Terms & Conditions
There's nothing more boring than Terms & Conditions pages. I'll try to be brief, complete but not too dull, although that's always a matter of opinion.
© Copyright & Licence
Please note that, unless I explicitly say otherwise, I assert my right to claim a copyright for all products displayed on this web site. Please honour this by not giving (or selling) copies of this software to a third party, or using this software in a product of your own making.
Licences for ChemSolutions software may be of several types:
- A site licence to allow the software to be used throughout an establishment, or as part of a web site if it is designed as a website enhancement. Software provided under this licence would not normally be set to expire.
- An individual licence, allowing sole use by a named person on one PC. Software provided under this licence would not normally be set to expire.
- A one-off licence for a particular event. This is necessary because work needs to be done to alter the software, which is then only useful for the single event. There is no limit on the number of PCs that can have the software, provided that they belong to the licenced institution. Software licenced in this way will be set to expire when the licence ends.
It is an infringement of copyright if software is used for any purpose beyond of the scope of the particular licence under which it is provided.
Free Trial Software
This is indeed free, with no commitment to buy the software later, or for me to sell it to you. If you like the software, having tried it, then we can discuss how to supply you with a full version, customised if necessary to your particular circumstances. Most of the trial software is fully functional but will only work for a limited period. In the case of database products, it may include some fictitious data to help you rapidly explore how it works.
All trial software has an individual licence and this expires after the duration specified.
What's on Offer
- Software that works.
- Software that is not expensive.
- Software written to solve particular needs and I happen to think that the software on offer achieves those purposes rather well.
- Software to make the life of a science/ICT teacher easier!
What's not on Offer
- Perfection. It could look smarter, it could have a more beautiful interface, it could even be entirely bug-free. Unfortunately, these are only possible with unlimited time and money, something which teachers don't have. Even Mr Gates' products can't escape being criticised for bugs. I have extensively tested the software; my teaching colleagues have used it and helped me to improve it. Only rarely have they managed to break it, but, when things start to get as complicated as some of these products, I can't be certain that I have tested every possible route through them. With you using (and testing) my software, it can only get even better still!
How to Get the Software You Want
- Contact Chemsolutions to request what you need. Let me know any details that may be relevant to how the software is to be used in your situation.
- I will reply and let you know what it will cost. The price will be set simply to cover my costs - not more than about £50 (for an individual licence) unless I need to spend time customising it to suit your needs.
- Payment can be by cheque (payable to Dr A. J. Miller), or via PayPal (payment details on request).
- Once I have received payment, I will either send you the software by email (as an attachment) or email you a link to download it from ChemSolutions (you may request this option if you have a small or overloaded e-mailbox).
Support
- Contact Chemsolutions for support; email is the easiest way to get in touch. Bear in mind that, as a working teacher, a reply to your question may not be instant during the working week. However, as a fellow teaching professional, I want you to be able to get good honest advice from someone (me) who understands your situation. There is no charge for support unless you wish particular work to be carried out just to develop your use of the application.
- If you suggest a good improvement that I can incorporate into the next version then you may have a free copy of that next version.
Updates
- Upgrades within a minor version (2.1, 2.2, etc) are free - just request them as they become available. Minor version upgrades are usually released to resolve bugs or performance issues that arise.
- Upgrades to a new major version (3.0, 4.0 etc) will be charged at 30% of the current price for the new product. Upgrading will usually provide more functionality, better performance etc, but is optional as any versions will be eligible for the same level of support from ChemSolutions.
Guarantees
- The software will perform as described, provided that it is installed (and, in some cases, maintained) correctly. Don't worry, online documentation will be available so that you will easily learn how to use it.
- As with most other software products, you use it at your own risk with no liability accepted by ChemSolutions; this condition is implicitly accepted by you whenever you use the software.
- No virus material is knowingly included with the software, but it is up to you to perform whatever virus-checking you consider prudent before using the software. The standard recommendation to back-up the software and data on your PC before installing any new software (not just mine!) obviously applies.
- If you find a genuine problem with the software, I will remedy it as soon as possible, without charge.
What Skills Do You Need?
- Excel-based software: No special skills needed. If you've used Excel before - good.
- Access-based software: Some knowledge of Access would be useful. Failing that, the desire to learn, driven by the fact that the software will be doing a really good job for you once you've tamed it.
- Web site software: A captive tame webmaster would be a good idea here. Every web site is different so this makes installation a fairly individual thing. Once installed, its use is simplicity itself.