Disabled Features

[Fulcanelli]

I have been a Finale customer since 2007. I received notice recently that my version, V26, will no longer be supported as of December. I don't need any new features. I created a document and suddenly am unable to edit text. A quirk? No. I have two copies and I can't edit text on BOTH COPIES!!! I know it works because I just used this feature a few days ago.

Has Finale gone the way of expensive German cars where you have to pay for features to be enabled? Did I miss that somewhere in the fine print that I agreed to when I purchased a license for V26?

I wonder what other features have been disabled.

Anybody else have this issue?

Thanks.

[BuonTempi]

No features have been disabled: you should still be able to use the software, as long as you have a computer and OS that will run it.

"No longer supported" means they won't provide you with support, e.g. no technical assistance, and no free updates.

Your problem with text not working is something else, and should be fixable.

[motet]

Exit and restart Finale. It that doesn't fix it, exit Finale and reboot your computer. If that doesn't fix it, click Reset All Preferences on the Preferences screen.

[miker]

Something’s fishy. They have been providing support for at least three releases. Do you have the email (or, however you were notified?)

I have sent in a request for more info.

EDIT:
Well, this bites. From the mothership:

Hi Mike,

Thanks for contacting MakeMusic Customer Support.

That is correct. As I'm sure you already know, you can continue to use v26 for as long as it's functional on the current OS.

Support will officially end on December 1st.

[heinzfan]

Many software companies only offer customer support for limited periods of time. V26 was released five years ago. I don't think it's unreasonable for them to limit free support. Anyway, I suspect many of the inquiries they receive are from people who don't really know how to use Finale

[motet]

I haven't found support very valuable over the years. I've gotten most of my support here and on the old MM forums.

[ebiggs1]

I suspect many of the inquiries they receive are from people who don't really know how to use Finale

Totally agree! And I suspect a large portion of the "bugs" people have is for the same reason.

[motet]

Helping people who really don't know how to use Finale is a major part of what customer support should be for.

[Fulcanelli]

I still don't know what happened here but I updated to the new version and all is good. I spoke with tech support and he assured me that even if I had not updated I should have full access to the version I had paid for even after tech support ended.

[ebiggs1]

Helping people who really don't know how to use Finale is a major part of what customer support should be for.

Right, try calling Adobe and ask the support guy how to use Photoshop.

[motet]

Are you suggesting that's analogous to what people asking questions here are doing?

[ebiggs1]

I don’t really understand what that means, but let’s break it down more clearly.

This forum exists and its function is to answer folks’ questions about all things Finale. That includes “how to use” queries. Plus, answer, technical skills and questions which some of the more advanced forum users have. In a sense whatever they ask.

However, you said,

“… how to use Finale is a major part of what customer support should be for.”

It is not. MM technical support is for billing, account issues, downloading the software, installation, activation problems or my sound is not working, etc. Now its not to say, you ask MM and get a nice guy that does explain how to make a major triad in Speedy but it certainly is not the “major part” of what MM tech support is there for. As neither it is for Adobe support which is far more difficult to take advantage of than MM support is.