Developer Notes - Page 26

tomlin53 · 12-23-2009, 07:40 AM

[quote=Jim Sachs;106318]It sounds like you bought a 2.6 upgrade Key, which upgrades from 2.0 to 2.6. Contact Prolific Customer Service and they'll try to straighten it out.

Same thing happend to me. I've been using Marine Aquarium 2.6 for quiite a while. Bought the 3.0 BETA upgrade for $9.95. When I try to register with my new keycode, program asks me to enter a valid CD (which I don't have, of course). Ad for upgrade, however, says product will register with a valid CD or keycode. Now I'm out $9.95 and still cannot register the 3.0 BETA. I sent a message to Prolific.

Jim Sachs · 12-23-2009, 12:06 PM

Send me a Private Message with all your info, and I'll make sure Prolific gets it.

Dale · 12-23-2009, 12:44 PM

This is a continuing problem. The website clearly says "You need to insert a valid CD or Keycode to verify ownership."

However, then people either purchase the "I bought a keycode" or the "I bought a CD" download.

There's no apparent general solution, but perhaps if it said:

o I have the MA2 keycode that was sent to me via email.
o I have the MA2 CD that I previously purchased.
o I need to contact support to get the keycode I purchased.

I don't know what the "right thing" is, if somebody really bought the MA2 CD but doesn't have the CD any more.

Clearly, some folks just ignore (or miss) the "You need to insert a valid CD..." requirement, purchase the CD upgrade, and then are surprised that they need to insert a valid CD.

Perhaps that initial message should say "You need to insert a valid MA2 CD or MA2 Keycode to verify ownership."

Perhaps there could be a single upgrade download that works if they have either a MA2 CD or a MA2 keycode.

PaulsPics · 12-23-2009, 07:15 PM

when I first saw Serene Screen, a pirated version !!! I considered that it was so exceptional, That I immediatly thought of Jim slaving away away on his upgrades, Copyright is something that Artists Deserve. and for a few bucks ( $20 ) sent him his due rewards, since Beta 3, and now so impresive, not only paid for the $ 9.95 upgrade BUT also the full cost of joining it in full again, as I am using 2 computers and screens.

It is upsetting and makes me irate to see occasional posts by Newbies who begrudge him and take up space amd his valuable time ,on this forum over the piddling amounts that they maintain do not work,

Just send in your Money properly, or if valid , take it up with Prolific directly. This forum to my understanding, is to refine the existing product for those of us who have been faithful followers of Jims outstanding work and I will ( despite being an OLD age pensioner) part with my last ( Widowers mite ) to justly purchase any further addons and no matter the cost , that will be incurred for the improvements he is working on and hopefully any creatures that are able to be configured in th extra the time I am granted to be alive and able to use these computers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAY I BE MORE POSITIVE NOW AND WISH ALL FORUM MEMBERS AND JIM SACHS A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR 2010.
Sincerely
Paul Shallow SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA

Jim Sachs · 12-23-2009, 10:26 PM

Thanks for the rousing defense, Paul

On the other side of the coin, Prolific and I do need to clarify the purchasing process, and will soon be renewing our efforts at an entire website-overhaul. I started this a year ago, and after talking to Reichart about it last week, I've been digging out my old artwork. I plan to tackle it in earnest tomorrow.

Wizwad · 12-24-2009, 05:15 AM

You can't do it tomorrow - won't you either have family visiting or be visiting family? You have more important things to do!

But following that, Good Luck with the revamp.

cjmaddy · 12-24-2009, 05:32 AM

I think Jim's tomorrow might be today, - if 04:26am gmt was really late pm yesterday, - if you get my drift.

.... Either that, - or he will personally be delivering a revamp to us all, down our chimneys, - dressed in a fluffy red suit with white trimming!

Wizwad · 12-24-2009, 07:06 AM

Now that sort of service would truly be going the extra mile!

Xylem · 12-24-2009, 08:38 AM

Well, whichever day you guys are in, today is Christmas Eve for me; so I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

Jim Sachs · 12-24-2009, 09:26 AM

No family except my wife and daughter around this Christmas. We're in Oregon now, and the extended family is still in California. Today is Chrismas Eve here. My wife will be sleeping all day, resting up for a 12-hour shift tonight (Labor & Delivery Nurse). My daughter will be driving around making contact with businesses all day in her new job as Director of The Rogue Concierge (a start-up company specializing in vacation packages and personal services here in the Rogue Valley).

So, nothing for me to do but work on the new website. Should have something up and running in a couple of weeks. We're going to try an experiment. Prolific is concerned that people won't buy from a site that is too good-looking, and I've been a bit worried about this myself. A lot of people are more comfortable spending money at a site with a bargain-basement Walmart look, so that's what Prolific has always gone for with SereneScreen.com. I've always wanted an elegant sancuary with the sights and sounds of a rainforest. Since the Marine Aquarium is currently the only one of the SereneScreen programs available, the rainforest look wouldn't really work until I get the Butterfly Habitat or Terrarium on the market. So, the look will be fairly Aquarium-specific.

The experiment will consist of switching half the customers to the new site, and half to the old site. Then we'll see where the bulk of the sales come from.

Tarkus · 12-24-2009, 10:27 AM

Smart idea!

Dale · 12-24-2009, 03:56 PM

Originally posted by Jim Sachs:

No family except my wife and daughter around this Christmas. We're in Oregon now, and the extended family is still in California. Today is Chrismas Eve here. My wife will be sleeping all day, resting up for a 12-hour shift tonight (Labor & Delivery Nurse). My daughter will be driving around making contact with businesses all day in her new job as Director of The Rogue Concierge (a start-up company specializing in vacation packages and personal services here in the Rogue Valley).

So, nothing for me to do but work on the new website. Should have something up and running in a couple of weeks. We're going to try an experiment. Prolific is concerned that people won't buy from a site that is too good-looking, and I've been a bit worried about this myself. A lot of people are more comfortable spending money at a site with a bargain-basement Walmart look, so that's what Prolific has always gone for with SereneScreen.com. I've always wanted an elegant sancuary with the sights and sounds of a rainforest. Since the Marine Aquarium is currently the only one of the SereneScreen programs available, the rainforest look wouldn't really work until I get the Butterfly Habitat or Terrarium on the market. So, the look will be fairly Aquarium-specific.

The experiment will consist of switching half the customers to the new site, and half to the old site. Then we'll see where the bulk of the sales come from.

Are you saying that if I go to www.serenescreen.com, I'll "randomly" go to one of two places?

Jim Sachs · 12-24-2009, 04:36 PM

Yes, when the new page is done and the experiment is in place.

patscarr · 12-26-2009, 08:44 AM

Interesting.

Dale · 12-26-2009, 12:38 PM

Re: if I go to www.serenescreen.com, I'll "randomly" go to one of two places:

Originally posted by Jim Sachs:

Yes, when the new page is done and the experiment is in place.

I'm thinking I would find this confusing (as someone who might go there multiple times)

And I'm not sure how Google (and frinds) will handle it.

But ... yes, it's an interesting idea.

PaulsPics · 12-27-2009, 01:35 AM

Dear Jim,
ADVERTISING YOUR GEM OF A PROGRAM ------FOR FREE ------- BIG MARKET

I have recently been coerced into Joining Face book. This was through staff members of the Sydney Observatory.
Although a bit out of my depth due to my 'Old' age, it has a redeeming feature. One can list all your favorites, films, music etc. etc.
BUT I have noticed that a lot of recommended items can be obtained and advertised by Clicking on a link that is on the seller’s pages.
To this extent I notice many of the pages I have examined have a link button which simply adds the "whole Sellers web page” to ones own Face book rather than just putting in the URL name oneself.
Once the " advert " is there, I note that many others who are linked to me as Friends and post ‘like’ or comment or otherwise also ADD that Link to their pages, so you have a situation of snowballing or Pyramiding.
Since I am always extolling the virtues of your work, I am about to put in the URL and have just done so the long winded way by creating an album of images and my comments in my favorites (check out my pages under " Paul Shallow- Sydney Aust – facebook ” ) URL - and photo Albums under "Profile"

‘http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?tid=1...00000392049635 ‘

I have just looked at Prolifics page there is no such 'Quick' link Button that I can see at all.
Surely this would be of great benefit to you as in ' Famam Extendere Factis" ( my old UK School Motto ). I will be leaving this on my pages until you either Prolific add such a link, or you advise that you would not prefer this .
Paul Shallow Sydney

Jim Sachs · 12-27-2009, 02:33 AM

I started a Facebook page, but I'm not really familiar with how it works, and never actually access it.

The link that you listed above gives me the message "This content is currently unavailable".

jleslie · 12-27-2009, 03:45 AM

His home page is here:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000392049635
The album here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...00000392049635
but I suspect his photos aren't shared with "Everyone" so you can't see the top page, but this individual album is.
(Note - "Everyone" means all Facebook users, not the more conventional sense of the word.)
John

Jim Sachs · 12-27-2009, 11:52 AM

Both of those links worked.

Thanks for the promotion, Paul - it looks great!

PaulsPics · 12-28-2009, 03:11 AM

GLAD TO BE OF SOME HELP , NOT MUCH TEC HELP OVER THE LAST 7 YEARS, WISH THEY WOULD JUST STOP UPGRADING COMPUTERS.

I will be replacing those images, as the Logo on the Crystal is my own effort using Paint Shop Pro, and pretty awful, I will ask someone to do the honours in helping me remake them shortly so they work "Crystal Clear " on MA3

My 1st machine was an old 386 from our Insurance Office, forgot the Megas of the HDD, but I am sure that now I even have single image that is bigger.
The next was a 486 again purchased from an upgrading office, of course these days this has been rather defunct, as they were from a large ( the oldest Legal Company in Sydney) and they and others rather destroy the machines than sell due to the modern trend to be able to re-read HDD and private or sensitive matters. Other machines, Pentiums that "died " I remove the HDDs before the machines are dumped. BUT for the info of NON TECH clients of yours. I would advise that all is not lost as I find that the memory can be used for outside Storage via an USB set box up for the mere price of some $ AUD 35 and again can be transported to say a relatives or friends place to show / share all the digital images of Parties and family gatherings. Yes I know that most of the experts on this forum will know all this !!! But there must be a lot of others, maybe new members, who are not so advised.
Will you be asking Prolific if they intend to place a Button on the Home page of Serene Screen.com to join up to the Facebook ???
best Wishes
Paul Pics Aust

12-23-2009, 12:06 PM	#502
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	Send me a Private Message with all your info, and I'll make sure Prolific gets it. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

12-23-2009, 07:15 PM	#504
PaulsPics Registered Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 71	Key Codes and payments for the privilage. when I first saw Serene Screen, a pirated version !!! I considered that it was so exceptional, That I immediatly thought of Jim slaving away away on his upgrades, Copyright is something that Artists Deserve. and for a few bucks ( $20 ) sent him his due rewards, since Beta 3, and now so impresive, not only paid for the $ 9.95 upgrade BUT also the full cost of joining it in full again, as I am using 2 computers and screens. It is upsetting and makes me irate to see occasional posts by Newbies who begrudge him and take up space amd his valuable time ,on this forum over the piddling amounts that they maintain do not work, Just send in your Money properly, or if valid , take it up with Prolific directly. This forum to my understanding, is to refine the existing product for those of us who have been faithful followers of Jims outstanding work and I will ( despite being an OLD age pensioner) part with my last ( Widowers mite ) to justly purchase any further addons and no matter the cost , that will be incurred for the improvements he is working on and hopefully any creatures that are able to be configured in th extra the time I am granted to be alive and able to use these computers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MAY I BE MORE POSITIVE NOW AND WISH ALL FORUM MEMBERS AND JIM SACHS A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR 2010. Sincerely Paul Shallow SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA Paul

12-23-2009, 10:26 PM	#505
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	Thanks for the rousing defense, Paul On the other side of the coin, Prolific and I do need to clarify the purchasing process, and will soon be renewing our efforts at an entire website-overhaul. I started this a year ago, and after talking to Reichart about it last week, I've been digging out my old artwork. I plan to tackle it in earnest tomorrow. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

12-24-2009, 05:15 AM	#506
Wizwad Only me... Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Essex, England Posts: 2,584	You can't do it tomorrow - won't you either have family visiting or be visiting family? You have more important things to do! But following that, Good Luck with the revamp. Mark ----------- Intel i7 12700K \| Aorus Z690 Pro \| Corsair DDR5 5600 32GB \| Asus Dual RTX3060ti 6GB v2 Mini OC \| Corsair RM850 Gold PSU \| 1TB NVMe M.2 WD Black SN850 \| 4TB Seagate BarraCuda HDD \| Corsair Airflow 5000D Case \| HP 32QHD 4K Monitor \| Windows 11 x64 Professional

12-24-2009, 07:06 AM	#508
Wizwad Only me... Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Essex, England Posts: 2,584	Now that sort of service would truly be going the extra mile! Mark ----------- Intel i7 12700K \| Aorus Z690 Pro \| Corsair DDR5 5600 32GB \| Asus Dual RTX3060ti 6GB v2 Mini OC \| Corsair RM850 Gold PSU \| 1TB NVMe M.2 WD Black SN850 \| 4TB Seagate BarraCuda HDD \| Corsair Airflow 5000D Case \| HP 32QHD 4K Monitor \| Windows 11 x64 Professional

12-23-2009, 07:40 AM	#501
tomlin53 Registered Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 1	[quote=Jim Sachs;106318]It sounds like you bought a 2.6 upgrade Key, which upgrades from 2.0 to 2.6. Contact Prolific Customer Service and they'll try to straighten it out. Same thing happend to me. I've been using Marine Aquarium 2.6 for quiite a while. Bought the 3.0 BETA upgrade for $9.95. When I try to register with my new keycode, program asks me to enter a valid CD (which I don't have, of course). Ad for upgrade, however, says product will register with a valid CD or keycode. Now I'm out $9.95 and still cannot register the 3.0 BETA. I sent a message to Prolific.

12-23-2009, 12:44 PM	#503
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	This is a continuing problem. The website clearly says "You need to insert a valid CD or Keycode to verify ownership." However, then people either purchase the "I bought a keycode" or the "I bought a CD" download. There's no apparent general solution, but perhaps if it said: o I have the MA2 keycode that was sent to me via email. o I have the MA2 CD that I previously purchased. o I need to contact support to get the keycode I purchased. I don't know what the "right thing" is, if somebody really bought the MA2 CD but doesn't have the CD any more. Clearly, some folks just ignore (or miss) the "You need to insert a valid CD..." requirement, purchase the CD upgrade, and then are surprised that they need to insert a valid CD. Perhaps that initial message should say "You need to insert a valid MA2 CD or MA2 Keycode to verify ownership." Perhaps there could be a single upgrade download that works if they have either a MA2 CD or a MA2 keycode.

12-24-2009, 05:32 AM	#507
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	I think Jim's tomorrow might be today, - if 04:26am gmt was really late pm yesterday, - if you get my drift. .... Either that, - or he will personally be delivering a revamp to us all, down our chimneys, - dressed in a fluffy red suit with white trimming!

12-24-2009, 08:38 AM	#509
Xylem Registered Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Belleville, Michigan Posts: 68	Well, whichever day you guys are in, today is Christmas Eve for me; so I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. Asus P5E3 Premium, Q9550, 8G DDR3, Palit Radeon HD 4870, Windows 7

12-24-2009, 09:26 AM	#510
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	No family except my wife and daughter around this Christmas. We're in Oregon now, and the extended family is still in California. Today is Chrismas Eve here. My wife will be sleeping all day, resting up for a 12-hour shift tonight (Labor & Delivery Nurse). My daughter will be driving around making contact with businesses all day in her new job as Director of The Rogue Concierge (a start-up company specializing in vacation packages and personal services here in the Rogue Valley). So, nothing for me to do but work on the new website. Should have something up and running in a couple of weeks. We're going to try an experiment. Prolific is concerned that people won't buy from a site that is too good-looking, and I've been a bit worried about this myself. A lot of people are more comfortable spending money at a site with a bargain-basement Walmart look, so that's what Prolific has always gone for with SereneScreen.com. I've always wanted an elegant sancuary with the sights and sounds of a rainforest. Since the Marine Aquarium is currently the only one of the SereneScreen programs available, the rainforest look wouldn't really work until I get the Butterfly Habitat or Terrarium on the market. So, the look will be fairly Aquarium-specific. The experiment will consist of switching half the customers to the new site, and half to the old site. Then we'll see where the bulk of the sales come from. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

12-24-2009, 10:27 AM	#511
Tarkus Shark Bytes Join Date: May 2005 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 158	Smart idea!

12-24-2009, 03:56 PM	#512
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	Originally posted by Jim Sachs: No family except my wife and daughter around this Christmas. We're in Oregon now, and the extended family is still in California. Today is Chrismas Eve here. My wife will be sleeping all day, resting up for a 12-hour shift tonight (Labor & Delivery Nurse). My daughter will be driving around making contact with businesses all day in her new job as Director of The Rogue Concierge (a start-up company specializing in vacation packages and personal services here in the Rogue Valley). So, nothing for me to do but work on the new website. Should have something up and running in a couple of weeks. We're going to try an experiment. Prolific is concerned that people won't buy from a site that is too good-looking, and I've been a bit worried about this myself. A lot of people are more comfortable spending money at a site with a bargain-basement Walmart look, so that's what Prolific has always gone for with SereneScreen.com. I've always wanted an elegant sancuary with the sights and sounds of a rainforest. Since the Marine Aquarium is currently the only one of the SereneScreen programs available, the rainforest look wouldn't really work until I get the Butterfly Habitat or Terrarium on the market. So, the look will be fairly Aquarium-specific. The experiment will consist of switching half the customers to the new site, and half to the old site. Then we'll see where the bulk of the sales come from. Are you saying that if I go to www.serenescreen.com, I'll "randomly" go to one of two places?

12-24-2009, 04:36 PM	#513
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	Yes, when the new page is done and the experiment is in place. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

12-26-2009, 08:44 AM	#514
patscarr Pet Shark Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Back in Buffalo Posts: 5,455	Interesting. Patrick

12-26-2009, 12:38 PM	#515
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	Re: if I go to www.serenescreen.com, I'll "randomly" go to one of two places: Originally posted by Jim Sachs: Yes, when the new page is done and the experiment is in place. I'm thinking I would find this confusing (as someone who might go there multiple times) And I'm not sure how Google (and frinds) will handle it. But ... yes, it's an interesting idea.

12-27-2009, 01:35 AM	#516
PaulsPics Registered Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 71	MY FACE BOOK NOW HAS A SECTION RE SS + IMAGES Dear Jim, ADVERTISING YOUR GEM OF A PROGRAM ------FOR FREE ------- BIG MARKET I have recently been coerced into Joining Face book. This was through staff members of the Sydney Observatory. Although a bit out of my depth due to my 'Old' age, it has a redeeming feature. One can list all your favorites, films, music etc. etc. BUT I have noticed that a lot of recommended items can be obtained and advertised by Clicking on a link that is on the seller’s pages. To this extent I notice many of the pages I have examined have a link button which simply adds the "whole Sellers web page” to ones own Face book rather than just putting in the URL name oneself. Once the " advert " is there, I note that many others who are linked to me as Friends and post ‘like’ or comment or otherwise also ADD that Link to their pages, so you have a situation of snowballing or Pyramiding. Since I am always extolling the virtues of your work, I am about to put in the URL and have just done so the long winded way by creating an album of images and my comments in my favorites (check out my pages under " Paul Shallow- Sydney Aust – facebook ” ) URL - and photo Albums under "Profile" ‘http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?tid=1...00000392049635 ‘ I have just looked at Prolifics page there is no such 'Quick' link Button that I can see at all. Surely this would be of great benefit to you as in ' Famam Extendere Factis" ( my old UK School Motto ). I will be leaving this on my pages until you either Prolific add such a link, or you advise that you would not prefer this . Paul Shallow Sydney Paul

12-27-2009, 02:33 AM	#517
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	I started a Facebook page, but I'm not really familiar with how it works, and never actually access it. The link that you listed above gives me the message "This content is currently unavailable". Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

12-27-2009, 03:45 AM	#518
jleslie Engineer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,279	His home page is here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000392049635 The album here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...00000392049635 but I suspect his photos aren't shared with "Everyone" so you can't see the top page, but this individual album is. (Note - "Everyone" means all Facebook users, not the more conventional sense of the word.) John

12-27-2009, 11:52 AM	#519
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	Both of those links worked. Thanks for the promotion, Paul - it looks great! Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

12-28-2009, 03:11 AM	#520
PaulsPics Registered Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 71	GREAT !!! HAPPY NEW YEAR GLAD TO BE OF SOME HELP , NOT MUCH TEC HELP OVER THE LAST 7 YEARS, WISH THEY WOULD JUST STOP UPGRADING COMPUTERS. I will be replacing those images, as the Logo on the Crystal is my own effort using Paint Shop Pro, and pretty awful, I will ask someone to do the honours in helping me remake them shortly so they work "Crystal Clear " on MA3 My 1st machine was an old 386 from our Insurance Office, forgot the Megas of the HDD, but I am sure that now I even have single image that is bigger. The next was a 486 again purchased from an upgrading office, of course these days this has been rather defunct, as they were from a large ( the oldest Legal Company in Sydney) and they and others rather destroy the machines than sell due to the modern trend to be able to re-read HDD and private or sensitive matters. Other machines, Pentiums that "died " I remove the HDDs before the machines are dumped. BUT for the info of NON TECH clients of yours. I would advise that all is not lost as I find that the memory can be used for outside Storage via an USB set box up for the mere price of some $ AUD 35 and again can be transported to say a relatives or friends place to show / share all the digital images of Parties and family gatherings. Yes I know that most of the experts on this forum will know all this !!! But there must be a lot of others, maybe new members, who are not so advised. Will you be asking Prolific if they intend to place a Button on the Home page of Serene Screen.com to join up to the Facebook ??? best Wishes Paul Pics Aust Paul