One of my clients (Mac-user) keeps getting this error. Googling suggests a fix by upgrading Office, but it’s not working for him. I told him to switch to Mac Mail + Spam Sieve. Anyone got a better idea?
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I personally would move to Mail just for easier backups and avoiding Entourages’ inevitable database corruptions.
However If your client wants to continue using Entourage (it’s actually not a bad client except for the above rather big cons) I would suggest having at look at what the error code means.
This site is an excellent source of Entourage info including error code meanings.
http://www.entourage.mvps.org/error/number.html
Hope this helps.
JG
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This site is an excellent source of Entourage info including error
code meanings.
Any email client that needs web pages dedicated to error code
listings is a bad email client in my book. (And that’s completely
ignoring the horrendous UI design decisions the Entourage developers
made.)
k
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Any email client that needs web pages dedicated to error code
listings is a bad email client in my book.
Agreed, I as a rule tell people to ‘run away’ from Entourage. But when people insist on using it for whatever reason they need somewhere to go.
A good example is the Australian version of MYOB. Probably the worst piece of Mac software out there. Slow, unsafe, corruptible database, UI barely resembles Windows let alone the Mac UI and too many references about data recovery after corruption.
And yet people insist on still using it despite better options out there.
(To be fair many people stick with it only because their accountants accept nothing else. MYOB seem to make most of their money out of support and accreditation … sounds familiar to me 
(And that’s completely
ignoring the horrendous UI design decisions the Entourage developers
made.)
Well, it is Microsoft. If they followed proper UI precepts it would contrast too much with MS’s own UI rules (assuming they have any). Microsoft’s Mac Business unit would be charged as traitors, blindfolded, lined up and severely spanked 
JG
Self-flagellation is alive and kicking in the IT world.
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It a worrying concern when you mention “corruptible database”. We’ve
been using UK version of MYOB (keeping the software up to date) for
the last 10 years or more. No corruption issues ever (or maybe I
should say so far) I could not say its slow, works very well for us.
It goes without question regular backups are very important for
accounts software, together with session reports. We’ve Never paid a
penny for support, but I could see it essential for those new to
accounting procedures, profit and loss and balance sheets.
I presume you’ve had a bad experience with it - or perhaps the
Australian version is different?
David
On 24 Jul 2009, at 01:15, blib86 wrote:
A good example is the Australian version of MYOB. Probably the worst
piece of Mac software out there. Slow, unsafe, corruptible database,
UI barely resembles Windows let alone the Mac UI and too many
references about data recovery after corruption.
And yet people insist on still using it despite better options out
there.
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Re: UK version of MYOB
It’s been bought by Mamut who’ve said they’ll no longer support it. The PC upgrade is already available for a small fee; the Mac upgrade will be available in 18 months or so.
I learned the hard way that it only stores data for ‘last year’ and over-writes all entries for the previous year when you do your next year end.
From now on, I’m handing my accounts over to a bookkeeper who uses Sage.
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Ah right. Did you know it always has done this at year end, it does
not overwrite, it purges data older than last year to keep the
database lean and quick and warns you to “back up” before you do
this, (or you override manually which accounts are purged of old
transactions to keep them until reconciled). You just keep all the
old years as separate files. But make sure you make text files of all
reports for “all” accounts software, as you never know when that old
files won’t open. Using spotlight on text files in much quicker than
accessing 7 year old accounts databases.
We’ve talked to Mamut and they don’t support the PC version hence the
upgrade to Mamuts software. They do support the Mac version, and plan
to get a Mamut Mac version up and running before UK support for the
Mac version runs out next year.
David
On 24 Jul 2009, at 09:30, JackieBarrie wrote:
I learned the hard way that it only stores data for ‘last year’ and
over-writes all entries for the previous year when you do your next
year end.
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I do now! My accountant did the year end and I irretrievably deleted the back-up. It wasn’t one of my best decisions 
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Apparently there are a growing number of online accounts to choose
from which sound quite good. I’m not sure if I could trust someone
else with the data though.
Although I fear this will be the way for many small software apps
eventually - and maybe all?.. especially if Apple had their way
David
On 24 Jul 2009, at 10:00, JackieBarrie wrote:
I do now! My accountant did the year end and I irretrievably deleted
the back-up. It wasn’t one of my best decisions
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It a worrying concern when you mention “corruptible database”. We’ve been using UK version of MYOB (keeping the software up to date) for the last 10 years or more.
Sorry David, I really didn’t mean to sound alarmist or rude.
I have had a lot of frustration with the local version of MYOB and I suspect the one you use is a different beast.
I cannot speak for the UK version of MYOB as I have not encountered it or know what code it is based on.
The reason I make the distinction between the versions is because I know the Australian version is different to the American version. When I say different, I mean fundamentally different, as in different back-ends and even different ownership by different companies. Basically two separate products. My hands-on experience only comes from the AU version. I must add also that the majority of the problems are related mostly to the Networking edition.
I work as a Mac consultant, most clients are design studios, publishing firms and small business.
What I have experienced from MYOB products (Aust only) on the Mac over the last few years is has been so unbelievable at times that it reads like fiction. (Think of an IT version of ‘Yes Minister’ ).
As I do not wish to bore people with a multi-page essay, I will try and keep it as short as possible (while still making my case).
The networking version of their software, ‘Account Edge’ was so slow (between only 2 concurrent users) that after 3 years of a client complaining about speeds and regular, unfruitful phone calls to tech support, I was informed that was a limitation of the product. In those 3 years the client had me in frequently checking the connectivity and speed of the network as something as simple as printing reports was taking upward of 20 minutes. A time when no-one else could connect to continue working. One particular report took almost an hour. The machine were all recent Intel iMacs connected via gigabit ethernet with plenty of memory.
MYOB’s solution was to:
This suggestion was put forward for this Mac-only business. It was like purchasing a new car and buying a trailer to tow it around on.
Other ‘moments’.
• Tech support telling the accounts person to ‘ignore’ any validation errors. Which she did until the corrupted file had to be posted to MYOB for repair (twice)
• Tech support telling ‘First Accounts’ customers that the product was terrible and up-selling them to the much more expensive ‘Account Edge’
• Finding out MYOB could no longer sell the network version in NZ as it was in violation of trade descriptions
• Calling tech support for a client on day only to find that the network version is no longer being sold, so it no longer exists and they will not offer support for that feature. The client was not impressed at being hung out to dry.
• A welcome, recent re-introduction of a Mac ‘network’ version was tainted when we found out that while improved, is still slow and as advised by support had to download the non-network edition to perform some tasks locally.
• New network edition keeps data files in the System ‘Library’ folder rather that the ‘Users’ or specified server destination.
• Have been told by support that the PC version is slow also and will not help.
• Have had a certified MYOB specialist (recommended by MYOB) to move to another product
• No-one has denied that the database structure is circa 1994 (probably Foxpro)
The product seems to be such an embarrassment that, the last couple of years, when calling support they now offer the hint that they will soon be making a big change in the database structure. One is always told that this hint is ‘off the record’ or ‘unofficial’ but they say it every-time. Very officially unofficial.
The Good:
• They have finally stopped using Stuffit for their backup archives
• Company data files are now cross platform with Windows versions (forms unfortunately are not)
• No support staff have been rude - just ineffectual
• It can only get better
For a originally Mac-first product it is far from Mac-like. It feels like a 1980’s Hypercard stack.
Sorry for the rant but I’ve never run into more seemingly dodgy yet widespread software and support before (which is surprising as they charge handsomely for it). MS not withstanding. The company seems to have a strong mind-share in this relatively small demographic in Aust. but no product to grow on.
Bring back the abacus!
JG
P.S. I’ve heard only good things about Moneyworks from cognito.co.nz - and no, I have no affiliations but I have had quicker and more helpful responses from Cognito in New Zealand than I have from MYOB located in the same city as myself.
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Ah networking MYOB of course - luckily we’ve always managed to stayed
clear of that.
David
On 24 Jul 2009, at 14:41, blib86 wrote:
The networking version of their software,
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