The upgrading of the Quark
Jul. 8th, 2004 04:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
triskellianBack in the dim mists of time, when I started this job, and was setting up my computer requirements, I needed a copy of Quark Xpress. Another department was rumoured to have a spare Quark licence kicking around, so we acquired that. Two years on, the time has come to upgrade, so we investigate. The guy who originally provided the spare licence says it's not a multi-user licence, so we should just be able to buy a single user upgrade.
The upgrade arrives, and I make the required phone call to Quark to get my old serial number upgraded to my new one, and it turns out the old licence is a multi-user licence after all. I can't upgrade to my new single user version, without voiding the serial numbers of the other nine people using the licence. I have no idea who those nine people are. The other option I'm offered is to make use of a single user licence the university has, and upgrade on that. The customer service operative doesn't seem to understand when I explain that I can't do that because some unsuspecting colleague will then find his or her licence number void.
I consult with Boss. I call Quark back to ask them to list those single user licences for me, so I can try to find out if they're still in use. While discussing this, my new customer service operative casually mentions that it's possible to 'deconsolidate' a multi-user licence, and one of them out to a single user licence, for a measly £100. I wonder why my first customer service operative didn't mention this. I consult with Boss again, and she gives me her credit card. The end is in sight. My version of Quark will no longer be tied to some other versions in use several miles away by people I don't know.
I call Quark again, and my third customer service operative turns out to be the first person again. I explain my new deconsolidation scheme, and she says casually 'Oh yes, you could do that'. Once again I wonder why she didn't explain this option to me to start with.
Trouble is, I'm still on hold. I haven't written this entire entry while on hold, but it has been at least half of it. And, damnit, I could have gone home 25 minutes ago. Before it started raining.
Ah hah! I'm off hold! My customer service operative (Monica, since I'm bored of typing c- s- o-) talks to me... to ask me if I mind holding for a few more minutes, since 'things are slow [there]'.
Back on hold.
Back off hold.
"Did you speak to one of the other representatives here who advised you to deconsolidate?"
"Yes I did."
"I'm sorry, you have been given false information. You cannot deconsolidate the type of licence you have."
So that's why she didn't tell me before. Damnit. Back to the drawing board.
The upgrade arrives, and I make the required phone call to Quark to get my old serial number upgraded to my new one, and it turns out the old licence is a multi-user licence after all. I can't upgrade to my new single user version, without voiding the serial numbers of the other nine people using the licence. I have no idea who those nine people are. The other option I'm offered is to make use of a single user licence the university has, and upgrade on that. The customer service operative doesn't seem to understand when I explain that I can't do that because some unsuspecting colleague will then find his or her licence number void.
I consult with Boss. I call Quark back to ask them to list those single user licences for me, so I can try to find out if they're still in use. While discussing this, my new customer service operative casually mentions that it's possible to 'deconsolidate' a multi-user licence, and one of them out to a single user licence, for a measly £100. I wonder why my first customer service operative didn't mention this. I consult with Boss again, and she gives me her credit card. The end is in sight. My version of Quark will no longer be tied to some other versions in use several miles away by people I don't know.
I call Quark again, and my third customer service operative turns out to be the first person again. I explain my new deconsolidation scheme, and she says casually 'Oh yes, you could do that'. Once again I wonder why she didn't explain this option to me to start with.
Trouble is, I'm still on hold. I haven't written this entire entry while on hold, but it has been at least half of it. And, damnit, I could have gone home 25 minutes ago. Before it started raining.
Ah hah! I'm off hold! My customer service operative (Monica, since I'm bored of typing c- s- o-) talks to me... to ask me if I mind holding for a few more minutes, since 'things are slow [there]'.
Back on hold.
Back off hold.
"Did you speak to one of the other representatives here who advised you to deconsolidate?"
"Yes I did."
"I'm sorry, you have been given false information. You cannot deconsolidate the type of licence you have."
So that's why she didn't tell me before. Damnit. Back to the drawing board.
