**Free AAStudio update**
10 messages in this thread
Here is the information on the update planned for Animator Studio customers. I
will also post this as AASC!.TXT in the AAStudio section for future referral.
Thanks for hanging in there! The c1 copies are just starting to ship; I do not
have my copy yet but am looking forward to it. Please let us know your
experience with c1.
For those of you who have already sent in your registration card, we will be
mailing c1 to you at the beginning of next week. As registration cards
continue to arrive, c1 mailings will be batched in 2 week intervals.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*
July, 1995
Dear Autodesk Animator Studio Customer:
Starting in mid July, Autodesk has a maintenance update to
Autodesk Animator Studio* known as "1c1".
The primary difference in Release 1c1 is the addition of
Microsoft Video for Windows 1.1e as well as support for
QuickTime for Windows 2.0. Autodesk Animator Studio R1c1
also includes numerous bug fixes and the addition of relative
macros. Beta testers of Release 1c1 have been very pleased
with the numerous improvements in performance as well.
Registered customers will automatically receive an update
to their software on CD-ROM directly from Autodesk. The
update CD-ROM is supplied at no charge. Please note there
is no "patch" available to update the software.
To receive your 1c1 update, please fax your product registration
card to Autodesk, Inc. (fax 415-507-6123). You may also mail your
registration card to the following address:
Autodesk, Inc.
ATTN: Software Registration
111 McInnis Parkway
San Rafael, CA 94903-9846
Finally, many customers have been inquiring about support for
pre-release Beta versions of Windows 95. Neither Release 1 or
the Release 1c1 update will run properly on Beta Windows 95.
However, when the commercially available final release version
of Windows 95 becomes available in late August 1995, Autodesk
will provide a special maintenance release of
Autodesk Animator Studio that runs on Windows 95.
This update will also be provided free of charge.
Thank you for using Autodesk Multimedia products.
Sincerely,
Autodesk Multimedia Product Management
Nik,
I hope it works. I have to tell you I'm not very happy with your company.
After seeing your posting I called your customer service department and asked
if I could have my copy of the update Fed-Exed to me (at my expense) as I am in
the middle of a project and using (trying to anyhow) AAS. "Jim" in customer
service assured me that my copy would be Fed-Exed at no charge to me. That was
last Tuesday, July 18. I didn't receive it on Wed. as I expected, so I called
"Jim" back and he informed me that it wouldn't necessarily go out "priority",
but I should have it by Friday, July 27. Guess what? It's now Monday, July 31
and I still don't have it.
Sounds to me like:
(1) Marketing says "shut them up with a free release announcement".
(2) R&D gives them the latest copy.
(3) More bugs are found just as its goes out the door.
(4) They start back peddling on the release.
To me the product has such fundamental performance and bug problems that a
quick fix-up release won't cut it.
As long as they "say" they'll send us free update so solve the problems maybe
they are hoping the bad word-of-mouth might subside for a while.
LS
Laurence,
Glad to hear I'm not the only one who's upset. I received the "update" this
morning (08/02/95) and it's just as bad as the first version, maybe even worse.
Now instead of the flipper error message you get a good old GPF. Nice fix, eh?
Also, it still won't save as a flic with a background 0,0,0 (standard key
color) unless you lock it to a palette file. I've also noticed that the
separation selection tool which worked great in the first version no longer
works like it used to. I don't know about you, but I plan on letting Autodesk
know how I feel with my wallet. This screwed-up software has cost me countless
hours ($) of production time and could cost me one of my better clients.
There's no way I'd buy another Autodesk Windows product. Talk to you later.
Steve
Brent Blackett (Acting AAStudio Product Manager) read your email and asked me
to respond on his behalf (he's at SIGGRAPH):
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence in a ground breaking
product. The good news is that we already have hundreds of
customers that are thrilled with the outstanding
combination of tools that come with Animator Studio.
Of course, we are fixing numerous bugs, but the biggest
problem seems to be the huge variation in people's Windows
configurations. The performance you get is intimately tied
with your Windows configuration; and if you have a lot of
drivers in low memory, you'll find you come close to the
edge with Windows 3.1 generally. Animator Studio is no
exception to this.
However, most people that clean up their systems are very
happy with c1, and I am sorry that you may not be one of
them. We have a 60 day money back guarantee so if you are
unsatisfied please ask for your money back.
You should register your copy.
To receive your 1c1 update, please fax your product registration
card to Autodesk, Inc. (fax 415-507-6123). You may also mail your
registration card to the following address:
Autodesk, Inc.
ATTN: Software Registration
111 McInnis Parkway
San Rafael, CA 94903-9846
-Brent Blackett
acting Product Manager
Steve, here's a message I think you'll like from Customer Service:
"Nik, Order #71-104869 shipped on 7/31/95.
thank you."
Should be there today (or tomorrow).
"I have to tell you I'm not very happy with your company."
I checked with customer service, and they are unhappy with your experience but
have been able to track all the things that have happened to you.
There is a thing called a "Priority Mailing List" that they moved your request
to. I'm not going to promise you that you'll get it tomorrow, however! But
the head of customer service has your message and is giving you their best
effort.
Nik,
Thanks for your efforts. I received the "update" this morning (08/02/95) and
it's just as bad as the first version, maybe even worse. Now instead of the
flipper error message you get a good old GPF. Nice fix, eh? Also, it still
won't save as a flic with a background 0,0,0 (standard key color) unless you
lock it to a palette file. I've also noticed that the separation selection
tool which worked great in the first version no longer works like it used to.
This screwed-up software has cost me countless hours ($) of production time and
could cost me one of my better clients. There's no way I'd buy another Autodesk
Windows product. Talk to you later.
Steve
Nik,
I am a registered user of AAS and was curious, as it is after 8/18, if I should
have my update to 1c1 yet?
Your message of 7/21 seems to indicate as such. Please advise.
Tim Wheeler
MasterPeace Multimedia
"I am a registered user of AAS and was curious, as it is after 8/18, if I
should have my update to 1c1 yet?"
I will find out tomorrow – the data is not available for me till then. I told
them that I have quite a few people who are waiting for this info!
The file that I will get should be a list of those who will get the next
shipment of updates. 8/18 registration should be on there. If you're on
there, I was told that you should get your c1 update mid to late next week.
Nik