From: jgshir@athena.mit.edu (John G Shirlaw)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.misc
Subject: Re: Mathematica- can't get our passwords
Date: 30 Sep 92 03:08:33 GMT
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In article <20724@plains.NoDak.edu>, enders@bolshoi.cc.misu.NoDak.edu (Todd Enders) writes:
|> Bill Smith writes
|> (original article deleted)
|> 
|>      Funny you should mention this...  I got off the phone with an individual
|> at Wolfram just today.  Sine I finally had enough room to install my copy
|> of Mathematica, I fired up MathInstaller (this under NS 3.0), filled out the
|> registration form and clicked the e-mail button.  Absolutely nothing happened!
|> So, I punched up the Password installer and followed the directions about
|> where to call, what to have ready, etc.  Called the number.  This is the
|> gist of the conversation:
|> 
|>      Wolfram:  Hello, Wolfram.
|>      
|>      Me: Yes, I'd like to get the password to activate my copy of Mathematica
|>          on the NeXT.
|> 
|>      Wolfram:  Do you have e-mail or fax?
|> 
|>      Me:  I tried the e-mail option in MathInstaller, and it doesn't seem to
|>           work under NeXTSTEP 3.0.
|> 
|>      Wolfram:  Well, if you fax us the registration, we'll send the password
|>                out to you in 1-2 business days.
|>     
|>      Me:  Well, I don't have the registration form here at the office right
|>           now...  Can't I get the password over the phone?
|> 
|>      Wolfram:  If you e-mail or fax us the registration, we'll get the 
|>                pasword to you in 1-2 business days.
|> 
|>      Me:  But the e-mail option in MathInstaller doesn't seem to work with the
|>           new release of the NeXT OS.
|> 
|>      Wolfram:  Just fax us the registration form then.
|> 
|>      Me:  (*sigh*) I'll see what I can do
|> 
|>      Wolfram:  Thank you.
|> 
|> (flame on!)
|> 
|>      Why in hell does Wolfram say that you can get the password over the phone
|> *in the documentation* but refuse to give you one when you call???  Why don't
|> they seem to care that the e-mail option of MathInstaller seems broken under
|> NS 3.0???  Is this supposed to be customer service???  My employer probably
|> wouldn't appreciate my spending the department's money sending a fax for
|> personal business.  I really wanted to do some things with my Mathematica over
|> the weekend.  Now, I'm left wondering if Wolfram gives a flying fart about
|> their users (or is it just NeXT users).
|> 
|> (flame off)
|> 
|>      (*sigh*) I wish there was an easier way to get Mathematica up and
|> running.
|> 
|> 
|> Todd
|> 
|> Todd Enders          uunet!bolshoi!enders
|> Computer Center      enders@bolshoi.uucp     NeXTmail gratefully accepted!
|> Minot State University
|> Minot, ND 58701

I'll second this...I got the same response...they said they were trying to cut
down on the number of licences they gave out by phone.  I initially gave into
their request, then thought better of it, as my NeXT is not networked so I would
have to bring the email onto another machine to send it, with no garentees of
success.  I phoned them back and basically said I didn't have access to either
email or fax and they reluctanly put me through to someone who could give me the
code.  Since then everythings been wonderful..Its a great product.

Flame on

I don't mind them copy protecting there software (I don't want to start that
thread up again) as long as it doesn't interfear with it being used...having to
wait n days (where n seams somewhat large) realy is unacceptable. Particularly
when you've just managed to convince yourself that you should buy it as you have a
real use for it then and there...then to find you can't use it to solve said
problem as wolfram are being dificult. a phone call is fine but waiting for email
that may or may not arrive is a bit much!

flame off.

john
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.misc