| StampCat - created by FNProgramvare - Evaluated Version 5.10.02. Current Cost $29.95 (US) I have done some work on evaluating a demo version and it looks like the type of product I am looking for and as it is Access based the learning cycle will be reduced. Pros - 1. It is flexible in layout, therefore I am able to make the changes that suit my collection. 2. It is written in Access and therefore my learning curve will be greatly reduced. 3. It is continually being updated by it's author. Version 6 is due out Sept/Oct 2002. 4. The author is extremely responsive to Change Requests and e-mails about the product. 5. The cost, at $29 (about �18), is a very good value purchase. Minor upgrades (.x) are free. Major upgrades (X.x) have a variable cost . Cons - 1. In the current version "Custom"Fields are not displayed in the same way as "Generic" Fields. 2. The database is empty. This means that I have to populate every field from scratch. 3. Cannot import my current Access based catalogue except by converting to a text file. 4. Cannot import my Catalogue Images except one at a time. 5. It is a Generic product and not tailored to my particular collecting favourites - i.e.Machins. Numbers 1, 3 and 4 are being addressed by the next version so despite the cons, overall my impression is very favourable and I am tempted by it. (Update 05/2005: Vn 7.01 has now been released but not evaluated as yet) |
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| Stamp Links - Page 2 |
| Note: If you use any of these links you will need to use the back button of your browser to return to this site. I explain why in my About Me page (basically I don't know how!). |
| PS: I am not being paid for any of these endorsements and the description is my, hopefully, objective thoughts on each .... However I am always open to offers! |
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| I have spent a lot of time researching a Stamp Catalogue. The main reasons for that follow: 1. To ensure that I can list aspects of my collection so I don't purchase duplicates. 2. Finding way around printed catalogues is tortuous, either don't go into the detail (SG) or is organised in the wrong way (for me) (MCC). 3. I need to produce online "Wants" and "Duplicates" lists and creating my own catalogue is the only way to do this. At present I use Microsoft Access 2000, however as I am not a programmer by either trade or expertise, my attempts are amateurish at best, although it works for me to a limited extent. To this end I have evaluated two packages and I try to present my personal pros and cons. The comparison may seem a bit unfair as each product is aimed at different markets but as I can only afford one of them, I have to take this all the pros and cons into account. |
| MachinBase - created by Ron Jackson - Current Version ? Unfortunately there isn't a demo version of this software, however the web site does show some extremely interesting screen shots and as a Machin collector, it certainly looks like exactly what I am looking for. This was the web site that I used for reference purposes before I found Hampstead Castle. Pros - 1. Ron is an expert on Machins and therefore you know the information will be accurate. 2. It has a complete Machin database already within the package so I only have to mark those I have. 3. The information is extensive and covers all aspects of Machin collecting. 4. The author is local to me, only living 30 miles away so contact would be easy. 5. Would give me much more information on Machins than I currently have. 6. It allows me to create custom album pages to include varieties that are not included by normal album producers (e.g. Lindner, SAFE, SG) Cons - 1. As I have said on previous pages, I collect other than Machins, so I would still need to obtain another catalogue to cater for these. 2. Without the availability of a demo version there will cerainly be inflexibilities that I don't know about. For example, how do I mark duplicates. Can I list my needs/duplicates?. 3. The cost, at nearly �50 is prohibitive as it covers only one area of my collecting interests. 4. I understand that upgrades require a supplementary payment. You purchase the latest version and then all future data updates are up to you. 5. The last time I looked the software was based on a database called "DataEase" which is not exactly the most commonly supported DB. Despite the obvious cons of this package, remember that StampCat is produced by a company that spends it's whole time creating and amending it's various packages, whereas I assume that Ron does this in his spare time as a loving hobby, overall my impression is still favourable and again I am tempted by it. |
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| EBAY ROGUES (this is the polite word for them) |
| I have been really lucky to date, out of thousands of transactions, I have had less than half-a dozen that were unsatisfactory. Of these only three were so bad that I would never deal with them again. Unfortunately because Ebay doesn't really care about it's customers - it is a business after all - the system of "feedback" doesn't really work. In fact as one of the following informed me bad feedback is a joke because nobody takes any notice. All the names below threatened to give me bad feedback if I gave it to them, which to me seems to be illegal as long as I have kept my part of the bargain, which is to pay for goods that I have won. As I quite like to have 100% feedback (as long as I deserve it) I have taken to not giving negative feedback. However, this has the result that these "people" are getting away with at least bad and in some cases fraudulent auctions. So this is my warning to you, good reader. All I am saying here is that I will never deal with these people, afraid if you want more detail you will need to email me as the tales are too long to recount here. |
| Current Ebay Name |
| seandaytona (NARU) |
| Real Name (or operate under) |
| coignet_1er (NARU) |
| Wendy Phillips |
| Sean Bradford |
| Current Email Address |
| Beware - both Ebay names and the accompanying email addresses may change as their customers get less and less. |
| orchidshouse82 (still getting negs 05/04) |
| Karen and Adam |
| Have to mention this real weird episode. I was selling a few items and one of my bidders said that he had received an email from an ebay ID - pigeonmandan - telling them that they were wasting their money. I contacted a couple of other bidders and he had done the same. Fortunately, all thought him a bit on the loony side so ignored him, however when I emailed him to ask him what he was up to, he started ranting and raving about all sorts of things that were nothing to do with what I was selling . He has never even bid on any of my items and I don't believe he is a seller. I did originally report him to Ebay for bid interference but didn't follow it up in the end as it is more trouble than it's worth. Just a warning in case you ever get bid retractions it is sometimes worth contacting the bidder in case he has been receiving emails from an idiot like this. Been hanging around with his pigeons a bit too long methinks. (June 04) |