Q: Do I need Up2Date if I currently receive postings from the Alchemy Mindworks mailing list?
A: Up2Date and the Alchemy Mindworks e-mail update list perform similar functions, but each has its place. Up2Date is considerably more timely than the e-mail list — the size of the list as of this writing means that it takes the better part of a week to send postings to everyone on it. If you have Up2Date configured to run automatically, you'll be notified of software upgrades in no more than 24 hours. In addition, Up2Date can be configured to only show you items which are relevant to the Alchemy Mindworks products you use.
We recommend that you both use Up2Date and subscribe to the update list. We invite you to visit the E-Mail Update List page to add your address to the e-mail list if you have not done so previously.
Q: Will Up2Date display any commercial adverting?
A: Up2Date will display no messages from parties other than Alchemy Mindworks and divisions thereof. Depending on how you configure it, it might show you notifications about new products from Alchemy Mindworks, or special discounts on existing products. If you regard these as being commercial advertising and you'd rather not see them, use the Up2Date Setup dialog to prevent their appearance.
Q: Will Up2Date send any personal information or system configuration data from my computer back to Alchemy Mindworks?
A: Not a single byte. We regard software which sneaks around behind your back as highly unethical and in league with unclean spirits and liberals. In addition, honesty bids us note that we've never actually figured out what we could do with all that personal information, were we to collect it.
Q: Will Up2Date tell Alchemy Mindworks if I use shareware that I haven't registered?
A: No, it will not. In that it can't communicate anything back to us about what's on your hard drive, your secret is safe. Unless a leather-winged demon of the night tears itself shrieking blood and fury from the endless caverns of the nether world, hurls itself into the darkness with a thirst for blood on its slavering fangs and searches the very threads of time for the throbbing of your heartbeat, your various body parts are probably safe too.
Q: Will Up2Date install new software or update my existing software automatically?
A: No. Once again, this is the sort of thing we really don't like seeing other applications do to us, and as such, Up2Date won't do it to you. It will inform you about upgrades and new applications, and provide you with convenient links to our web pages to let you download the ones you want at your convenience. It won't automatically download or install anything.
Q: Am I likely to receive more spam e-mail if I use Up2Date?
A: No. Up2Date will not add your e-mail address to any mailing lists. In fact, it would have no way of knowing what your e-mail address is.
Q: Can I use Up2Date even if I haven't registered my Alchemy Mindworks software yet?
A: Yes you can, and we encourage you to do so. Thanks for letting us demonstrate our commitment to keeping your future Alchemy Mindworks applications updated and productive.
Q: Will Up2Date tell me about things other than software, such as Steven William Rimmer's books, or products like the Indecent Images CD-ROMs?
A: It will unless you tell it not to in the Up2Date Setup dialog.
Q: Can I safely use Up2Date on a computer that my children have access to?
A: Yes you can. None of the content displayed by Up2Date is within a light year of being "adult," even for those with profoundly suspicious imaginations. In addition, we should note that Up2Date's notification dialogs will display no pictures.
Q: Can Up2Date infect my system with a virus?
A: No. No way. Not a chance. Not even in an alternate universe run by hyperintelligent penguins. The only things Up2Date can download to your system are its text files and updated graphics for its report pages, neither of which can become infected with a virus. If you're a follower of urban legends and you're of the belief that graphic files can carry viruses, you can prevent Up2Date from downloading the latter through the Up2Date Setup dialog.
Q: Can I use Up2Date if I have a dial-up modem connection to the Internet?
A: Yes, you can, but you'll have to run it manually. See the discussion of Manual Up2Date in the Up2Date Reference document.
Q: How can I uninstall Up2Date if I decide I don't want to use it any longer?
A: Uninstall the Alchemy Mindworks Up2Date item through the Windows Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs applet.
Q: How can I configure Up2Date so it doesn't automatically check for updates when my computer boots up?
A: Run Up2Date and select Startup Manager from its File menu. Select the Manual option in the Startup Manager dialog and click on OK. Exit Up2Date to save this change.
Q: From time to time, I receive notifications from Up2Date that I'm not interested in. How can I configure Up2Date to stop displaying them?
A: See the Up2Date Setup dialog.
Q: I have an older version of an Alchemy Mindworks application on my system. I like it just the way it is, and I don't want to upgrade to the latest version. If I run Up2Date, is it going to nag me about this every morning?
A: You will be notified once each time we release a new version or patch for your application. The average Alchemy Mindworks product is upgraded several times a year. If you'd like to suppress all version change notifications, see the Up2Date Setup dialog and change the Show Alert Dialogs and Show Version Dialogs items to Never. Note, however, that doing so will prevent Up2Date from notifying you of updates to other Alchemy Mindworks software that may be installed on your system.
Q: Can I use Up2Date if I access the Internet through a firewall?
A: Yes you can. Up2Date fetches its notification items list document using the http protocol, the same way web pages are accessed. If you can surf the web, Up2Date should be able to download its notification lists.