Customer Reviews

Rosetta Stone V3: French Level 1-2 Set with Audio Companion [OLD VERSION]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's true, as mentioned in another review, that you are not allowed to share or resell the software once you've purchased it. You also can't install it on more than one computer - so think carefully about where you want to use it. They really want to avoid you getting all you can out of the system and then passing it on to a friend.

That being said, the software is really good. I bought the previous French 1 & 2 (without the audio companion) for my family, since we are going to France this year. I have some French from school, my husband did not. The system is truly intuitive and easy to learn. You start learning basic nouns and verbs, colors, numbers and so forth, just like you learned when you started reading baby books. Before you know it, you're moving into much more complicated sentence structures and complex thoughts, but the basis has already been laid. We have learned a lot, and we've had a lot of fun. We will be purchasing Level 3 shortly.

So, overall an excellent program for learning, but they are very restrictive with how it is used by individual learners.

I've used Rosetta Stone in the past and I am impressed by the lessons. My complaint has nothing to do with the content -- 5 stars there! However after spending close to $400. on a product for my personal use I would have expected a much easier process for installation. I had issues with each install step -- and perhaps these are related to Vista but without tech support there is no way to tell. My computer would lock up, wrapper errors and finally after 2 hours of trying to install the activation disk and two language lessons I launched Rosetta Stone and found the program did not respond. I install applications for living so I consider myself a good judge of what should be an appropriate systems response.

Calling technical support was no help -- they're not open on the weekends and only run a 9-8 operation M-F. Again -- after spending so much I would have thought the support would be there... Left alone, I researched the Rosetta Stone support site only to find that with version 3.2.11 there is a defect that requires a downloaded update. So now -- I'm waiting for a quite large file to install hoping that this will resolve the problem.

A+ for the content.

F for level of technical support and ease of installation.

The product is mediocre and more importantly the voice recognitgion part will drive you crazy. You can have a native speaker (in this case french speaking person) try and it will insist that the prononciation is incorrect. Once software gets in that mode, it'll be impossible for it to accept subsequent correct prononciation. I ask my french native speaking friend to try and the software insisted that his prononciation is incorrect. What I am disappointed with the most is their customer support. A few weeks ago, I lost my hard drive due to a machanical failure. It'd have cost me more than $300 to get it fixd so it's better just to replace a hard drive so I did and reloaded Windows. However, I could no longer activate the software. You can only install it in on one machine. If you want to install it in on another machine, you have to deativate the product from the original installation first. My hard drive quit working so I couldn't deativate it. Also, it took forever for their support to contact me. Then they wanted the serial number so I gave it to them and they disappeared for two weeks. Later they wanted the receipt, so I gave it to them. Now nothing. The moral of the story, save your money and don't buy this product. You'll be better of using a different software or attending classes with a non-profit organization like "Alliance Francaise" near you.

My daughter is taking French in high school and complained that it was difficult and boring. Since starting to use the Rosetta Stone program she has done better in school and feels that the language is more enjoyable and the class is less sterile. I plan on using the program to complete a class in French that I took as a freshman in college just to be complete with it. Thanks for the opportunity.

Rosetta Stone is an excellent language programe. I would suggest that Rosetta Stone make available some written review material with this set. The programe is all audio learning.