Announcing Acme-Tek.com New Widgets for AMS

[JimS]

I’m pleased to invite you all to my new web site Acme-Tek (http://www.acme-tek.com). Here you will find a collection of widgets for AutoPlay Media Studio.

Toolbar Buttons Galore is a collection of over 700 AMS buttons. These 4-state buttons allow you to add ‘standard’ toolbars to all of your AMS v.5 projects.

System Animations is a collection of over 50 different ‘standard’ animations for both versions 4 & 5 of AutoPlay Media Studio.

You’ll also find links to other AMS related web sites, and a freebie section with masks and backgrounds suitable for use in both AMS v.4 & v.5

Hope to see you all there! :)

[Adam]

This is a great collection of media. Great job Jim!

Adam Kapilik

[TJ_Tigger]

Very Nice. Do they arrive as fast as the Acme products on the show?

[Worm]

You go, Jimbo!!

[JimS]

Thanks guys. I’m not sure if I can deliver them quite as quick as that ‘other’ Acme does, but since they are each less than 2MB, I should be able to deliver them by email within 24 hours. This is my first foray into selling something through PayPal, so ultimately it depends on how fast they send me the conformation email. I think that it’s all automated on PayPal’s end, so it should be quick.

[Brett]

Very nice, Jim. I have been looking for application icons like that for a project that I am working on at home in AMS50. 10 :yes 's up.

[Intrigued]

I just put an order in Jim. I am impressed with the breath of icons available!

:yes

I am looking forward to using these Toolbar icons in my projects!

Also, thank you for the "nod" about my Web site on your Web site. I am in the middle of uploading a link to your Web site as I type this.

Sincerely,

[Corey]

Good show Jim!!! :yes

[Intrigued]

Jim, I am very pleased with my Toolbar Buttons Galore purchase from you!

These Toolbar buttons are fantastic!

Now, my applications will look just like one's made in C++ or VB, for example (but, of course it takes a lot less time in AMS 5!).

I also like that you have included various elements so that I can create custom buttons!

Outstanding and well worth the price tag!

Very Sincerely,

[Corey]

Here I'll stick this thread for you. Just a tip Jim, if you are marketing, you will get better results with:

"Icons, widgets, and toolbar buttons to make your projects look like real software! Announcing ACME widgets vol. 1 at a special introductory price!"

than:

"Announcing Acme-Tek.com New Widgets for AMS "

Then price the product 10% higher, but mark it down 20% with a "red letter" sale for the first 60 days. You'll get more response. That's just a loose example, play with the percentages. Anyhow I'll leave this thread at the top of the forum for a few days. :)

[JimS]

Thanks Brett, Corey, Intrigued, Worm, et al., your support is quite appreciated.

Intrigued, first, thanks for the reciprocal link from your web site www.amsuser.com It’s a pleasure to help point out your site to other AMS fans. Also, thanks for the nice review.

You hit the nail right on the head. I purposely designed the toolbar buttons to help AMS projects have the same ‘look and feel’ as programs written with that ‘other’ development
environment. I figure that my toolbar buttons combined with Brett’s PopupMenu plug-in, give AMS developers most everything they need to create programs with the ‘standard’ look and feel that many users have come to expect.

I agree with you totally, that AMS makes the whole development process faster and easier than using other, more expensive, programming tools. I guess that’s one of the big reasons that we are all here. That, and the exceptional value that this forum brings to the table.

Thanks again everyone for helping make my new web site a success.

[Corey]

Jim, did you submit your product to the dev guys for inclusion in our add-on database? That's one thing to do. Plus I think it's time to create a page here on our site to help promote these great sites you are all putting up. Let me confab with the powers that be and come up with a "Friends of Indigo Rose" page or something, perhaps similar to our resellers page. :)

Great sig. :)

[JimS]

Sorry Corey, I missed your post before I replied last. First, thank you for making this thread ‘sticky’, I’m overwhelmed with the generosity you guys have given me.

As for the tips you offer, thank you, I completely agree with you. Although, instead of raising the price, and offering a discount, Let’s see if I can do one even better. How about a holiday season sale? ‘Tis the season, as they say.

So how’s this:
Everyone who orders Toolbar Buttons Galore before Jan 31, 2005 will also receive the System Animations collection absolutely free. That’s very near a 25% bonus! It’s my little way to say “Happy Holidays” to all my fine friends here in the forum.

By the way, if anyone happens to order before I get my web site changed to reflect the new ‘bonus’ offer, don’t worry, you have my word that I’ll make good on the deal.

Thank you all for helping me get this off to a great start! :)

[Corey]

I like it! Great promotion... :)

[csd214]

JimS, I wish you success! It's exiting when people dare to try something new and I know you as a friendly contributor to this forum. I just *HAD TO* order your Toolbar Buttons Galore. The Pay-Pal site was a bit funny: "Your first name; as it appears on the credit card; is NOT VALID." I have a middle name which I use abbreviated (with a dot); I had to remove the dot. "Your city is NOT VALID". :eek: The name contains a national character (o-slash). Without the slash = Positive validation!

Your site: Great; easy to read, personalized. Just a hint: The "Free stuff" link in the text is invalid (../free_stuff.htm). Your link site: The three last ones, are they valid to day? (Don't misunderstand, Jim, I just want to be helpful).

I'm looking forward to the delivery! :)

[JimS]

Thank you 214CSD for your support. When I saw the email address as being from Norway, I wondered if it was you.

Thank you for pointing out the shortcomings with the PayPal order processing system. It shocks me that it has such limitations. PayPal is owned by Ebay, they are both fairly large companies, and both make it their business to facilitate e-commerce. I would venture to guess that together, they have aided in as many e-payment transactions as anyone else in the World. I expected, and expect them to have it a little better together than that.

I hate to say it, because I am an American (US) myself, but I fear that it might be another example of the all too common US arrogance towards the ways of other countries. I hope not, I hope that it was merely an honest, yet sloppy, oversight on their part. Much like the broken links on my site.

What a nice segue, if I do say so myself. Thank you for pointing out the broken link(s) on my site. As you can tell, I put the web site together rather quickly. I had my first two widgets for AMS completed, and I wanted to get them out as soon as possible. It’s design is silly, but I thought that since I picked Wiley E. Coyote for an avatar, I ought to stay in the same spirit.

As quickly as I built that site, I’ll be surprised if those turn out to be the only mistakes I made. It is very helpful when friends such as yourself, help me identify them, so that they can be corrected. Thank you.

I’m sorry to have to ask, but I’m having trouble finding “The three last ones” that you mention. Could you tell me which page you are referring to? Thanks.

I’m sorry that you had to twist your name and address around in order to place your order. I appreciate that you went the extra distance and figured a way to make it work.

I guess I’m still new to this whole international commerce thing. Frankly, I’m still a bit giddy that a small fellow like me, living out in the sticks of Eastern Oregon, can fairly readily conduct international sales. The next step is to try to iron out any of the wrinkles left, such as the ones you mention.

I do hope that you find your purchase to be useful, and represent a good value. Much like Indigo Rose, I believe that building a base of happy customers, is mandatory to survival. I suppose that I’m preaching to the choir on that one though.

Thanks again for your business, and your help in showing me ways to do it better.

One last note, I’d like to thank both Adam and Tigger for the nice words. They were the first two people to convey those thoughts, and the only two I didn’t thank by name. I apologize for the oversight on my part. I didn’t mean for it to look like I was snubbing you. On the contrary, I’m sure your kind words helped convince others to take a closer look. Thanks guys!
:)

[SUF6NEWBIE]

Great work JIM...I''ll be purchasing Jan2005..if not sooner,

I wish you all good things,

Martin

[Corey]

I like the coyote theme. Theming is a good idea, it gives you a familiar identity people can instantly recognize and remember. :yes

[JimS]

Thanks Martin, it means a lot, especially coming from you this week. I’ve been hoping to catch you. A few days ago, in the wee hours of the morning (my time), and after a particularly long web building session, I got particularly silly in my posts on a different thread here in the forums. I said something, that to me seemed funny, well at least an attempt to be funny, yet afterwards I’ve been worrying might have been offensive to you. It sure wasn’t meant to be. It’s so easy for me to get a little carried away sometimes. It’s easy to start to feel friendly and familiar to people like you, and the other people in this thread, people who are regular contributors here in the forums. Even if we don’t often correspond directly, I read your name and thoughts nearly every day. It’s easy to treat you and others like you as I would an old friend. With all the joking and kidding I would do during a night at the pub. That’s all well and fine, but I often forget that we may come from different countries, and possibly cultures. We also lack the visual cues one enjoys when sitting next to each other while drinking pints. I forget that my humor might not translate that well. I do hope that you didn’t take any offence the other night.

You might say I’m a little touchy about the topic we were discussing. You see, I’m from Oregon, and my Dad is a lumberjack, and he’s OK. [blatant Monte Python rip off] :)

[SUF6NEWBIE]

noproblemo JIM...no offense thought of, or taken.

'words' on forums can be tricky..many of us have posted something that
could be misinterpreted as .....

anyhow...loookin forward to your 'ToolBars' in Jan2005

I think it is a good thing to have a bit of humour, helps 'lighten' the load at times, if I have offended you in anyway, never my intention, if so ,
my sincere appologies.

[JimS]

Well friend, now that you mention it, the idea of waiting 200 years until 2205, wasn’t offensive, but did have me a bit worried. I’m not so sure the buttons will still work with AMS version 97, or whatever version will be shipping then.

I’m happy to see you edit your post and cut 200 years off that time. :)

I’m looking forward to receiving your order, thanks.

By the way, just in case you’re not familiar with the Montee Python reference I made, here is a link to the lyrics of that song.

http://www.diamondgeezers.org.uk/sounds/lyrics/lumberjacksong.html

:)

[SUF6NEWBIE]

Excellent Amigo...

Year 2205..COREY may have 'Retired' to his luxury ocean going yacht by then...

drop the line in and see if I can get a 'bite' ?????

[csd214]

When I saw the email address as being from Norway, I wondered if it was you.
Yes, of course it was me; living in "an invalid city". We are a small nation; aprox 4,500,000 souls. It's a shame that there is nobody else from Norway contributing to this splendid forum. (Despite the fact that we are a linguistic minority you can have SUF60 with both of the two official Norwegian languages; Bokmål (80%) and Nynorsk (20%).)

I don't feel that PayPal's validation controls are a matter of arrogance (some of President Bush's utterances are… (But "don't talk politics or religion with your friends"). I have experienced the dot issue earlier (I have bought a lot through the Net), but "the invalid city" was a new one. It has a taste of over-zealous web designers.

Your link site: I meant www.autoplaystudio.com, www.autoplayzone.com and www.autoplay.org. Are they valid now? I receive the famous message "The page cannot be displayed (Cannot find server)" and I don't think it is caused by my new firewall (which is protecting me against myself). The link to AMS is changed to www.indigorose.com/ams/ I think (?).

BTW, I have just read:
...but I often forget that we may come from different countries, and possibly cultures. We also lack the visual cues one enjoys when sitting next to each other while drinking pints. .
I know what you mean; I have myself done mistakes; but as you can see, SUF6NEWBIE a.k.a. Martin is (another) nice guy.

Have a nice day, all IR friends! :D

[SUF6NEWBIE]

the next pint is on me CSD...(that rymes)

[Corey]

No luxury retirement for me. I plan on working my bones like a rented mule until the very last moment. Life is too short. Although I guess I *could* work from a boat, and I *do* love the sea, so, I... :)

I had an opportunity to go rent a houseboat fairly cheap on a beautiful lake in B.C. but my cat would hate it. Plus life here in Cowtown isn't so bad, the air is some of the cleanest anywhere on earth, i.e.:

http://www.casadata.org/airqualityindex/calgary.asp

As you can see our downtown core has good air 99.62% of the time with fair air .38% of the time and never poor or very poor air. That's as good as it gets. There isn't a single spot on earth with significantly better air quality. :)

Great place to work! :)

[JimS]

csd214,
Those links seem to work for me. I’m not sure why you are having problems with them.

A couple of my best friends are of Norwegian decent, though they are probably removed far enough not to know either of the official languages. How many languages do you speak? I’ve been trying to learn a second language, Spanish, for several years, yet I’m probably less fluent in it than many bi-lingual 3-year-olds. It fascinates and amazes me how some people are able to speak and write in multiple languages. As you can see from my horrible grammar, I still haven’t come close to mastering a single language.

I think you are correct about discussing the politics of religion, and the religion of politics. My views on those subjects tend to offend everyone, myself included.

Corey,
I haven’t yet had a chance to visit Calgary, so I can’t comment on that. But, even if you don’t move to B.C., it’s certainly worth a visit. It’s very beautiful country up there, and Vancouver is a wonderful town, very artsy and quite clean. One does have to get used to the rain, but the indigenous flora and fauna of the near-rain forest, is spectacular. :yes

[Corey]

Oh yeah, I've spent lots of time in B.C. I love it. Used to ski a lot...

Van has changed a lot. It's not really a great place to be anymore unless you are rich, and even then... Van has become fairly scary in many ways actually. Calgary is the hotspot of Canada right now, and probably will be for the next decade. Especially since they just made a HUGE gas find near here last week...

CSD I've been listening to some rock music from Norway, Sweden, Finland, etc. lately Great stuff. I'm very into it right now, specifically the Finnish band HIM. The bands from your area seem to have a lot of great stuff going on. :yes

[Corey]

Yeah I can totally relate to your firewall experience. :)

I must confess: I think you know more about rock bands in my country than I do! (I have to ask my son if I should know anything about this stuff.) When it comes to graphic design, photographs etc I am more a "handy man" than an artist. That's one of the reasons why I love the IR products and all your work.

Hee! Yes, I am generally known for my lack of overall maturity but I'm working on it. I certainly share your love for graphic design. We are all just learning. Every year I find my skills going in pleasantly surprising directions, I think it's one of those things we all go through where you are just going along through life as a graphic designer and then suddenly you realize that you are also acquiring art skills as a side effect, etc. But it seems like as more answers become available all it does is create more questions. :)

The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know... :)

[JimS]

csd214,
I haven’t really thought of building an installer and serial restriction for these particular products. Because the size of each of them are under 2MB, I felt that distribution as an email attachment was probably acceptable. I felt that it would be the quickest, and easiest way to get the products into the hands of the customer. Now, because of the particular sale I’ve got going, each of the orders, so far, have included both products, and together they take the email over 2MB. I think you may be correct, in that it might surpass the threshold, of what is polite and acceptable to send to someone.

I probably should figure out a way to just email a link to my customers, so they can download them at their leisure. Maybe I should build a little AMS utility to create a list of random 20 digit alpha-numeric strings. Then place the programs into a folder that has the name of one of those random strings, and provide a link to the customer that will stay active for 72 hours or so, before I rename it to the next random string on the list.

Perhaps I’m a bit impatient as a customer, but when I pay for something over the web, I want to receive the goods, and get playing with them in the shortest amount of time, and with the least amount of hassle. I guess it’s a bit of an art to find the correct balance.

At the end of the day, my primary objective is to provide my customer with the best experience I can. Acme-Tek is young, I really need to focus on creating a base of happy customers, if I ever hope to make it financially feasible for me to create more add-on products.

I really appreciate your feedback as you’ve stepped through the purchasing process with me. You’ve helped me identify some areas that I can work on, to increase the level of customer happiness.

I understand that this process has gone a bit less smoothly for you, than I would have wished for. I hope that you are happy enough with the products themselves, that overall you are happy with your purchase. I guess the ultimate litmus test would be, if you had to do it again, would you?

[csd214]

I understand that this process has gone a bit less smoothly for you

Jim, NO PROBLEM AT ALL! I just wanted to tell that the firewall designers think that their customers are stupid. When I receive an e-mail with an attachment from Acme Tek; AS AGREED; of course I want to unpack the attachment! After clicking <Run> in the window I showed you, I had to confirm "Are you really sure?". That kind of question is irritating.

When I suggested a downloadable installer, I was thinking of YOU. To me, as the customer, it is not important whether I download a 2 MB e-mail or a 2 MB file from the Net. I have a slow connection (64K); the "problems" start when I have to download a software package with 93 MB (like AMS). Then it's nice to have a download manager where you can resume the download after loss of connection/pause. (Within a month I should have an ADSL connection; I'm looking forward to that event.)

I started my software distribution by means of floppy disks; my stepson liked to earn some extra money, but it was a boring process. For some years I have done like the banking industry: "Let the customer do the work. Only charge them a small fee." I have a real simple solution: The app itself is downloadable without restriction, but then you have a 15 days demo app. To have a real working system, the user needs an additional file (sent by e-mail). The license has to be renewed once a year. I have another downloadable app (with a serial number) that regenerates the license file (for another year). I send an e-mail with the serial number when the invoice is paid. I LOVE SETUP FACTORY!

Sorry Jim, I don’t think I understand the meaning of "the ultimate litmus test". My knowledge of English isn't too good. Even "widgets"; none of my dictionaries could tell me the meaning of that word. I had to go to dictionary.com (thanks Corey for the link).

As long as you can deliver within 24h, the customer should be happy. My order was processed really quickly! I'm going try your toolbar when I have time enough (next week?). I'm pleased like a child before Christmas... :p

[csd214]

The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know...
That's the way A REAL EXPERT talks (whatever the subject is).

[Protocol]

I'll definately be purchasing these in the next few paychecks. Great job Jim! If you look in the forums, I was just looking for this exact thing. :)

You das man!

Protocol

[JimS]

That’s great news Protocol. I do remember your post.
http://www.indigorose.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9320

I think that you’ll find that Toolbar Buttons Galore compares quite nicely against those ‘other guys’ mentioned in your post. In fact, I made it a point to be sure that this collection would blow the competition away, in price, scope, and ease of use.

I hope that I succeeded.

[csd214]

Jim, FABULOUS!

I couldn't resist; I had to try Toolbar Buttons Galore and Systems Animations TODAY (Sunday afternoon). I can see how your objects can help me building an app with the professional look I want. This is a splendid add-on to AMS (the most exiting and flexible software package I know.) RECOMMENDED!! :yes :yes :yes

[Worm]

<no pun intended>I was geeked to get ahold of these!</no pun intended>

Not only are they great for AMS, but trying to find graphics like these for for any of my VB apps has been difficult.

Big thanks out to yo Jim.

[Dermot]

Excellent work Jim. Looking forward to purchasing them in the New Year. They will be perfect for some projects I have coming up.

Merry Christmas

Dermot

[JimS]

Dermot,
Thank you very kindly for the nice words in your post. I’m glad they look like something you can use. I hope that my paid products, and my freebies, bring at least a little benefit to you, and some of the other fine users here on the forums. A very merry Christmas to you, too.

Worm,
Just about every project I build, employs at least one of those free DLL’s you have given us. I’ve received so much help, and learned so much from your many posts, that it truly helps make my year complete, knowing that I have finally been able to create something that you could receive at least some small benefit from.

My neighbors gave me more than a few strange looks when they caught me on my back porch doing the ‘happy dance’ and singing “ I helped Worrrr-m, I helped Worrrr-m, Neener Neener Neener.” One of the neighbors even showed up at my door today with her anorexic looking dog, and a pair of latex gloves. :eek: Makes me wonder what the other neighbors thought my spontaneous song and dance number meant.

You have always told me that the best way to pay you back for the help that you’ve given me, was to take my turn at helping the next person out, so I know that you’re not the type of guy that keeps score on stuff like this.

I try to do what I can, in helping at least a few other users, the ones that happened to ask one of the easier questions. While I’ve never bothered to keep track of the names, or the number of times, that I’ve managed to provide a little assistance, I have tried to never forget the names of those who’ve helped me. Helping others has brought its own rewards, having the chance to finally provide a little benifit to the one I’m most indebted to, is most satisfying, indeed.

It’s a good thing that you don’t keep track, because I guarantee the score is still woefully lop-sided. I hope we both have the pleasure of sticking around long enough to give me a chance of getting the score a little closer to even.

Happy Holidays to you and your whole family.

CSD214,
You say that your English isn’t so good. You sure fooled me. Your posts are always written in better English, than many of us native speakers do, myself included. In fact, you appear to be so good at it, that it is very easy for me to forget that you haven’t been speaking it all your life.

I’m sorry that I use so many idioms (local sayings) in my writing. I would imagine that those would be the most difficult parts to translate. Instead of calling it the ‘ultimate litmus test”, I should have said something more like “the most important test”. My hope is that you find my products valuable enough that you feel it was worth the money, time, and effort you spent in getting them. I know that you had to deal with having an “invalid name” and an “invalid city”, I apologize for that, and hope that it wasn’t too big of an inconvenience.
Thank you so much for your terrific recommendation, it truly means a lot. I love to see those ‘thumbs up’, and large letters. :D Best wishes this holiday season.

Thank you all for giving me and my add-ons such a warm reception. I hope that this is just the beginning of a long friendship.

[Ted Sullivan]

Bump... :)

[Intrigued]

I know JimS, you said that you have more instore for us (in so many words).

I'm looking forward to such!

[JimS]

Thanks Ted and Intrigued, I will have an announcement very soon now.

[Roboblue]

Jim, could you lengthen the sale to Valentine's day (still a holiday, tell 'em Cory)? I have to run the buy request through the office and won't get an answer before the 1st. The extra stuff will be a nice incentive. I would like to include it with the request for Worm's new stuff, also.
Also, I know this may be too paranoid, but, be careful with using copyrighted characters, even knock offs, on your website. Especially if you are retailing a product.
In 2001, I made a site for a grandson, just a personal page, using some images and references to South Park. It wasn't even two months before I got an email asking me to contact some yahoo (from the ancient language of "Southern American" for a jerk) at Comedy Central to discuss licensing issues.
I changed the website. I don't know how they found a little page like that. Heck, even the names of the images didn't have any direct reference to the characters.
Anyway, it's just a thought.

[Intrigued]

Thanks Ted and Intrigued, I will have an announcement very soon now.
Excellent!

[JimS]

Roboblue,
I agree that Valentines Day is also a holiday, but since it is a different holiday, I’m sort of planning a different sale. Not necessarily better or worse, just different.