Ben Myers...

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 05:37:36 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Jul 19, 3:46*pm, Ben Myers
wrote:
Got an email back from Steve Gibson. *He said that his SpinRite page now has a
correct spelling for my name. *It does... Ben

On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:40:34 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
Can't Gibson Research spell...or is this a different Ben M. ?

http://www.grc.com/spinrite.htm

p_z

He must read here...Steve, your products are bloated and expensive.

I use Avast and Kerio's free firewall. I wouldn't consider buying from
anyone as money oriented as you.



Spinrite isn't a firewall or virus checker. Its a hard drive
diagnostic and it's been around for ages so I know it's tried and
tested. I agree on the surface it's expensive but considering what it
does and how long it's been around, it might be worth every penny.
I believe those in the business use this software as one of their
tools.

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:09:11 -0500, RnR wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 05:37:36 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Jul 19, 3:46*pm, Ben Myers
wrote:
Got an email back from Steve Gibson. *He said that his SpinRite page now has a
correct spelling for my name. *It does... Ben

On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:40:34 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
Can't Gibson Research spell...or is this a different Ben M. ?

http://www.grc.com/spinrite.htm

p_z

He must read here...Steve, your products are bloated and expensive.

I use Avast and Kerio's free firewall. I wouldn't consider buying from
anyone as money oriented as you.

Spinrite isn't a firewall or virus checker. Its a hard drive
diagnostic and it's been around for ages so I know it's tried and
tested. I agree on the surface it's expensive but considering what it
does and how long it's been around, it might be worth every penny.
I believe those in the business use this software as one of their
tools.

I'd like to try SpinRite's post-disaster recovery on my Maxtor drive
that went bad, but there doesn't seem to be a trial version. I don't
mind shelling out money for good software but the price is a little
steep for me considering I can't check it out first. Maybe there is a
trial someplace and I'm just missing it.

On Jul 20, 2:09*pm, RnR wrote:
On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 05:37:36 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
On Jul 19, 3:46*pm, Ben Myers
wrote:
Got an email back from Steve Gibson. *He said that his SpinRite page now has a
correct spelling for my name. *It does... Ben

On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:40:34 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
Can't Gibson Research spell...or is this a different Ben M. ?

http://www.grc.com/spinrite.htm

p_z

He must read here...Steve, your products are bloated and expensive.

I use Avast and Kerio's free firewall. I wouldn't consider buying from
anyone as money oriented as you.

Spinrite isn't a firewall or virus checker. *Its a hard drive
diagnostic and it's been around for ages so I know it's tried and
tested. *I agree on the surface it's expensive but considering what it
does and how long it's been around, it might be worth every penny.
I believe those in the business use this software as one of their
tools.

My point was...I don't use (and avoid) Gibson's products and gave
examples of such.

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:10:49 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Jul 20, 2:09*pm, RnR wrote:
On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 05:37:36 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
On Jul 19, 3:46*pm, Ben Myers
wrote:
Got an email back from Steve Gibson. *He said that his SpinRite page now has a
correct spelling for my name. *It does... Ben

On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:40:34 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
Can't Gibson Research spell...or is this a different Ben M. ?

http://www.grc.com/spinrite.htm

p_z

He must read here...Steve, your products are bloated and expensive.

I use Avast and Kerio's free firewall. I wouldn't consider buying from
anyone as money oriented as you.

Spinrite isn't a firewall or virus checker. *Its a hard drive
diagnostic and it's been around for ages so I know it's tried and
tested. *I agree on the surface it's expensive but considering what it
does and how long it's been around, it might be worth every penny.
I believe those in the business use this software as one of their
tools.

My point was...I don't use (and avoid) Gibson's products and gave
examples of such.


Ok very bad example. You picked on the wrong title which weakened
your arguement considerably. The reason for this is Spinrite has been
around for ages (not many other software can claim this) and it is
specialty type software. What I mean is most people won't know how to
use it nor need it very often but if you consider what it can do and
what is your data worth to you, you might understand. I won't argue
about other Gibson products due to my lack of knowledge on them but
next time you should be more careful for software examples. Of all
software, you picked on the wrong one g but your point is noted.
Personally I'd like to see a demo version but he addresses this on his
site and his counter is a 30 day money back guarantee so I guess you
could buy it and try it and if it doesn't work, in theory get your
money back.

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:52:16 -0500, journey wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:09:11 -0500, RnR wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 05:37:36 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Jul 19, 3:46*pm, Ben Myers
wrote:
Got an email back from Steve Gibson. *He said that his SpinRite page now has a
correct spelling for my name. *It does... Ben

On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:40:34 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
Can't Gibson Research spell...or is this a different Ben M. ?

http://www.grc.com/spinrite.htm

p_z

He must read here...Steve, your products are bloated and expensive.

I use Avast and Kerio's free firewall. I wouldn't consider buying from
anyone as money oriented as you.

Spinrite isn't a firewall or virus checker. Its a hard drive
diagnostic and it's been around for ages so I know it's tried and
tested. I agree on the surface it's expensive but considering what it
does and how long it's been around, it might be worth every penny.
I believe those in the business use this software as one of their
tools.

I'd like to try SpinRite's post-disaster recovery on my Maxtor drive
that went bad, but there doesn't seem to be a trial version. I don't
mind shelling out money for good software but the price is a little
steep for me considering I can't check it out first. Maybe there is a
trial someplace and I'm just missing it.


Journey, I agree I'd like to see a demo/trial version but I saw on his
site his counter to this point of view to which he offers a 30 day
money back guarantee. I noted this on his site:
http://www.grc.com/cs/licenseinfo.htm so I guess if you bought it and
it didn't work for you, you could at least in theory (I say this
because I can't speak for his practice), get your money back. Maybe
you could email him and get a student price???

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:52:16 -0500, journey wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:09:11 -0500, RnR wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 05:37:36 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Jul 19, 3:46*pm, Ben Myers
wrote:
Got an email back from Steve Gibson. *He said that his SpinRite page now has a
correct spelling for my name. *It does... Ben

On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:40:34 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
Can't Gibson Research spell...or is this a different Ben M. ?

http://www.grc.com/spinrite.htm

p_z

He must read here...Steve, your products are bloated and expensive.

I use Avast and Kerio's free firewall. I wouldn't consider buying from
anyone as money oriented as you.

Spinrite isn't a firewall or virus checker. Its a hard drive
diagnostic and it's been around for ages so I know it's tried and
tested. I agree on the surface it's expensive but considering what it
does and how long it's been around, it might be worth every penny.
I believe those in the business use this software as one of their
tools.

I'd like to try SpinRite's post-disaster recovery on my Maxtor drive
that went bad, but there doesn't seem to be a trial version. I don't
mind shelling out money for good software but the price is a little
steep for me considering I can't check it out first. Maybe there is a
trial someplace and I'm just missing it.

There's not a trial version, but Steve Gibson offers a 30 day
no-questions-asked money back guarantee. See
http://www.grc.com/sr/faq.htm "Why is there no trial demonstration for
SpinRite?"

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:42:43 -0500, RnR wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:10:49 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

SNIP
My point was...I don't use (and avoid) Gibson's products and gave
examples of such.


Ok very bad example. You picked on the wrong title which weakened
your arguement considerably. The reason for this is Spinrite has been
around for ages (not many other software can claim this) and it is
specialty type software. What I mean is most people won't know how to
use it nor need it very often but if you consider what it can do and
what is your data worth to you, you might understand. I won't argue
about other Gibson products due to my lack of knowledge on them but
next time you should be more careful for software examples. Of all
software, you picked on the wrong one g but your point is noted.
Personally I'd like to see a demo version but he addresses this on his
site and his counter is a 30 day money back guarantee so I guess you
could buy it and try it and if it doesn't work, in theory get your
money back.

Sheesh! Steve Gibson is not more of a money grubber than the rest of us. And
certainly a small enough operation so as not to be placed in the same category
as McAfee or Symantec, who happily take your money when you order, pay and
download their product and who do not respond to your requests for help when the
installation of the product you just bought fails and falls on its head. For
this reason, I absolutely cannot recommend buying anything but the store-bought
versions of their products. Whether to even use their products or not is a
whole 'nother thread, the likes of which I have seen many times before.

SpinRite sure has been around for ages. Not quite as long as me, but mid-90s
says that it has legs... Ben Myers

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:23:07 -0400, Ben Myers
wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:42:43 -0500, RnR wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:10:49 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

SNIP
My point was...I don't use (and avoid) Gibson's products and gave
examples of such.


Ok very bad example. You picked on the wrong title which weakened
your arguement considerably. The reason for this is Spinrite has been
around for ages (not many other software can claim this) and it is
specialty type software. What I mean is most people won't know how to
use it nor need it very often but if you consider what it can do and
what is your data worth to you, you might understand. I won't argue
about other Gibson products due to my lack of knowledge on them but
next time you should be more careful for software examples. Of all
software, you picked on the wrong one g but your point is noted.
Personally I'd like to see a demo version but he addresses this on his
site and his counter is a 30 day money back guarantee so I guess you
could buy it and try it and if it doesn't work, in theory get your
money back.

Sheesh! Steve Gibson is not more of a money grubber than the rest of us. And
certainly a small enough operation so as not to be placed in the same category
as McAfee or Symantec, who happily take your money when you order, pay and
download their product and who do not respond to your requests for help when the
installation of the product you just bought fails and falls on its head. For
this reason, I absolutely cannot recommend buying anything but the store-bought
versions of their products. Whether to even use their products or not is a
whole 'nother thread, the likes of which I have seen many times before.

SpinRite sure has been around for ages. Not quite as long as me, but mid-90s
says that it has legs... Ben Myers


Ben, I didn't say he was a money grubber. That was the OP. I tried
to explain the pricing for Spinrite to the OP. Perhaps the only
thing I said less complimentary was I wish Gibson had a demo version
or such but I did explain why he does not. I understand both points
of view. I'm not about to say anything negative about a product that
has stood the test of time. I hope you didn't take me to call Steve
Gibson a money grubber because nothing could be further from the
truth.

I, too, was taking exception to the OP's statement. Let me pour more gasoline
on this fire. I do not know which of Steve Gibson's "other" products give the
OP heartburn. I went to Steve's web site again. At least nowadays, Steve has
exactly one commercial product available: SpinRite. He provides a lot of free
and handy-dandy tools to assess computer and network security. He undoubtedly
sells his services and those of his employees. This is hardly the profile of a
company or person who rips people off by selling shoddy software at a high
price.

Disclaimer: I have no business relationship whatsoever with Steve Gibson or his
company. I may have met the man once on the trade show circuit back in the dark
ages before Windows. Frankly, I cannot remember if I did so or not. I have
exchanged emails with him maybe a half dozen times, the most recent when he
acknowledged the correction of my name, the one previous to that maybe 10 years
ago... Ben Myers

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:03:40 -0500, RnR wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:23:07 -0400, Ben Myers
wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:42:43 -0500, RnR wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:10:49 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

SNIP
My point was...I don't use (and avoid) Gibson's products and gave
examples of such.


Ok very bad example. You picked on the wrong title which weakened
your arguement considerably. The reason for this is Spinrite has been
around for ages (not many other software can claim this) and it is
specialty type software. What I mean is most people won't know how to
use it nor need it very often but if you consider what it can do and
what is your data worth to you, you might understand. I won't argue
about other Gibson products due to my lack of knowledge on them but
next time you should be more careful for software examples. Of all
software, you picked on the wrong one g but your point is noted.
Personally I'd like to see a demo version but he addresses this on his
site and his counter is a 30 day money back guarantee so I guess you
could buy it and try it and if it doesn't work, in theory get your
money back.

Sheesh! Steve Gibson is not more of a money grubber than the rest of us. And
certainly a small enough operation so as not to be placed in the same category
as McAfee or Symantec, who happily take your money when you order, pay and
download their product and who do not respond to your requests for help when the
installation of the product you just bought fails and falls on its head. For
this reason, I absolutely cannot recommend buying anything but the store-bought
versions of their products. Whether to even use their products or not is a
whole 'nother thread, the likes of which I have seen many times before.

SpinRite sure has been around for ages. Not quite as long as me, but mid-90s
says that it has legs... Ben Myers


Ben, I didn't say he was a money grubber. That was the OP. I tried
to explain the pricing for Spinrite to the OP. Perhaps the only
thing I said less complimentary was I wish Gibson had a demo version
or such but I did explain why he does not. I understand both points
of view. I'm not about to say anything negative about a product that
has stood the test of time. I hope you didn't take me to call Steve
Gibson a money grubber because nothing could be further from the
truth.

Hi!

He must read here...Steve, your products are bloated and expensive.

What in the world are you talking about? Most of his products are
freeware, and all of them have a very small footprint.

I use Avast and Kerio's free firewall. I wouldn't consider buying
from anyone as money oriented as you.

GRC doesn't sell any firewall or anti-virus software. The last I knew,
they did recommend using ZoneAlarm (something I have mixed feelings
about) but that was it.

William