24 replies to this topic

[Roeoender]

It seems that FA-123 communication software isn't free anymore:
Look here
Is it because we wrote some interesting games/apps and Casio co. thinks that it can get few more bucks from it?

Well this is the biggest crap casio ever did.

Roeoender.

[Bob Vila]

$80 seems a little steep for me. i didn't pay that much for either of my calculators.

[Marco]

Yikes - That's insane! >Is Casio Co. Going Nuts?
Yeah, probably they are...

Don't understand this ... who do they think will pay $80 for it? A software that was free for years now and is for use with a calc that is years old?
Hm... I should take the Casio FA-123 off my website now, perhaps i'll get a letter else at any time

But I think there are some other free comm softwares out there.

[Bob Vila]

heh, keep it on your site. what can they do about it?

[CrimsonCasio]

err... more than you would think... but ill find out about it, surely its a mistake (unless they plan to seriously improve it...)

[CrimsonCasio]

Hi Alison,
I know this isnt exactly in your field, but perhaps you can get an answer for me.  please look at this page on casio.com: http://www.casio.com.....roduct=FA-123 the formerly free FA-123 program is now $79.95! Im seriously hoping that this is a gross mistake, because it seems to me and everyone on casiocalc.org to be utter lunacy, the cable cost to much before but now it costs:

FA-123: $79.95
Cable: $29.00
Total: $108.95

Plus a calc: $79.99+

so a CFX9850GBPlus-W would effectivley cost $188.94 = way to much.  heck, the CP300 only costs 179.99 and comes packaged with everything you need... this just doesnt make sense, a Classpad actually costs less than a CFX this way.

now, over the years a great deal of users have visted the UCF asking how they could get a cable for less than what was offered on casio.com (about $80 at the time, $29 is much more realistic), here's what they would pay for a CFX if they went to casiocalc.org:

CasioCOM: $0.00
Cable: $19.95 via http://pfranc.com/pclink/a.mhtml
Calc: $79.99
Total: $99.98

saving them $88.96, they could buy another calc with that money.

if thats not enough then i can assure you from past experiance that piracy of the FA-123 software will become rampant, of course casiocalc.org will not support anything like that (even if we might think it justified), but we cant cotrol what our users do on their personal sites and via e-mail.  In addition, i imagine that generally Casio calculator sales will plumet if they cost so much, generally Casio calcs only have two things going for them, cost and ease of use, and this will invert one of them.

anyway, i hope this is just a mistake, and if its not I would appreciate you forwarding my e-mail to someone that might be able to get Casio to reconsider this policy.

[Chani]

Great letter, Crimson! I hope it does the job, or at least brings some answers.

[huhn_m]

Well, it is still free over here (official!!!)
so users who intend to buy a CFX or have one
and need the transfer program ... DOWNLOAD NOW!

http://world.casio.c...a123/index.html

Anyways if they want money for it we should maybe stick with CasioCOM or other programs of this kind. For the purpose of transfer CasioCOM runs pretty well.

Anyways I can not understand this move from casio (if it really should be true)

[casiokingdom]

they will never get people to buy it, since everyone will just download it from Casio fan pages.

[Clive_88]

From the tech specs on the site, doesn't the $79.99 include the $29.99 cable?

[CrimsonCasio]

ive recieved two replies from Casio:

Hi Jake,

Hmm...you raise some very good points and that does seem like an odd change
at first glance.  I don't know anything about it personally but I'll see if
I can find some information from the corporate office.

Thanks!

Alison

Hi again -

Okay, the people I've talked to here think it's probably a mistake, though
they're not sure.  The software can still be downloaded for free here
http://world.casio.com/edu/resources/ , so it doesn't seem like they've made
a complete decision to start charging for it.  We're going to try to get it
cleared up through Tokyo headquarters.

Thanks for bringing it to our attention!

Alison

sounds good so far

[Deimos]

Yes, it seems to include tha cable, but it's still a crazy price. I made a cable myself anfd it costed less than $10, with very little electronic knowledge.

[Marco]

Yeah, that's calmative to know

But may be we shouldn't laugh too early

[CrimsonCasio]

Yes, it seems to include tha cable, but it's still a crazy price. I made a cable myself anfd it costed less than $10, with very little electronic knowledge.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

even if that price does include the cable it still doesnt make sense... $49.96 for the FA-123? thats still nuts...

though i think we'll be told its a mistake

[R00KIE]

I noticed one thing while reading the tech specs

The CASIO FA-123 needs the exclusive cable SB-155. Those users who had downloaded the software for FA-123 from the Web are asked to purchase the exclusive cable SB-155.

What are they talking about i made my cable and it works with every software i've tested so far, including FA-123, so why would anyone need the SB-155 ??!

[huhn_m]

your cable is probably built after one of the many chemes that are arround the internet. These are quite similar to the official cable.
The only thing that might be different is that they use different converter
chips.

[SoftCalc]

I'm not sure what is going on here. That does seem a little nuts. For that price they should include the calculator.

Both TI and HP give away their link software for free. They do have a connectivity kit with includes the cable and software that they charge for, but for less than $80.

[CrimsonCasio]

thankfully, casio has started doing that with the Classpad...

[octobclrnts]

I think they should have been doing it all along. It's great that we can make our own cables but it would have been so much easier for them to just throw in the cable and software from the beginning. I don't think they would lose that much profit...

[CrimsonCasio]

yay! its been confirmed as a mistake and it will be fixed! score one for the UCF

[Andy.Davies]

lol, i wonder if it was a 'deliberate accident' ?

[CrimsonCasio]

i seriously doubt it... i think it would hurt sales

[Andy.Davies]

i wonder when they are going to change it, cos i need to d/l it again...

[CrimsonCasio]

http://world.casio.c...a123/index.html