application made by AceBit. It's not new, but it is regularly updated. I have run it alongside Roboform and LastPass and keep returning to it as my preferred password app.
-Beth UK (December 22, 2010, 11:29 AM)

Thanks! Is it "limited" to passwords? The key feature of RoboForm is its ability to fill in forms, not just store passwords. For "just" passwords, I use KeePass, which is free, and can fill forms as long as you tell it how beforehand (I haven't tried the addons for formfilling as such). I presume you've tried KeePass and prefer Password Depot?

40hz · « **Reply #55 on:** December 22, 2010, 01:23 PM »

@BethUK: Thx for suggesting Password Depot. I took a quick look, and that might just be the thing to lure me away from my old fav Keepass. Have to download it and give it a trial.
------
Note: I just noticed there's a version available for the iPhone. Its currently listed as being free over at the AppStore. Not much info provided other than a brief description. Wonder if it syncs with the desktop version?

Beth UK · « **Reply #56 on:** December 22, 2010, 04:14 PM »

I'll try! Password Depot is a desktop password application made by AceBit. It's not new, but it is regularly updated. I have run it alongside Roboform and LastPass and keep returning to it as my preferred password app.
-Beth UK (December 22, 2010, 11:29 AM)

Thanks! Is it "limited" to passwords? The key feature of RoboForm is its ability to fill in forms, not just store passwords. For "just" passwords, I use KeePass, which is free, and can fill forms as long as you tell it how beforehand (I haven't tried the addons for formfilling as such). I presume you've tried KeePass and prefer Password Depot?
-rjbull (December 22, 2010, 11:46 AM)

I use it for all online log-ins so it'll remember your username and password and other fields too

rjbull · « **Reply #57 on:** December 23, 2010, 10:52 AM »

I use [Password Depot] for all online log-ins so it'll remember your username and password and other fields too
-Beth UK (December 22, 2010, 04:14 PM)

Sounds good

It's time Siber Systems had some competition

Just noticed it's not a lifetime license, but the now-common major version type:

The price includes free upgrades to interim releases (e.g. from 1.0 to 1.3).

Well, at least you'd know that going in.

Cloq · « **Reply #58 on:** December 25, 2010, 02:32 PM »

It seems Wilders Security forum has a Roboform thread. Link

Darwin · « **Reply #59 on:** January 12, 2011, 08:25 AM »

BTW in a fit of magnanimous stupidity, and in the spirit of "supporting development", at some point early in the beta testing cycle I bought a license for Goodsync Professional. Two issues arise from this: first, when I bought the license I was under the impression that I was getting lifetime ~~updates~~ upgrades (whether this was explicitly stated somewhere or whether it was a response to a "we haven't charged for upgrades in years" blog or forum post, I can't recall) and second, are they going to pull the license switching stunt with it as well? Also to note, with the beta a freebie version of Goodsync was included with the install and was sufficient to synchronize Roboform databases between machines/drives/and the cloud, use of Roboform Everywhere now requires a paid installation of Goodsync (though I've just failed to find the reference, so I may be out to lunch).
-Darwin (December 18, 2010, 08:44 AM)

Update: I was just prompted to update my GoodSync installation and noted that there is a beta for GoodSync 9 available. Note this at the bottom of the page:

Pricing
* Ver 9 beta is free for ver 8 users.
* When ver 9 comes out as official release, there will be lower upgrade price for existing users.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #60 on:** January 12, 2011, 01:17 PM »

Sorry why not use the free version of SyncBack from 2brightsparks.com

Does everything that GoodSync can do and is free.

If you want a more powerful option go for SyncBackSE or SyncBackPro - reasonable prices and helpful company.

See http://www.2brightsparks.com/

40hz · « **Reply #61 on:** January 12, 2011, 02:22 PM »

Sorry why not use the free version of SyncBack from 2brightsparks.com

Does everything that GoodSync can do and is free.

If you want a more powerful option go for SyncBackSE or SyncBackPro - reasonable prices and helpful company.

See http://www.2brightsparks.com/
-Carol Haynes (January 12, 2011, 01:17 PM)

@Carol - do you have any strong opinions about the paid versions of SyncBack - performance and stability-wise? I'm due to update some similar software I'm not über happy with, so I'm open for recommendations right now.

Anything you'd care to share would be appreciated.

Darwin · « **Reply #62 on:** January 12, 2011, 02:29 PM »

@Carol - sorry, I posted a truncated version of the missive I had intended. I am not particularly tied to GoodSync but was pointing out that SiberSystems is also looking to renege on their (presumed) lifetime licensing for it as well. Anyway, thank you for the pointer to SyncBack - I'll take a look

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #63 on:** January 12, 2011, 02:36 PM »

I bought the Pro version because I got it half price and wanted to show some support for 2brightsparks. The free version would have met my needs.

superboyac · « **Reply #64 on:** January 12, 2011, 03:03 PM »

@Carol - do you have any strong opinions about the paid versions of SyncBack - performance and stability-wise? I'm due to update some similar software I'm not über happy with, so I'm open for recommendations right now.

Anything you'd care to share would be appreciated.
-40hz (January 12, 2011, 02:22 PM)

40hz, have you considered Super Flexible?
http://www.superflexible.com/
I use it and am happy with it, but I wouldn't mind exploring the SFFS vs. Syncback discussion. I like SFFS, except for some complaints about the interface. It looks like Syncback's interface is better, but I wonder if I would miss any of the features from SFFS.

40hz · « **Reply #65 on:** January 12, 2011, 03:56 PM »

40hz, have you considered Super Flexible?
http://www.superflexible.com/

-superboyac (January 12, 2011, 03:03 PM)

@SB - Not yet. But I will definitely give it a look. Thx!

cranioscopical · « **Reply #66 on:** January 12, 2011, 04:40 PM »

FWIW SFFS works well for me. (Or should that have been FWIW SFFS WWFM?)

superboyac · « **Reply #67 on:** January 12, 2011, 04:42 PM »

FWIW SFFS works well for me. (Or should that have been FWIW SFFS WWFM?)
-cranioscopical (January 12, 2011, 04:40 PM)

I'm still waiting for the thought-to-text software to mature. Who needs keyboards?

40hz · « **Reply #68 on:** January 12, 2011, 05:07 PM »

FWIW SFFS works well for me. (Or should that have been FWIW SFFS WWFM?)
-cranioscopical (January 12, 2011, 04:40 PM)

LOL!

superboyac · « **Reply #69 on:** January 12, 2011, 05:19 PM »

FWIW SFFS works well for me. (Or should that have been FWIW SFFS WWFM?)
-cranioscopical (January 12, 2011, 04:40 PM)

LOL!
-40hz (January 12, 2011, 05:07 PM)

I think what you really mean is:

Josh · « **Reply #70 on:** January 20, 2011, 06:37 PM »

Roboform replies, on betanews, to negative reviews.

Source

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #71 on:** January 20, 2011, 07:40 PM »

Added my 2p on BetaNews

40hz · « **Reply #72 on:** January 20, 2011, 08:22 PM »

Not much of a reply. The gist of it is "We're sorry you feel that way about it." Welcome to one more manifestation of the art of the empty gesture.

At no point do they address the issue of renegging on their former 'lifetime' upgrade terms. Even in the face of two comments directly calling them out on it.

Apparently the company has rationalized things sufficiently to itself that it doesn't see the need to honor it's license with former customers; or enter into any meaningful dialog to resolve the issue other than invite people to contact them privately.

Very sad.

Bamse · « **Reply #73 on:** January 20, 2011, 08:35 PM »

We want to make everyone happy. If you feel we are still not justified in charging for upgrades please contact us at the emails below. Perhaps we can find a way to make you happy and keep you as a customer for life.

I read this as they would love to shut you up . Would be fun it some get free upgrades because of crying emails. They will announce new found love and then hell break lose again. Worse solution than none/ignoring I think.

"Customer for life" sounds kind of scary.

Josh · « **Reply #74 on:** January 21, 2011, 10:38 AM »

By the way, they've updated the listing to 7.1.7 and the old bugs still persist. Not only are you getting to pay for the product, but you are getting something which does not work properly.