Math Advantage 2007 (Windows) Reviews

• Excellent program

  
  By A3RQPA8OLW8I26 on 2006-10-18
  I disagree partially with what McMenemy wrote. I have used the program which I found very,very helpful. I am in my 40's and I have not been in school for over 20 years. When I needed to take an entrance math exam, Math Advantage taught me things I never could understand in High School.
  I have not had to deal with customer service but one thing is quite obvious. There was no need for McMenemy to re-install anything because if you notice, he was using a laptop and his problem with his name "Br5an" was due to his number lock key was on causing the "i" to be a "5". This was not a software problem but just a simple keyboard oversite.
  In conclusion, I found the Math Advantage program a big help and a technical error should not discourage anyone from purchasing the program.
  
  

• Looks like the same ole thing

  
  By A9XGWG6H75G05 on 2006-09-17
  After reviewing product reviews for previous versions of Math Advantage, I purchased a copy of the software. Even though most of the reviews for the older verions of this software are negative, I told myself that they must have worked the bugs out for this version. However, once loaded to my computer I knew better and once again remembered that you can't expect someone else to change. Once I loaded the precalculus/calculus cd into my computer it loaded and created a shortcut as I expected. Then the software prompted me to type in my name, which I did. My name is Brian; however, when I typed B-r-i-a-n the display showed Br5an. I retyped, thinking I had made an error but got the same thing. I tested the other keys by opening a blank Microsoft Word document. I discovered that most of the keyboard was reconfigured. I ran some tests to include a virus scan and a scan for spyware that may have caused the problem. However, everything was in order. I called Encore customer service the next day. Before, I could tell the Encore rep the test results, he quickly told me that my problem could only be caused by a problem with the ribbon cable that connects the keyboard to the motherboard (I have a Sony Vaio laptop) I told the person that I didn't think that was possible since I always handle my laptop with the utmost care. He kept his cousre and told me that he couldn't think of anything else that it would be. Finally he added that he thought it would be a good idea for me to call Sony to begin troubleshooting with them. I called Sony. They told me that I should do a system restore. However, I had never made a back-up so I couldn't go back to a restore point. Next the rep. said that I could do a complete system restore. A complete system restore would wipe the hard drive then rewrite the operating system to it. That would mean losing alot of data such as over 48 hours worth of music, Microsoft Office, Norton Systemworks, and all Microsoft updates to name a few. The Sony rep stated that if the problem disappeared after a complete system restore then the problem was with the software; and if the problem didn't disappear after the restore then the problem was hardware related. I went ahead with the restore, suspecting the whole time that the problem was not hardware related. When the restore finished, I opened a blank Microsoft Word document to test the keyboard. It now worked fine, proving that the software was the problem. The moral is that Encore technical service representatives are poorly trained or are just trained to lie to get the customer off of the phone quicker. As a result, I spent many hours reloading programs and music to my system which would have been fine if I wouldn't have loaded this software. I have since sent the software back to encore with a letter, similiar to this one, requesting a refund. Please don't be a victim. Investigate before you buy.
  
  

• ok for overview but some test questions not properly edited

  
  By A21E038VI5L9JB on 2006-11-22
  I would have gave this 2.5 stars but there is no option to rate in half star increments. Some of the answers to test questions are not correct, or do not fully illustrate the solution (working the problem out step by step to help people learn the process or identify where they went wrong). Since people are using the software to learn it is CRITICAL that problems have correct answers and fully illustrated solutions. Also, you must have the cd inserted to run the program, but if you do not have it inserted there is no prompt to insert it, the program just refuses to run, and there is no error message either. This is problematic because there is alot of software nowadays that DOES NOT require the cd to be inserted, microsoft office being a prime example, so developers and publishers should not automatically assume that people will just know to have the cd in the drive.
  
  

• Not a problem

  
  By A1U6S0L5U1WHMR on 2007-03-17
  I've read several reviews of this software and seen that a majority of them were negative. From what I have seen and compared from the software to the user reviews it seems that a majority of complaints can be chalked up to user error. Also, there are ways to get around the user interface freezing up if you have been using a computer for a fair amount of time. Honestly, the software doesn't even require that you use their user interface. It just hogs up a bunch of memory anyway. So, I have not had any problems and would recommend this software for anybody who may be struggling with math or have a friend or relative who is struggling.
  
  

• Comment

  
  By A12596NE7I8DO2 on 2006-11-02
  I am not quite sure how the number lock would only be on for one stroke when you are typing, so that does not make sense.
  
  

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