Updates - improvements free of charge, but unfortunately not without risks and side effects:
It should be noted that updates and warranty are two very closely linked terms. The following FAQ is intended to answer the most important related questions. Please note that we do not present a formal legal position with the following FAQ. Rather, we want to explain things colloquially. (The initial version of this article has been generated as a translation from
this one.)
What is an update?
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Updates are subsequent variants of the same main version (e.g. version 9) of our software provided free of charge without further obligations. They usually contain not only error corrections, but also improvements or extensions of functions.
What means free of charge and without further obligations?
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Users with a valid license of the main version of the corresponding program do not have to pay anything if they want to use an update. However, there is no right to be able to use updates released after purchasing a license.
What exactly is a warranty?
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In connection with our software, this is simply our obligation to vouch for bugs.
What is a bug?
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Our software has a bug if the program behaves differently than described in the documentation.
What does the regulation look like in the event of a program error?
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Depending on the situation, we can regulate this e.g. by rectifying the error in an update or reversing the purchase.
Is there a time limit for the warranty?
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Yes, as long as legal regulations do not specify longer times, the warranty ends two years after the purchase and delivery of the associated software program. This is called warranty period.
What is a delivery?
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We offer you the option of downloading the purchased program version from our website at the same time as you purchase it.
I installed a new update after purchase. Does this extend the warranty?
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No. The warranty always ends after the warranty period as described above.
I installed a new update after purchase. Now suddenly a program error occurs that was not included in the originally purchased program version. Am I entitled to a fix of this error?
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That is unfortunate and we do not intend this. Nevertheless, the clear answer is:
No! Warranty only applies to bugs that existed at the time of purchase and delivery - i.e. that existed in the program version, which was current when purchased.
But does that mean that the installation of an update is at my own risk - at least with regard to program errors that only occur in the update?
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Unfortunately, that's the way it is. Of course we try to avoid such new errors as far as possible. However, we cannot completely rule it out. Such errors are then usually corrected in a subsequent update. But we cannot guarantee for that either.
The risk of bugs that only occur in an update is yours. It's understandable if you don't want to take that risk. Then we recommend to stick to the originally purchased program version.
What about changes intentionally built into the program?
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Basically, with every update you have to expect that things will change. We always try to make changes so that everyone perceives them as improvements. But since it is unfortunately impossible to always please everyone, in our experience there is someone who does not like this change with practically every change.
Can I rely on the fact that currently supported hardware will continue to be supported permanently?
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Hardware support is also one of the things that can change during an update. We must reserve the right to remove the support of a particular system from our products for valid reasons. However, in the more than 20 years in which our products have been available, this has only happened in 2-3 cases and for little-used hardware. The risk is therefore comparatively low.
You also run the risk that you will not like a program change in an update. If you do not want to take this risk, we also recommend that you stick to the program version you originally purchased.
Why is there no longer as much information about the appearance of an update as in earlier times?
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In the past, there were always countless user problem reports after every update.
For example, there were users who changed a setting during or shortly after the update, and when problems arose from this they thought that this could only have resulted from the update.
Other users had not saved their project files in the recommended locations. After these files were no longer automatically found by the software after an update, these users said that the update had deleted their files. etc. etc.
We conclude that updates bring more problems than benefits for many users. We are therefore very reluctant to inform existing users about new updates.
But if there is little information about updates available, how should I estimate the consequences of installing an update?
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If you feel insecure, we also recommend that you stay with the program version you originally purchased.
I installed an update, but now I want to install an earlier version again. Is that possible?
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In principle this is of course possible. Please note, however, that we only offer the latest program version for download on our server. So it would be good if you had saved the installation file of this earlier version somewhere.
I want to install an earlier version again. I have not saved the installation file of this earlier version. Can you make the file available to me again?
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In principle, we can also make the previous version available on our server. However, we would have to charge you for the effort required. We can give you exact prices on request; unfortunately this is not cheap. It is therefore better to save the installation file in time.
I installed an earlier version again. Unfortunately, my current project file can no longer be loaded with it. The file has since been changed by the update that has been installed in the meantime. What do I do now?
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In this case, outside help is no longer possible. The only solution is to use a variant of the file created with the previous program version, which - hopefully - is still available as a backup copy. For this purpose, our TrainController creates a backup copy of this file in the same directory when loading a file that was created with an earlier program version.
My virus scanner reports a virus when downloading or installing an update. What do I do now?
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The files we offer for download are generally virus-free. Nevertheless, it can happen that virus scanners erroneously report a virus (false positive; false alarm). If something like this happens to you, you can go to
http://www.virustotal.com and quickly check how the file in question is classified by other virus scanners. You will then find that the virus scanner you are using may form a small minority along with a few other related scanners. The vast majority of scanners will identify the file as clean.
In such a case, we generally recommend switching to a more reliable virus scanner.
Most virus scanners also have the option to report a
false positive on their websites and have it turned off.
If you still do not trust our assurance and these options, then simply do not install the update.