***WARNING***ATHENA CANT ADD******

[Anonymous]

Ok, anyone have this problem? Once in awhile she cant add or subtract? Seems if you improt a comp from another file, that is the only common element i can figure out, she sometimes likes to remember some of the other adjsutments from the old report. She doesnt show you they are there, but includes them in the new report your brought it into.

I would think that basic math functions would be a priority for a company that writes software for appraisers. But when I called tech I was told, yeah that happens. Maybe we should look at that.

I am so sick of this crap...getting nickeled and dimed to death for support calls because their product doesnt work.

 

[mpkrodel]

Bill, if you run across the issue again, clone the file before re-calcing and send it to us so we can look at it. We take calculations pretty seriously around here.

In Athena upate #40, we took care of an issue where swapping major forms could bring in ghost adjustments if the destination form didn't have all the same fields as the source. (The problem was also dependant on what you clicked on after swapping forms - i.e. if you didn't go straight to the major form as we would've expected you to!)

We tested it in-house and with our beta testers. But, you never know exactly what steps someone is going to go through or in what order an individual is going to click things.

I can also have somebody contact you to make sure update #40 is installed. Your records say "42", but there is a remote possibility that the update didn't install or something - pretty rare, but isn't that how these things go?

Matt Krodel
Support Manager
a la mode, inc.

 

[Anonymous]

Matt,

It seems not to be so unusual with this software to have many bugs. It is the most cumbersome softwareI have ever used. You say most of your people are appraisers. Maybe they have taken the course work, but I doubt if there are but a very few who have acutally worked in the field and tried to use this program.

I think I have figured out how this happens. When one brings in a comparable from an old report, not from the database, it can happen. I am not sure if in the case above this happened, I havent had a chance to check yet.

 

[slacker]

Matt,

"It seems"... "I think I have figured out how this happens"......." I am not sure"...."I haven't had a chance to check yet"

What's your point? I have to disagree that WINTOTAL is cumbersome. I have never had a problem with it. Time is money and I haven't found another product that can save me more of both.

And no, I haven't been paid for this testimonial. Although if anyone from Alamode is interested I can give you my address so you can send the check.

Later

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

Alamode is all I've ever used so that's the only one I know about. I'm quite sure that if I tried to use something else I would find plenty to complain about. It's a matter of learning the program.

 

[Anonymous]

Slacker,

Have your used anything else. In all my years, I have used several. THe best, by far at time savings is Toolbox. (Bradford and Robbins). I had a very large client that went to EDI in native Wintotal format. I had to change or loose the client.

Youknow how you can do the GLA calcs automatically in wintotal? How would you like to be able to do that for every numeric field on the grid? Yup, time, age, site size, number of rooms. bedrooms, baths, GLA, basement sf, finished bsmnt sf, garages, fireplaces, etc.? Toolbox does all that. How would you like to make maps in a bout a tenth of the time you do now? Does that too. How about not having to click through all the forms. One file one report. You can just scroll through the whole thing. How about a comps data base that you can search by sales price without having to enter a subject's sales price? How about being able to search by with a sales date without having to enter a subject's sale date? How about being able to search by every field on the grid? Yup, toolbox does it all. How about a true neighborhood database? Yup, got it too.

Now you want to know the funny part. I discussed all this with the people at alamode way back. Know what I was told? Just wait til athena....it will do all that and more. Then it came out. I called and asked what happened. Well, we wanted to get it to the market and didnt have time to get all that done. So basically, we got the same crap we had before in 16bit now to 32bit. No better than it was before.

I know alot of you are total fans, I just bet you havent used other software packages. You know, the Taurus might be the best selling car, but is it the best performing car?

 

[Daniel Williams]

Bill in NC,

Please understand at this point I am just playing the devil's advocate;

Why do you think a lender would want "Native format" reports?
Maybe, do you think, possiblly, so they could CHANGE the report?
It is my understanding that they could change or alter the report.....including your value conclusion and signature (not to mention HARVESTING the comp Data!!).........just a thought.

 

[Anonymous]

Daniel,

Yes, I thought of that. It went in native format as it had been set up to enter their computer system like that. Sort of like alot of the AMC's do with Lighthouse/ACI.

I was assured by Alamode that that could not happen. (and of course given all of the supporting data of how it culnt be done) Of course, since then, I have found that many things I was told was wrong.

Perhaps you send reports in PDF Daniel? Did you know inthe lastest version data can be stripped and replaces if you know how to do it?

 

[slacker]

Slacker,

"In all my years, ..."

I always need to be careful when a reply starts like that. Sounds like my Dad. That’s a compliment.

Didn’t mean to get anyone’s undies in a bunch, I have tried others and just prefer Wintotal.

I can’t understand why people drive Saturns or put ketchup on their hot dogs either. Or is that catsup? See, lot's of issues out there.

Later

 

[jtrotta]

First off, ya'll got to put this in perspective; Gates sold a lot of suits on the idea they neede a computer;

The Banks bought it;

Told us we were going to have to use it or loose it;

Software folks went crazy selling everyone on the idea "Ours Is The Best" or we're #1 - and are still selling their funky snake oil today

Now; think back about 5-6 years ago, weren't the suits telling everyone they neede to make the public happy by providing "quick service" - we're going to provide 10 Day Mortgage Money.

To date haven't seen any 10 day mortgage money; computers suck; and no one's shot the "snake oil" salesman yet 8O

They're suckin our money away; we have no recourse, cause they all have empty promises - and they've joined the liers of the free world, as a matter of fact, they're gettin way to close to the suits.

We need some NEW - software guys to shake up the suck ups that are out here now; New Competition is where it's at.

Life Inside the Snowglobe 8)