GFC Software FAQ - Ship's Bells

Question: I like the program and want to enable the additional features and get rid of those pesky "nag" screens. How do I register?
Answer: We offer both online and "snail mail" ordering options. To order online, just use the PayPal payment service (see the banner below). To order using "snail mail," just print out the order form and send it in with your payment. The order form is available in a separate file installed with the software. Our address is: GFC Software, PO Box 2681, Rockford IL 61132-2681.

Question: Can I still order online through CompuServe?
Answer: Unfortunately, no. CompuServe discontinued their SWREG service as of 31 December 1998. We are pleased to be able to offer online ordering using credit card or "electronic check" payment via the PayPal service:

Question: I'm in a real hurry. Is there any way I can get my registration faster?
Answer: You can receive your registration information much more quickly if you pay by credit card or "electronic check" using the PayPal service (see banner above), or by certified check or money order, and include your email address (printed legibly!) on your registration form. If you follow this procedure, we can email your registration information to you usually the same day we receive your order! (Orders paid by personal check may be delayed pending bank clearance.)

Question: Where do I enter my registration information into the program?
Answer: Just click on the "Ship's Bells Registration" (created when you installed Ship's Bells) in the Ship`s Bells program group.

Question: I entered my registration name and number but still can't get rid of those pesky "nag" screens. What's wrong?
Answer: First, note that the name is case-sensitive. That is, "John Doe" is not the same as "JOHN DOE" or "john doe". You must enter your name exactly as shown on your registration notice. Also, do not include any extra characters or punctuation. Double-check your entries and if you are still having trouble, contact our Technical Support department at [email protected].

Question: What do you do with the information I provide on my order form? Is this information going to be sold to mailing lists or telemarketers, or am I going to be bombarded by "spam" email?
Answer: We will not sell the information to any outside entity; nor will we use it internally for any marketing purposes. The information you provide is maintained in our customer records only. We will use your contact information only to notify you in the unlikely event that any serious flaws are found in our software which may cause operational problems, or to notify you of the availability of upgrades to your purchased software. If you wish additional details on our privacy policy, contact our Legal Department at [email protected].

Operational Issues

Question: What are the hardware and software requirements for using Ship's Bells?
Answer: You will need:

Question: Will Ship's Bells work on a Macintosh?
Answer: Ship's Bells was designed to work with Microsoft Windows. Although Windows emulation software is available for Macintosh computers, Ship's Bells has not been tested under such conditions. . Ship's Bells is offered on a "try-before-you-buy" basis. Please confirm that Ship's Bells works properly with your system before purchasing Ship's Bells.

Software Upgrades

Question: Where can I get software upgrades and how much do they cost?
Answer: Upgrades are FREE to registered users. Software upgrades are available for free download from the Internet at http://www.gfcsoftware.com/software.php. Upgrades on disk are available for a small shipping and handling charge; contact our Sales Department at [email protected].

Technical Support

Question: Where can I get help installing or using Ship's Bells?
Answer: The best way to receive technical support is via email. You can contact our Technical Support Department at [email protected].

Question: My disk and/or manual are lost or damaged. Can I get a replacement?
Answer: Yes. Replacement disks and manuals are available for a small material and handling fee. They may be ordered online or offline (by "snail mail").

Question: I have lost my registration codes. Can you send them to me again?
Answer: Usually, yes. We need to know the name, address, email address, etc., under which you ordered and registered the software. You can request this online or offline (by "snail mail"). We will email the information to you, so be sure to provide your current email address. There is a small fee for this service.

Question: I have been trying to contact GFC Software via email, but am having trouble (e.g., my email is being returned as "undeliverable" or is apparently being ignored).
Answer: Please be assured that we are NOT ignoring you, and that we ARE still in business! One possible reason for this is that we receive so much spam that sometimes things "get lost" in all the garbage [see the following question and our spam policy].

In general, you should receive at least an acknowledgement of an email within, at most, two business days (Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, excluding holidays and extended holiday periods). If you do not receive at least an acknowledgement within that time, please try again from a different address. If all else fails, you can contact us via "snail mail" at GFC Software, PO Box 2681, Rockford IL 61132-2681.

Question: I sent an email to you, but it got returned to me saying that you are "not accepting email" from me. What's the deal???
Answer: Unfortunately, we receive literally hundreds of "spam" emails every day, offering everything from get-rich-quick schemes to XXX-rated stuff. (We're not interested in any of those things, by the way.) In an effort to reduce the amount of spam we get, we have locked out some of the worst offenders so that we do not accept email from their domains (that is, the part of the email address after the @ symbol).

We have tried to limit this to only the worst offenders, but there is always the possibility that your email address is in one of these domains. If this is the case, you can set up a temporary email account on one of the many free email providers (such as Yahoo, Mail.com, Hotmail, etc.) to contact us, or contact us via "snail mail" at GFC Software, PO Box 2681, Rockford IL 61132-2681. If you are having this sort of trouble, let us know (via "snail mail") your email address and we can add that address as one from which we will accept email, overriding the IP-based and/or domain-based lockout.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this. Please do your part to help eliminate "spam".

Question: I am receiving "spam" (UCE , or unsolicited commercial email) from GFC Software. Take me off your @#$% list!!
Answer: We do not send out unsolicited commercial email (commonly referred to as "spam"). We send out only registration notices for new orders, responses to questions we receive, and occasional (infrequent) notices of upgrades available to registered users. We do not keep -- OR USE -- any mailing list other than for registered users. [See our spam policy and our privacy policy.]

If you are receiving any other email which appears to be coming from GFC Software, it could mean that someone has somehow violated our system security and is using our email system for spamming (which we will not allow!) or is faking their email to appear to be coming from GFC Software when, in fact, it is not.

If you are receiving such email, please forward the complete email to us at [email protected]. We need the complete email, including all the "headers" (which indicate the true source of the email and its routing). We will take steps to track down the source, close any security holes, and prevent recurrences.

And thank you for helping us fight spam!

© 2003-2004 GFC Software. All Rights Reserved.		This page was last updated on 15 April 2004.
No part of this document may be copied or reproduced in any form without the express written consent of GFC Software.

Registration Questions/Problems

Operational Issues

Software Upgrades

Technical Support