Hi Guys,

Just joined the forum and am looking for feedback from anyone who has experience with the Texas Calculatem online poker odds calculator.

I bought a years sub to this tool for a couple of years some time back, then stopped playing online until recently when I decided to get into it again.

My favorite poker site is PokerStars so I first checked to make sure it still supported it - the Texas Calculatem website said it did, but that it was up to me to make sure that the site(s) I wanted to use it at allowed it. So I wrote to PokerStars Support, giving them full details of the tool, the website and asked if it was an approved application. They replied that it was most certainly one of the tools that they have no problems with players using at their site. On that basis, I purchased a 1 year License for Texas Calculatem for $69.00 - got my activation code immediately. That was a little over a week ago.

As soon as I tried to use it at PokerStars, I found it would not open PokerStars, nor would it attach to any tables - it just gave a generic error stating that "Something went wrong, please relaunch the Poker Room" - I did that several times but zip. No go. Tried it at PartyPoker and it worked fine.

So I sent an email to support@calculatem.com as well as posted a support request via their website. That was over a week ago and just got an automated email replies each time that I would hear back from a support tech within 48 hours. After hearing nothing back for 3 days, I've emailed and posted support requests at least 3 or 4 more times over the last week - all I get is the automated response, promising a support tech would be in touch. My latest email I sent earlier today stated I have run out of patience and if they do not reply within 72 hours, then I will instruct my bank to do a charge back for the fee I paid.

Has "anyone" here ever had a response from Calculatem support? I see people like Roy Rounder still recommending the application in newsletters, but if support is non existant, then it's totally useless.

I've done the following to try and remedy the situation mself.

- Tried installing it on a different computer (XP Pro) - Same problem
- Uninstalled and Reinstalled it at least 4 times
- Downloaded it again (twice now) - no difference.

Another thing that's concerning is that their site claims the latest version of Texas Caluclatem is 7.2.58, yet when I use the download button on their site to download that version, the file installs Version 7.2.56 - it's not just my computer either - I've installed it on a computer that has never had a Poker Room or Calculator installed on it before so it's not an error in my registry. (I've been a professional IT Support tech for a large company for over 15 years now, so I have a fair idea of what I'm doing computer wise) It *has* to be a problem with their application, but what to do if I can't get a human to respond to my support requests?

Am thinking of posting about this on notgoodenough.org to warn people, but I'm trying my best to give this mob the benefit of any doubt - I know they're getting my emails because I get delivery success notifications in Outlook and also the auto replies from their support server.

Have I been scammed?

Your thoughts / suggestions appreciated.

Cheers...

Andy

Try reaching out to an affiliate that sells it, they may be able to put you in touch with someone over there. Also it's probably a very small company, so if they went on vacation or anything the whole place probably shuts down (no excuse for not answering but a possibility).

One last thing, I believe pokerstars outlaws tracking software and such, which may be why it works at Party Poker and not PokerStars

Originally Posted by Steve Ruddock

Try reaching out to an affiliate that sells it, they may be able to put you in touch with someone over there.

Thanks for the suggestion about contacting an affiliate Steve.. I work in IT myself though and am affiliated with many software vendors.. the extent of my affiliation is that I get a few bucks each time someone purchases software via a link from my web site.. contacting affiliate support in the past only results in them asking me to direct any support requests to the relevent support address. A good idea though..

Originally Posted by Steve Ruddock

One last thing, I believe pokerstars outlaws tracking software and such, which may be why it works at Party Poker and not PokerStars

No that's definately not it. Here's a verbatim copy of the response I got from Poker Stars (identifiable information removed)

- - - - - - - - - - - 8< - - - - - - - - - - -

-----Original Message-----
Calculatem does not use any information not available to
any observer of From: PokerStars Support [mailto:support@pokerstars.com]
Sent: Saturday, 7 July 2012 7:08 PM
To: xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.com.au
Subject: PokerStars Support - Permitted Software

Hello Andrew,

Thank you for contacting PokerStars.

Texas the game, nor does it use any means to automate
play or assist in cheating (such as sharing hole cards with
others).

Therefore, this program, and others like it are permitted for use
on PokerStars. Specifically prohibited are programs that share
hole cards, or automate the play of the game so that it can run
unattended.

You may find our policy on such software in section 5.5 of our
terms of services at:

PokerStars.com - Online Poker Software Terms of Service

This page links to an explanation of our prohibited programs
policy at:

Online Poker Software - Prohibited Programs, Tools and Services

A partial list of permitted and forbidden programs is available
on that page as well.

Good luck in the games, and thank you for playing on PokerStars.

Regards,

Xxxxxxxxxxxx
PokerStars Support Team
---
We are poker!
- - - - - - - - - - - 8< - - - - - - - - - - -

The product is definately permitted at their tables, so that's not it. The problem is calculatem.com just completely ignore any support emails. I've yet to get a single human response sigh..

Looks like a credit card charge back is the only way I'm going to get any satisfaction - damn shame because I actually really like the product and this is the third time I've paid for a 1 year license to use it.

Cheers..

Andy

Update!

I can't beleive this.. check out what I just got from " - NA - support@calculatem.com " - Not sure if this was just an automated message the server sent or if these guys are messing with my head ever since I sent them an email telling them that if they don't respond within 48 Hours I would initiate a credit card charge back with my bank!

- - - - - - - - - - - - 8< - - - - - - - - - - - -

Andrew xxxxxxxxxx,

This message concerns your ticket #VGM-452-34144. We have not received any response back from you in 48 hours, and would like to know if you consider this issue to be resolved. If you have any further questions, simply respond to this e-mail.

Ticket ID: VGM-452-34144
Subject: Latest version of Texas Calculatem will not open PokerStars
Department: Texas Calculatem
Type: Issue
Status: Open
Priority: High

Please note that the ticket will automatically be closed within 72 hours if no response is received from you. The ticket will not be closed in the case that you send another reply. You can check the status of or reply to this ticket online at: - NA - - Powered by Kayako Fusion Help Desk Software

Kind regards,

- NA -

---

Support Center: http://mutatum.helpserve.com

- - - - - - - - - - - - 8< - - - - - - - - - - - -

I've opened no less than 4 Support Request tickets on that site, not a single one of them has a response from them and now they're telling me that if I don't respond within 48 hours they'll consider the issue resolved. WTF?!?!

So I immediately respond with this, both by email and by updating the support ticket they're referring to.. This was a few hours ago and just checked.. STILL no response!

- - - - - - - - - - - - 8< - - - - - - - - - - - -

Huh?

I just received the email below saying you haven't had a response from me.. On the contrary, I have yet to recieve a response from you guys to ANY of the support tickets I've raised about this issue since the day I purchased Texas Calculatem, apart from automated replies saying that someone will get back to me about the issue.

Can you "please" respond to this issue and help?

Andrew xxxxxxxxx
xxxxxx@xxxxxxx.com.au
PokerStars ID: XxXxXxXx

- - - - - - - - - - - - 8< - - - - - - - - - - - -

Is this some sort of joke or what? If they dare close ONE support request ticket, not only will I do a charge back with my bank, I will create an entire web page about this whole saga and adverise it at every online poker related forum I can find! Not to mention posting the whole story on notgoodenough.org for the world to see as well.

I'm starting to think this mob should have their right to accept credit card payments revoked!

Any thoughts on anything else I can do to get the attention of a human to reply from Calculatem's site?

NEVER have I had an experience like this from what is supposed to be a reputable site, promoted by the likes of Roy Rounder and others and that has been around for years! *shakes head in dismay*

It seems like one of two things is going on here:

#1 - this is the worst company in history
#2 - their automated E-Mail support is malfunctioning and they don't know it

Maybe try one of these E-Mails instead of support:

Affiliate Related Inquiries
affiliates@superpokeraffiliates.com

Marketing/Partnership Related Inquiries
marketing@calculatem.com

At least with these you'll get a flesh and blood person looking at it, and hopefully they can notify someone


***I just looked at the list from Stars and Texas Calculatem is on the list of banned software***

Originally Posted by Steve Ruddock

Maybe try one of these E-Mails instead of support:

Affiliate Related Inquiries
affiliates@superpokeraffiliates.com

Marketing/Partnership Related Inquiries
marketing@calculatem.com

At least with these you'll get a flesh and blood person looking at it, and hopefully they can notify someone

Great idea Steve.. I hadn't thought of that. Will send an email to both of them shortly. Thanks..

Originally Posted by Steve Ruddock

***I just looked at the list from Stars and Texas Calculatem is on the list of banned software***

Umm.. I do appreciate your efforts there Steve, but I think you may need to look a little closer ..

Copy and Paste From: "Online Poker Software - Prohibited Programs, Tools and Services"

Q. Can you give me some examples of acceptable tools and services ?

A. The following are examples of tools and services which are permitted:

• Calculatem Pro
• Texas Caclulatem

(Among others - these "are" permitted from what I can see, (as well as Stars Support confirming the same in the email I pasted above)

Cheers...

Andy

lol, I thought that was the prohibited list

I'm really surprised they allow that as it gives real time odds

Originally Posted by Steve Ruddock

lol, I thought that was the prohibited list

Easy mistake to make..

Originally Posted by Steve Ruddock

I'm really surprised they allow that as it gives real time odds

Yes but if you're good at maths ( I'm useless ) then it doesn't really do anything that you can't do in your head or with any $2 calculator sitting on your desk.. just does it a little quicker. Pro poker players calculate real time odds in their heads in seconds all the time during tourneys and cash games. One of the reasons I prefer playing online.. that and the fact that I don't have much of a poker face lol..

BTW, I did take your advice and emailed both affiliates@ and marketing@ calculatem about the whole saga that I've been having trying to get some support and might give them an extra day or two before initiating a charge back. No automated response from either address, but got a confirmation of delivery to their mail server.

You know at this point I think I'd be happy if I could just get into a conversation with a human to find out what's going on.. be damned if I'll let them keep my money if I can't get a human response out of them at all. May not be much in $ terms, but it's the principal of the thing.

A charge back will be my last resort as it costs them additional money in bank charges - if all of the efforts I've made to date fail to get a human to reply to me, I'm willing to bet a charge back on the sale will definately get someone's attention. <g>

Cheers and thanks for your interest Steve..

Andy

Well, I've tried everything.. I've email support, marketing, affiliates and still no replies.

I also did a WHOIS on the domain and the contact details to the domain owner have been deleted.

Just got off the phone with my Bank who are initiating a charge back for the $69.95 USD that I was charged for this product. I have updated all my Support Tickets advising them that I have done this. I don't expect any replies, as I sent multiple emails advising I would do a charge back if I did not hear back from anyone.

To anyone reading this - do NOT purchase anything from calculatem.com - this mob, while once active and willing to provide support, have turned into scammers. Fair warning.

Cheers..

Andy

Thanks for the update Andy, it's too bad things ended this way, but I'd say you gave them more than enough opportunity to make things right.