FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here is a list of the most frequently asked questions. If your question remains unanswered, please contact us.

1)   How do I get technical support for installing/using software I have purchased?

2)   Will this software work on my computer, is it compatible?

3)   Can I return software I have bought?

4)   Do you have a particular piece of software, how can I find certain software?

5)   How do I sell my software to you?

6)   I am not comfortable ordering online, can I place my order over the phone with you?

7)   What is the difference between retail software, OEM software, academic software and NFR software?

8)   Do you ship outside the USA? What kind of shipping options do I have?

Q: How do I get technical support for installing/using software I have purchased?

A: We would like to support and troubleshoot all the software we sell, however, this is not possible. We are a software retailer and like all software retailers, we do not offer support for third party products. We don't make the software and in most cases we know very little about it. You need to contact the software publisher.

The first place to turn is the help/troubleshooting section included with the software. You may be able register the software and be eligible for support from the publisher. Check the help files or technical support section of the manual. A word of caution, there is no guarantee that old version software is eligible for technical support. The primary reason for this is most manufacturers no longer support software that is three or more years old. If technical support is important to you, we suggest buying the latest version or contact the publisher to determine if support is still available for the product you are considering. Click here for a short list of the major software publisher’s tech support websites.

Q: Will this software work on my computer, is it compatible?

A: You need to check the System Requirements for the specific software which can be found on each product detail page. The System Requirements are the basic technical specifications your computer must meet in order to successfully install and run the software. Most problems occur because the computer does not meet these basic requirements.

The number 1 source of problems arise from incompatible Operating Systems. We list the operating systems shown on the software, which were tested and found to be compatible at the time the software was published. Since we deal in mostly older version software, some of the newer operating systems were not invented when the software was produced. If the operating system you have is not listed, you have a better than average chance of operating system incompatibility.

With the latest version Operating Systems, the million dollar question is “will old software, designed for an earlier operating system, install and run properly?” Unfortunately, the general (and safe) answer is no. We have heard from many of our customers who have unsuccessfully tried to get legacy software up and functional on the latest generation operating systems. Often times, next generation operating systems are built on a different framework and pose many issues because the older version software was not designed with this new framework in mind. Prudence says, if you have a computer that is running the latest generation operating system, the safe bet to buy software designed for the specific system.

If you are very determined, there are a few web resources that may be helpful determining compatibility. For Windows visit Microsoft’s website at http://www.microsoft.com or Apple at http://www.apple.com. If you want to be 100% sure that the software you buy will run on your operating system, visit the software publisher website or contact them and ask. For some of the later software, there may be a free download to update the old version software to be compatible with these new operating systems and/or know issues and fixes published on their sites.

Q: Can I return software I have bought?

A: Yes. Software that has not been opened can be returned within 30 days for a full refund. Software that has been opened can not be returned. Refer to our return policy for details.

Q: Do you have a particular piece of software, how can I find certain software?

A: Everything we have appears in the catalog which we update weekly. We do not list things that we do not have to ship, so if it is orderable through the website, your shipment will be on it’s way to you very shortly. If software is not listed in the catalog, we do not currently have it. We receive software on a regular basis, the catalog is constantly changing.

Q: How do I sell my software to you?

A: We do not give software quotes over the telephone. I you wish to sell software to us navigate to our website www.retrosoftware.com and use the “sell old software” on the top of every page follow the instructions. You will receive a response quickly, normally with one business day.

Q: I am not comfortable ordering online, can I place my order over the phone with you?

A: Yes, we can take your order over the phone but we will be entering your order information into a webform over the internet just as you would do ordering from the website.

Q: What is the difference between retail software, OEM software, academic software and NFR software?

A: The primary difference is in the license agreement.

• Retail software is licensed to "end users" who install and use the software on their computers. The same software you would buy from Best Buy or CompUSA. This is the majority of the software we sell in our catalog.
• OEM software, on the other hand, is licensed to be sold with a computer or computer hardware. For example, if you buy a new computer, the software that comes preinstalled on the system would be OEM software. You generally can not sell this type of software unless you sell the computer with it. If you read an OEM end user license agreement (EULA) you will find statements such as "If the software product is not accompanied by a new computer system or computer system component, you may not use or copy the software product". OEM software is licensed to be installed on a computer and then be sold to the end user as a packaged deal. Other differences between retail and OEM software include no technical support, installation manual and cd-rom only and can not be used to upgrade from a previous version.
• Academic software is full version software which is licensed for use by students, faculty, and educational institutions. Both academic and OEM software are sold at significantly discounted prices because of the restrictions on how they can be used and resold.
• Finally, NFR stands for "Not For Resale" is usually promotional software, that is given on a trial basis, to businesses, schools, and institutions and in most instances can not be bought or sold under any circumstances.

Q: Do you ship outside the USA? What kind of shipping options do I have?

A: If you are looking to ship outside the United States, please see our Shipping Policy for information regarding import/export charges, fees, and eligibility.

Software Publisher Technical Support