Datacolor User to User Support Group.

Hi,

I recently purchased Spyder2Express and I must say that is the worst 
software experience I have made since long. First, I must say that 
I'm not the only one with the problems described below. A look at teh 
DPReview forum will demonstrate this 
(http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?
forum=1004&thread=21651889&page=1).

The package came with Spyder2Express 2.2.2 (although the label on the 
CD says 1.x). This version immediately demonstrated bugs: error 
messages about the sensor not being recognized. Error 6 
(SpyderUSB.cpp 167). An error occured while taking a reading. Make 
sure the sensor is properly attached. Well, guess what, teh sensor 
*is* properly attached and recognized by Windows.

I went to the download site and discovered a version named 2.3.3. 
Unfortunately, this installation package was never tested because it 
crashes during the installation. Go figure.

Someone on a forum told me about version 2.3.4 but this version 
obviously had a short lifetime because it quickly disappeared from 
the Colovision sites.

Back to version 2.3. Please note that the results and the code that 
you obtain vary depending on from which site (US or European) you 
download. The same version number doesn't guarantee that you'll get 
the same code. Worse, I have two packages downloaded from the 
european site and both labeled 2.3 (the latest being dated 02-20-
2007) that are not identical.

Version 2.3 still has the error 6 problem (meanwhile I have been told 
that this error can be ignored) but now I have a new one: error 2 
(SpyderUSB.cpp 127). File not found. The software claims that "no 
sensor is attached" although it is and properly recognized by the 
system.

Please also note that depending on whether you are working on the US 
site or the European site, you don't deserve the same information and 
do not have access to the same files. This is a stangre policy.

So I'm now stuck. Uninstalling, purging the registry from everything 
that is left over by the uninstaller, removing all instances of the 
Spyder2 device in the device manager and re-installing version 2.3 
doesn't help.

As a software developer, I have never seen such an horrible way of 
managing updates. This is really a mess. I cannot imagine doing the 
same to my own customers. I would have closed my shop since long. 
Releasing different code versions under the same version number is 
not professional. Period. Releasing installation packages that have 
obviously not been tested is even more unprofessional.

As a customer, I'm wondering when Colorvision will be able to deliver 
a version of the software that merely works.

As a professional, it seems that I have lost too much time with that 
thing. The only thing that prevents me from asking my money back is 
that I have been told that the sensor is working fine and that the 
results are correct once you have got the software working.

So if anyone from Colorvision *who is really in charge* can give me 
explanations about this mess, I'd be grateful (the support is telling 
me that a new version will be released within the next few days but 
this was already about 10 days ago).

Thanks.

-- 
Patrick Philippot - Microsoft MVP
MainSoft Consulting Services
www.mainsoft.fr