... like I did with Stylus.

So, can any of you who have done the installation already tell me if Atmosphere creates a subfolder under the folder in which you tell it to install the data? In other words, if I want the data in D:\Samples\Spectrasonics\Atmosphere should I specify that path or D:\Samples\Spectrasonics instead?

When I installed Stylus, I specified the exact path that I wanted, namely, D:\Samples\Spectrasonics\Stylus. The Stylus installer -- without giving any indication of this in the wizard nor in any documentation -- created a subfolder and put the samples in D:\Samples\Spectrasonics\Stylus\Stylus.

I am particular about how I organize things on my disk; so I wanted to remove the nested subfolder. But, Stylus -- and Atmosphere, too -- has a really draconian copy-protection scheme whereby in order to change your data directory, you have to *reinstall* the entire software and data. I did a reinstall to correct the Stylus subfolder problem -- but it *wasted* an hour of my time. I was not pleased, to say the least.

Atmosphere comes with 6 cds. I don't want to waste another hour of my time just to get the sample data in the right folder on my machine. So if anyone can tell me if the Atmosphere installer forces a subdirectory, I would appreciate it.

I really think that Spectrasonics should show some consideration for the value of their customers time and reconsider this horrible copy-protection mechanism. Or they should provide a Windows utility that a customer can run to facilitate the moving of the data directory. It could be very simple: just move your data, then run a simple Windows program that prompts the user for the path to the program (Atmosphere, Stylus, etc.) and the new path to the data. The program could fix up the magic, hidden data path in the program (or support file, or registry, however it is done). That's all it would take. Providing such a tool would show courtesy and respect for Spectrasonic's customers and for the value of their time. The current setup is really inconsiderate. (And apparently there *is* a workaround solution for Mac users. Makes one suspect that the decision makers at Spectrasonics spend their time on Macs and not on PCs.)

Jim

no man fighting bogus piracy takes precedence over everything!!

hey developpers how about biometrics?

Biggest turn off in DAW stuff has to be copy protection!

Hi James,

I believe you mentioned this issue to our tech support team right?

Well...I believe we changed that in the installer just from your request on Atmosphere -if I'm not mistaken.

Of course we value everyone's time. Please give us the benefit of the doubt, and a little slack (we are pro users too)....these are the very first instruments we have produced, and we are learning how to do it better with each one. Directing your constructive criticisms to info@spectrasonics.net will get you real results like you have requested.

Just wanted you to know that we are always listening, and it isn't a Mac/PC conspiracy.

All the best,

spectrum

Hello Eric,

Yes, I sent an email to your tech support team on September 19, immediately after encountering the problem with the Stylus installer. Being happy to give the benefit of doubt and even a bit of slack, I will say that Nick actually took the time to call me the next day to try to understand better the problem that I had encountered. As I told Nick at the time, I was *very* impressed by such a response!

However, as far as I can tell, there was no change to the Atmosphere installer, unless I am mistaken -- which is possible, but I don't think so because I just ran it. It appears to be exactly the same as the Stylus installer. It showed a default directory for the data and gave me the option to choose an alternative directory. It gave no indication that it would create a subfolder in my specified directory. And to answer my own question -- yes, Atmosphere creates a subfolder named "Atmosphere Data" and adds it to your specified path. I checked the manual and the online help for information about this. I did not find anything. So, as far as I can tell, there has been no change/improvement in the Atmosphere installer.

My constructive suggestions are:
1. Do away with the hidden link to the data samples. Sampletank, for example, lets the user specify the root of the data directory in the user interface. This is a very nice feature of Sampletank.
2. Failing the willingness to do 1., then provide a utility that one can run after moving the sample data to fix up the "magic link".
3. Failing the willingness to provide 2., change the installer to give the user the choice to override the creation of the subfolder -- or, at the very least, show in the installation-wizard dialog (very clearly) the path *with* the auto-created subfolder that the data will be copied to (with the ability for the user to backtrack and change the path).
4. Failing time or willingness to do even 3., at the very, very least, change the manual or add a one-page insert to the package that tells the user about the mandatory subfolder that the installer creates.

I'm sure you can appreciate the frustration that a user might feel after spending an hour to install a product only to learn that another hour needs to be spent *just* to move the data from one folder to another on the same disk drive!

Having said that, I will note that I now have Atmosphere running and that it sounds absolutely wonderful.

Jim

Glad you like it Jim!

hmmm...thought we already had fixed that sub folder issue, but I guess we didn't quite understand what you meant. (I'll have Nick respond here too.) I've got our Windows team monitoring this thread and we will have a solution for this issue. I can certainly appreciate why it's important to you, but so far no one else has brought it to our attention. I think most people don't mind the installer creating the sub folder name.

I agree with the idea to be able to move the data file easier than reinstalling from scratch on Windows....we'll work on this!

All the best,

spectrum

Thanks for your response, Eric. That sounds great!

And for anyone out there who is curious -- Atmosphere sounds just amazing !!!

Counting the days 'til Trilogy ,

Jim