Customer Reviews

SMITH MICR HOTFAX MESSAGECENTER PRO ( HFMCMACKESMS1118 )

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

 

 

OK, I'm calmed down enough now to write a review that will not offend younger or more sensitive viewers....

I've used easily two or three dozen software packages in my life, probably more. HotFax is easily the worst I've ever come across. My short time with it was a trip through...well, through sheer torment. After I'd spent my evening installing it, I tried to get online to register it. HotFax had toasted my modem. According to my computer, I didn't even HAVE a modem after HotFax got through. Going all through the documentation didn't produce any clues. Their help desk had gone away. The middle of the night, and I was all alone with a toasted modem. As last resort, I uninstalled EVERYTHING having to do with HotFax. It's easily UNinstalled; it's only saving grace. That finally brought my modem back online, although it froze up again when I tried to access their website.

I can't find my receipt, and I just hope my friendly local store (where I buy most of my stuff) will take it back, anyway. I'm through with it. The only reason my review gave it one star is because I didn't have the option of zero stars.

My advice: go elsewhere! Don't put yourself through what I just went through. There's *gotta* be a better fax package somewhere!

Sales@SmithMicro.com June 2, 2004

SmithMicro, answered as follows, when I complained that the program did not work and asked for a refund.

Unfortunately, Hot Fax Message Center Pro for Mac has been discontinued on the count of too many compatibility problems.
FAXstf 6.0.3 is still featured on our web site for $59.95, upgrade $39.95. This is sotfware strictly for sending/receiving faxes via your MAC running OS 9.

Do not waste your money on this program!

I've had very few problems with this software; mostly, using a US Robotics external voice modem, the caller ID isn't supported (which would be neat, as it can display incoming calls as a sticky). I was delighted that the program would let me record voice messages using the Andrea USB microphone I'd acquired with ViaVoice, for very clear messages.

The best deal is, the program comes bundled with Fax STF version 5, but that package had problems, so there is a free upgrade available from SmithMicro that will take the version all the way to 6.0.5., which bought alone is only $10 less than the entire HFMS + STF package. STF 6.0.5 is a mature full-featured fax program.

The other disappointment is HotFax originally would discriminate calls and pass off incoming faxes automatically to Fax STF. That feature seems to have been removed, even from the PDF Manual, though mention is made of it in online help docs.
And, the fax on demand feature is very slow for the incoming caller, but it does work. All in all lots of powerful features for a budget-priced program.

I have been using this software for about a year on my iMac DV. It has worked fine, and has more than paid for itself by allowing me to discontinue my phone company voicemail. I hope this, or another product with voicemail capabilities is developed for OS X.