(off-topic) Vaporware or maybe bad web design or maybe bad company practices? I'm not sure. Summary: Don't order this product if you expect to get it any time soon.
Some time ago someone mentioned the "MusicPad Pro" electronic music viewing device and included the link: http://www.freehandsystems.com/musicpad_pro.html I went to the page and it looked intriguing. Even went to the home page (which should not be required to find out info about the product). The home page said it would ship in April. Since this is April, I didn't think much about it and returned to the above link. NOWHERE does it say that the product is only being pre-ordered. So, since an organization I accompany was also interested, and there was a 30-day money back guarantee I went ahead - against my gut instinct - and ordered it (with the intent of sending it back unless it turned out to be the greatest thing since Finale and other music software). Since shipping was free I ordered it next day. Throughout the *ENTIRE* ordering process, including the confirmation email, there was *NO* suggestion or hint that the product was only in the pre- order stage. Well, a couple of days go by and no product. Also no phone messages or emails about it. So, I go to the above link. Nothing there about it being a 'pre-order' only product. So, I go to the home page and to my horror, it *now* says the product isn't shipping until "early June." (I suppose when we go there in June it will say "early July.") So, with a tour coming up in two weeks - an excellent opportunity to try it in the real world - even if I wait until June, it does me no good if I can't get the product now. So, I put this into the possible VAPORWARE category. Yes, prototypes might exist, but as to its general availability, who knows if it will ever be available? I've cancelled my order over what appears to be a bit of deception - or at a minimum, incompetence - on the web site. Unless they want to give me one of those things, there is no way I'll be getting one anytime soon. Thank you for letting me take up some space here on the Finale list with this. I do remember there was a fair amount of discussion sometime back about such systems. In the likelihood that I'm not the only one at least tempted by this product, I want to let people know that you may be waiting a long time to see this product in your hands. (I would expect, as Amazon, Columbiahouse and others do, that Freehand would *at least* put in bold letters on the product description page that they are only taking pre-orders). James Gilbert ------------- James Gilbert [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.jamesgilbertmusic.com/ _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
