Customer Reviews

Quick Look Electronic Drug Reference 2008

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I have the 2003 electronic version and was happy with it, but felt it was time for an update. Plus, the 2003 version keeps freezing up if your Windows XP gets updated to Service Pack 3. Of course there is no patch offered because they prefer you shell out more $$$ and buy the newer version.

First problem: You install the software and it requires you to obtain a "key" in order to complete installation. Unlike most software that contains the key (a series of numbers you have to input) inside the box with the software, you have to either go online to their website, email them or call them to obtain the key. Well, the website link doesn't work, they won't fix it and they have no plans to fix it. The second choice, emailing, requires that you give them lots of "required" information before you can send off the email, such as your physical address, name, phone number, etc. That information is none of their darn business and should not be a prerequisite for using any company's software. And of course, they state it will take 24 to 48 hours to get a reply. So the last choice, calling actually yielded a human being located in the U.S., but they are located on the east coast and close at 4pm EST. So if you are on the West Coast like me, you're screwed if you decided to install this in the afternoon and already deleted your old version.

Once you remember to call before a certain time, the customer service people are very professional and nice. BUT...

Second problem: Once I got the key (and they do start asking you for contact information, which you can decline and they don't give you a hard time about it) and input it, the software acted like I never inputed the key and kept asking for it. I get a hold of their technical support and am informed that the software is "stuck in a loop", which must have happened to A LOT of people, because they had a patch to fix it and will email to you. Of course this necessitates you handling over your email address to them because they refuse to post the patch on their website for people to download (which is standard operating procedure for most software fixes).

Third problem: If you decided you don't trust installing this patch of theirs because you're suspicious it might cause further issues on your computer and want to delete all traces of the software from your computer and try reinstalling it from scratch, guess what? You will have to call/email them AGAIN for a new key and go through this whole thing all over again.

Fourth problem: This is minor, but still an issue. Although this clearly states it is a single user license, which I have no problem with, the agreement is for only ONE computer. I am self-employed and there is no way I would have my work software solely on one computer. One good crash could knock you out for days. Most people who work from home have a desktop and a laptop so they can travel and still work and also to not lose any income if one computer does crash. However, like I said, this is minor. The customer service people were willing to give you an additional key to load it onto a second computer without much fuss.

I would not recommend this product, especially since they have a 2009 version out, which HOPEFULLY fixes all these annoying glitches. However, since I have no intention of finding that out the hard way, hopefully someone will do an in-depth review of the 2009 version. For me, I was so fed up that I uninstalled the 2008 version and am making do with the 2003 version, supplemented by going online and compiling my own new drugs list, off of some very helpful (and free) websites.