bit-tech Shopping: Nuance Omniform 5.0 Premium 95/98/NT/WME/XP

• Microsoft Windows 2000
• Microsoft Windows 95
• Microsoft Windows 98
• Microsoft Windows ME
• Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
• Microsoft Windows XP

Rating: 4

Time with product:

Strengths: Does what it says it will do. It is especially good for filling in information. The program has much flexibility.

Weaknesses: Over-priced, tech support is little to none, text-formatting options are limited, ability to print specified pages disabled (although datasets can be selected and printed.)

Summary: I have just learned that there is - for all practical purposes -no technical support for this over-priced software.I have used OmniForm since its initial version, and it has improved with each permutation. Improvements could be made, but it does what it says it will do fairly well. It should... for the price of this software, which keeps climbing.When I experienced a problem with a vital database, I looked for support, and learned that I have only a one-time opportunity to receive free support on this software that costs close to $700.00. Since I had not used my available support, I called tech support, had difficulty being understood, and was told that the problem would be passed on to Research. Research eventually responded with input from two techs (the same solution) - containing suggestions that had already been employed, and inviting me to contact them if I need further support. There is no way to reach them directly. Access to their support is through a trouble page.I have submitted two further requests for help that have been ignored so far (this is 14 days after the original contact.) I have offered to send my database to see if they can extract the information, and I let them know that I was facing a county audit of the information locked in the database. I have since discovered, on Scansoft's online "community" that the problem I experienced was being reported in v. 4.0, so it is not unknown. The people I contacted echoed my complaint about the lack of service and assistance.I am told that there is a Developer's version that might open the database, for only $1495.00. If that is so, and if Scansoft doesn't choose to use that product to open the database, I find it unconscionable.BTW, this file was backed up twice, but the error didn't show up until the file was reopened and all files were corrupted.