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SideTrack

jtgotsjets

jtgotsjets

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Has anyone else noticed that their beta of SideTrack has expired and that it now costs $15 to use?

Ugh.
 
I've just gone and paid £9.88 for it. I think it is one of the best bits of software/drivers out there. I've been using it for the past year. I knew the deadline was coming, it just stopped working this morning but all woking again now 😉
 
Man I feel crippled when I use a laptop without Sidetrack. Looks like I will be paying unless there is a free alternative.
 
just noticed this morning on mine. i had no idea i relied on it so much! feels like a totally different machine without it. i guess i'm gonna have to pay...
 
Hmm... Mine still works. I went to prefrences and I got an alert stating the beta had expired, but I still have the scroll feature on my trackpad. I guess I better keep my fingers crossed
 
yippy said:
Man I feel crippled when I use a laptop without Sidetrack. Looks like I will be paying unless there is a free alternative.
Click to expand...

Does anyone know of an alternative? I love sidetrack, but I can't justify paying $15 unless I'm 100% sure there is no other program like it.
 
It's not worth the $15 when all I use it for is vertical scrolling.

with it now being shareware now does that mean it'll just pester me every once in awhile to pay, or will it eventually require me to pay to continue using it?

btw anyone else notice horizontal scrolling and firefox don't play nice?
 
yea, i can't really justify $15 dollars when I only use the trackpad during class and i only use vertical scrolling and very rarely a corner right click.

sad, sidetrack was a great program.

i'll admit, it was weird going to class this morning only find out i couldnt scroll. i had to get used to using the arrow keys all over again (which is weird, because they're really more practical anyway).
 
Scrolling I can live without - but what I cannot live without is mapping corner taps to expose...
Have already purchased Sidetrack, and I think it is well worth the money.
 
update

Hey all, I had that problem too, and I went to their website thinking that if it was like $5, I'd just go ahead and pay. Of course, it's not.

But I downloaded the new installer, and clicked "update", and after a restart it works just fine. Of course it gave me a little "please register" notice on startup, but I can deal with that. (It doesn't even nag you when you open the preference pane.)

So there's your solution.
 
I use SideTrack on my iBook, and was disappointed to find out that it costs money now. $15 is too much to pay for scrolling functionality that should have been built in in the first place. So, I'm looking around for a replacement. uControl offers scrollwheel emulation also, but with some limitations. Yes, SideTrack is better -- but not $15 better.
 
ricebag said:
Hey all, I had that problem too, and I went to their website thinking that if it was like $5, I'd just go ahead and pay. Of course, it's not.

But I downloaded the new installer, and clicked "update", and after a restart it works just fine. Of course it gave me a little "please register" notice on startup, but I can deal with that. (It doesn't even nag you when you open the preference pane.)

So there's your solution.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that you could only use it in "free" mode for 15 days.
 
coolsoldier said:
I use SideTrack on my iBook, and was disappointed to find out that it costs money now. $15 is too much to pay for scrolling functionality that should have been built in in the first place. So, I'm looking around for a replacement. uControl offers scrollwheel emulation also, but with some limitations. Yes, SideTrack is better -- but not $15 better.
Click to expand...


I went to uControls homepage, and downloaded the latest version, but it won't install because it's only supported by os 10.3.0->10.3.3 ???

Have anyone installed Control on their powerbook with 10.3.6?

I won't pay $15 for Sidetrack.. NEVER !!
 
SideTrack

SideTrack is essential for the Powerbook. Purchased it Monday morning. Well worth the $15 US. If you think that is too much try using your Powerbook for a week without it. It should be part of the operating system. Apple are you listening? Buy the software from the programer.
 
I must be missing something here, but why are so many people complaining about a $15 purchase for what is universally regarded as excellent software they use every day? It seems that, because some excellent software is free, people expect that it all should be free. I'd think it'd be good to support a small developer of high-quality Mac software, hoping that the support would help that developer create more cool stuff.

I'd expect this from PC users, but I thought members of the Mac community could cough up $15. I mean, to own a Mac is somewhat akin to taking a vow of povery anyway. 😉
 
jsw said:
I must be missing something here, but why are so many people complaining about a $15 purchase for what is universally regarded as excellent software they use every day? It seems that, because some excellent software is free, people expect that it all should be free. I'd think it'd be good to support a small developer of high-quality Mac software, hoping that the support would help that developer create more cool stuff.

I'd expect this from PC users, but I thought members of the Mac community could cough up $15. I mean, to own a Mac is somewhat akin to taking a vow of povery anyway. 😉
Click to expand...

I tend to agree. I haven't paid for it yet but I think I will in the next couple of days, as soon as I remember....

The only problem I have with Sidetracker is that it seems (never really proven though) to sometimes be at issue with troubles people have upon executing software update, and/or for kernel panics for some people. I'm a little miffed about the number of kernel panics my iBook has had (about 4 in one year), but I'm not really sure they're cuz of sidetracker.

And other than that, it does an excellent job of doing what it does.
 
It was a cold shower trying to work without sidetrack... i was really used to it, for $5 i would register in a snap, but $15 ... well, i know it's great software and there's that support stuff and all of that, perhaps later...

I guess it could be a "light" version suitable for iBooks for $5 and the "pro" version for Powerbook users costing $15 ...
 
cluthz said:
I went to uControls homepage, and downloaded the latest version, but it won't install because it's only supported by os 10.3.0->10.3.3 ???

Have anyone installed Control on their powerbook with 10.3.6?

I won't pay $15 for Sidetrack.. NEVER !!
Click to expand...

Its actually real easy. Copy the uControl1.4.4.pkg to you hard drive. Control click on it and go to Show package contents. In Contents/Resources, there is a file called InstallationCheck. Delete this file. Install the package from your hard drive and it should work.

Beware, uControl is not as good as SideTrack. You must use a modifer key to scroll.
 
I don't really consider it as software more as an essential part of the hardware in my powerbook. The amount of time I've saved using. It is set up to activate expose features and also right click amongst other things. Apart from the fact it would put the company that makes it out of business I have no idea why apple don't include something like this as standard especially on pro level machines. I know a lot of people carry mice with them but to me this is just one more thing to have to carry. When you can scroll and do all the things and more that a multi button mouse can do without taking your hand off the machine it is such a boon.
when you consider that even a well specified 12in iBook will set you back around £1000 then paying for sidetrack is nothing. I apple added th money on to the price of the machine and gave us all the features that the software provides I don't think many people would complain.
The thing about it is if you don't like it or are unwilling to pay then you don't, simple as that. We all knew we would have to eventually as the expiary date was clear.
 
I woke up a few days ago and the scrolling on my trackpad had stopped working. I restarted my iBook and everything worked fine, except that there was a SideTrack nag right after login. Computer's been running for three days and haven't gotten another nag since.

After initially configuring SideTrack, almost a year ago, I never looked at it again. I had forgotten that it was not a standard part of my iBook!

I also didn't realize I could configure the corners...I've got them set to Expose functions...not sure how much I'll use it...but neat.
 
Sidetracking some of your cash....

Same here. And I just started using it with version 0.9... I too find 15 bucks just a bit too steep. It sounds like alot of you feel the same way. From the sounds of it if they lowered their price they'd actually make alot more money. I'd pay $10 tops.....$9.99 sounds fair.

Someone else should start working on a version. Let alone apple should have their programmers spend some time and include this type of functionality in their OS...
 
apple4life said:
Someone else should start working on a version. Let alone apple should have their programmers spend some time and include this type of functionality in their OS...
Click to expand...

I doubt effort or the cost of development has anything to do with the decision on Apple's part...viz the numerous threads on Apple and one-button mice. That same logic is why they haven't done this....

Not that I don't agree that they *should* 100%...if they had done it even only on the PBook, then I totally would've overlooked my stylistic concerns of wanting my laptop, iPod, wireless mouse and phone to match, and gotten a PB. 😛
 
It's the best $15 I've ever spent on software. Vertical scroll area on the right-side of the trackpad, top-right corner mapped to Expose show all windows, and top-left corner mapped to Expose show desktop. Pure laptop bliss.

We can't complain about software not being released on the Mac when we can't cough up $15 to support a small developer who, by just about everyone's admission in this thread, makes an incredibly useful piece of software.
 
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