CompuServe Thread

#DOpus 4.0

23 messages in this thread
#82026From: Richard RenickDec 20, 1992 5:00 PM
I just read that in the Amiga Vendor forum and am totally outraged! To have to pay $40+ for an upgraded version of a directory utility is quite simply ridiculous. I also heard that Inovatronics plans to sell DOpus 4.0 for $99.00 retail….. FORGET IT! I personally feel sorry for all the current owners of DOpus and would advise them to seek thier directroy utilities from the numerous freely distributible selection contained here, many of which rival DOpus in qualitly.
#82104From: Steve AhlstromDec 21, 1992 1:41 PM
Speaking of DirUtils — what's the best in PD/shareware these days? There was a LOT of talk a year or so ago about SID 2.0 — then nothing. Is it now out of fashion? What's good these days? -sja
#82126From: Steve SetzerDec 21, 1992 4:09 PM
Steve, I use Directory Opus but some of my friends swear by DirWorks, we have some quite heated discusions at our users group over the merits of Opus vs DirWorks! I am not sure of the most current version but there is a fairly new release in the libraries here in User. …Steve On AutoPilot! (at last)
#82128From: Steve AhlstromDec 21, 1992 5:00 PM
Steve, Ok — just curious. I use DirOpus — but I've never upgraded it — I've got version 3.22. Other than not being font sensitve in the menus and having lots of mungwall hits, it works well enough for what I use it for. I'm going to pass on the $40 upgrade, tho.
#82468From: Wayne ColeDec 24, 1992 1:09 AM
Sid 2.0 is out but it can only be started by an IconX script and has thei annoying little window that hangs around (i.e. it does not detach from the initiating CLI). Due to the way it initializes I could never get it to rum from the dock in AmiDock. Once it is running it is a very good dirutil, however. Anfd 2.0 is much more configurale thatn previous versions were. I'm hoping there will be an update that allows full autonomous execution from workbench, but as a registered user I have not been advised of such an update. wmc – via Autopilot!
#82713From: Richard BeausangDec 26, 1992 12:12 PM
Wayne, Are you using the runback_wb2.x including in the Sid distribution? I have no problems with getting Sid to detach from the initiating cli. I open it up from the Tool Manager menu. -Richard
#82491From: Richard BeausangDec 24, 1992 3:35 AM
Steve- I think the commotion about Sid 2.0 awhile back was general anxiousness for its release. I've been using it quietly and happily ever since as I bet are a number of others. There were/are a few bugs in it. Decompressing files to Ram: and selecting custom menu items before loading directories will cause system lockups. These are easily avoidable and may even be fixed by now. I've noticed a new bug since I've installed an 040, occasionally scrolling to the bottom of a directory will freeze the system. Other than that, it's a real masterpiece. -Richard
#82125From: Steve SetzerDec 21, 1992 4:08 PM
Richard, I too was somewhat shocked at the upgrade price on Opus. BUT look at the quality of the program and compare what an equivelant program would cost you for a MS DOS clone or a MAC, If you could find one! I don't like paying more for software but if the Amiga is going to continue to be a viable platform for developers to make a living, we (the Amiga comunity) are going to have to start paying more for the quality programs. I believe that is one of the reasons some of the major s/w vendors do not get into the amiga market; our s/w is generally 1/3 to 1/2 the price of comparable products. JMHO …Steve On AutoPilot! (at last)
#83058From: Richard RenickDec 29, 1992 6:51 PM
Well, I'm not sure I agree with your reasoning. To charge users $40, which is MORE than the original mail-order cost, for an upgrade would be similar to CBM telling users: "Sure, we'll sell you a 1 Meg Agnus chip, but it's gonna cost you MORE than your Amiga did to start with." If CBM told you this, would you still buy the Agnus chip? Would you EVER do business with them again? Probably not.
#83067From: Christopher TolmieDec 29, 1992 7:33 PM
Richard, I found this in my mail-ordrer BBS catalog for the older OPUS. Description Manufacturer Suggest CSN'S Retail PRICE! Directory Opus ———- Inovatronics ——- $ 59.95 $ 28.98 So why update, just re-purchase from a good mailorder store. The 4.0 version can't be much more than the older version. Chris
#83154From: Forrest McKinneyDec 30, 1992 10:52 AM
In fact the New Doupus price is retail of $99, street price around $60-70 Forrest
#83175From: Martin MurrayDec 30, 1992 1:47 PM
Chris, the mail-order price of Opus 4.0 will DEFINITELY be more than $40.00. The new price for Opus is $99.95 and it is simple economics that even the mail-order prices will be higher than before. Martin – via Whap!
#83211From: Christopher TolmieDec 30, 1992 6:47 PM
Sure Martin, I didn't expect it to remain at the older version's price. I just felt that from this particular mailorder outlet it may be closer to the update price. Chris
#83174From: Martin MurrayDec 30, 1992 1:47 PM
Richard, in this case the cost of the product has gone up. That is why the upgrade cost for the new Opus is higher. Martin – via Whap!
#83313From: Steve SetzerDec 31, 1992 2:32 PM
Richard, What YOU have to decide is if the update is worth the price to YOU. If it is go for it, if it is not then don't. I still maintain that software for the Amiga is to cheap to draw the big software houses into the market. I like the lower cost but would rather pay more for a wider selection and some of the more esoteric stuff that is just not being developed for the Amiga. If Opus was available for the Mac how much do you think it would cost? …Steve On AutoPilot! (at last)
#82133From: Leslie T. BartiromoDec 21, 1992 5:43 PM
I recommend DiskMaster 2 to everyone. It does most of what Directory Opus does, uses less RAM & disk space, allows mulitple windows, and is cheaper.
#82210From: Dominick J. FontanaDec 22, 1992 2:55 AM
Richard, While it seems that $40 is a bit high for the DOpus 4.0 upgrade, I haven't seen the upgrade yet or heard about any of its new features. I am inclined to upgrade. DOpus is a fabulous program. Far better than any of the PD programs I've ever used or heard about. It might just be a directory utility, but I use it all the time and I find it to be indispensable. Dom Fontana <– Sent from New York via AutoPilot –>
#82469From: Wayne ColeDec 24, 1992 1:09 AM
er hum… except the print utility never quite worked, the shwo utility has problems with HAM (show it to quick to see if you are using the sutopoint commodity) you can't unarc into the same directory as the arc file without causing a crash, and Innovision refuses to fix any of these problems in spite of numerous communications that included letters with disks, phone calls and conversations at trades shows with follow-up letters and a repeat of the disks. Now if they were responsive and all those things were fixed, it was AGA, '040 and all the enforcer hits were removed, it might be worth the $40. But one gets the feeling that you'll pay the money, get the upgrade and when something doesn't work you'll et to spend another 18 months on the "gee thats too bad, send some disks…" merry-go-round." wmc – via Autopilot!
#82488From: Martin MurrayDec 24, 1992 3:24 AM
Wayne, you will be glad to know that Directory Opus 4.0 does have all of the problems that you have mentioned fixed, as well of course, as an enourmous quantity of new features. The HAM-AutoPoint problem is solved. It has no known Enforcer hits. It is AGA/AA and Amiga 4000 compatible. You can, of course, unarc an arc file to the same dir it is in. I think that 90% of the good suggestions made to us, by both end-users and CBM, have been integrated into the new Opus. It is really incredible. Martin – via Whap!
#82496From: Dominick J. FontanaDec 24, 1992 4:21 AM
Wayne, I'm in the auto-upgrade program for DirOpus, so they've sent me the upgrade for $30.00, which includes S&H. That's $15 less than what others have to pay. I never had a problem with the print utility; just with the print command itself, and that's rather minor. I've never had ANY other problem with the program. I use it exactly the way I want and none of the problems you mentioned have ever surfaced for me. I wasn't even aware of the other bugs you mentioned. I guess you do some things with DirOpus that I don't. The program has NEVER crashed for me even once. I guess it would be frustrating if you reported the bugs and they never fixed them. Then again, maybe you're the only one who reported those bugs. It still doesn't make it right that they didn't fix them. Maybe they have been fixed in the upgrade. If so, then your claim that they never fixed them would be incorrect. They did fix them in the next upgrade. It's just that the next upgrade took a little while. 😎 Dom Fontana <– Sent from New York via AutoPilot –>
#82766From: Robert J. FleigDec 26, 1992 9:59 PM
Dominick, DOpus 4.0 features include: Graphic Display Support: AGA/AA(4000/1200 All ILBM Formats(Including SHAM) Anim and Anim Brush Playback Audio Support: Noisetracker SoundTracker ProTracker MED w/MIDI Oktalyzer 8SVX Raw Data Runs Executables Displays Fonts Displays Text Files-Normal or ANSI Displays HEX Files Unlimited User Configurable Buttons Unlimited Configurable Device Buttons Launches CanDo Decks Built-in User definable sorts and searches "online" help Full Arexx support Check out the inside of the back cover of January's AmigaWorld. RJ……….on AutoPilot
#82798From: Martin MurrayDec 27, 1992 7:40 AM
I have also posted a complete DOpus 4.0 fact sheet in the AmigaVend INOVAtronics section. Martin – via Whap!
#82919From: Dominick J. FontanaDec 28, 1992 4:16 AM
Robert, Thanks for the 4.0 info. Dom Fontana <– Sent from New York via AutoPilot –>