Beware of violating software user agreements

[Mary Jo Cochran]

I have been using DigitalCat student for three years, learning and building my speed.  All this time I was doing substitute teaching.

 

I was offered work on Wednesday (in the afternoon).  I called Stenovations to update to professional.  Apparently i called Thursday.  I said in an email that I called them Wednesday.  They said I violated their user agreement by using their software in a professional work.  The phone call didn't go well and he thinks I am intentionally lying and intentionally violating their user agreement.  They won't want me as a customer. 

[Mary Jo Cochran]

Obviously, in our call, there was something about me he didn't like.  That's all I can think.

[Mary Jo Cochran]

I checked my emails.  I did request professional version on Wednesday. 

[Mary Ann Payonk]

Guess it's all in how you define "student," huh?  Update us on everything on this one, Mary Jo.

M.A.

[Mary Jo Cochran]

That was an absolutely 20 minute ugly phone call.  They threw away about $2,500 from the money they would have got from me.

[Janiece Young]

Do you think it would help to talk to his supervisor?  You will have to start all over learning a new software.  I have heard that once you learn one software it is pretty easy to learn another brand of software.

[Mary Jo Cochran]

That was the Vice President who called me.

[Tami]

I unfortunately had one of those same phone calls with that company over their writer.  I'm pretty sure I know who you talked to.  I, too, decided after the ugliness to not do business with them -- ever.

[Mary Jo Cochran]

The gist of the conversation was (in his wording) i was  a liar, saying I called Wednesday (which I did in email) and not Thursday just proves I am lying and that I don't care, I used thousands of dollars (yes, thousands of dollars) of software for free, I pirated their software, do I know the call is being recorded, they are going to check my computer to see what transcripts I made, and the type of person that I am they don't want to do business with me, I don't even want to talk to you on the phone,  and they could prosecute me. 

I chuckled a little and told him to go for it.  (Needless to say my little celebration of getting work was short lived).

[Amanda Leigh]

Okay, so you said you got in touch with them on Wednesday, via email, to upgrade to professional license.  You have a student license.  Did you take a job before speaking with them?  Did you email and no response and then took the job?  Were you going to take a job but had not yet and then contacted them and the sh*t hit it?  Are they upset not because of a job you did or didn't take but because you are a substitute teacher and are (may be) using the system in that capacity and that's a no-no (I don't know if no-no; I am not familiar with DigitalCAT program guidelines)?  Just some holes here, for me.  They, obviously, sincerely believe there has been an infraction, not just Mr. VP having a tough day and flying off the handle (although lots of room for miscommunication!).

[Tami]

I think it's a pattern and perhaps not so obvious at all, Amanda.  That is just my opinion from my own experience.

[Janiece Young]

Yes, I agree with Amanda.  If you had the student version and you had paid for it and you were not working as a court reporter, why would there be an issue?

[Mary Jo Cochran]

i started looking for work about six months ago.  I had just got to a level where I felt I was competent.  I didn't update to professional because I didn't get a job.  It doesn't make sense to buy software, start paying for it, if you can't use it.  I was offered work on Wednesday for a 3:00 p.m. depo.  I got home at 7:00, sent them an email told them I was ready to go to professional, do they need a credit card.  I got a response to call X at a number X.  Which I did.  got my activation code for professional, which i popped into what I already had.  As far as I knew it was basically the same software.  I did a sample page. It came out student.  I called them.  They told me i was supposed to go their website, to a certain spot, then type the activation in there.

 

Because I am using a Stenoram II, what i did Wednesday I downloaded.  Stenoram does not have memory.  Once you turn it off, it's all gone.  I downloaded the 20 page depo.  I emailed them for professional version.  DigitalCat does not have a license, it's free.   I had told them several times as soon as I got a job I would be downloaded to professional.

 

I have hardly used their software, barely got into it.  I learned how to write to CAT, how build my dictionary to about 40,000 words.  Learned how to use CAT.  That's what I used it for.