Needing a Computer Science Degree to Use 1Password {Rant}
Hello. I have to blow off some steam here.
I've spent a few weeks convincing my partner to switch from mSecure to 1Password. He finally agreed to try it. He lent me his laptop and away I went. I followed the instructions to get the converter script, exported his mSecure data, and started working to convert his data so it can be imported.
AFTER SPENDING ALMOST 3 HOURS ON THIS, I'm ready to give up. Yes, yes, I know. You're not responsible for the Perl script conversion process -- still, I have to say that it this point, it seems easier for me to just pay for his mSecure subscription, or just switch back to LastPass, which we both have used in the past.
Sorry folks, this shouldn't happen. I've been a 1PW users for several years now, and love it. You guys come up with a marketing plan to convince some users to upgrade to a family plan. I then work on my friend to get him to join my plan and he does. But the wheels fall off and the whole thing comes to a halt because it's virtually impossible to import his data.
One of the biggest obstacles for people thinking about switching to a new program is having to convert all of their data over. If you can't get this part right, then the user (like me) ends up pissed-off and ready to move to a different product.
I'm just saying that it shouldn't be this darned difficult to use the product I paid for. Lastpass and others make these data conversions almost seamless, but with 1Password, one has to plan to spend an entire afternoon setting up the conversion, only to see it fail
Again, I know the "converter script" is not yours to maintain. It's just to say that if a user decides "this is a waste of my time" after all of the resources that you have poured into getting new users and convincing existing users to upgrade, they pay you, and then find that the product is useless to them because they can't get their data into it, you've got a failure on your hands. At least for me.
I want this to work, but I shouldn't have to spend hours to set it up. You need to work on seamless, simple converters to get people over to this product.
I'll keep trying to see if I can get this to work, but I'm just about ready to ask for a refund and move on to a product that doesn't require a computer degree to use.
Sorry - had to blow off steam. I earned it I figure, after losing my Sunday afternoon to this.
1Password Version: 6.8.496
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: Not Provided
Sync Type: Membership
Referrer: forum-search:msecure
Comments
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So, in the end, the solution was to spend more time working with a pure CSV import. All in all, this took pover 4 hours of work to accomplish between trying to use the script and trying to figure out alternatives.
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@amswitzer: Thanks for getting in touch. I'm sorry to hear that you had so much trouble. I wish you'd reached out to us and @MrC for help with his converter sooner, as there may have been an easier way. There just isn't much we can do after the fact. Just to clarify, were you able to successfully get the data into a usable format for import into 1Password after all? It may not be much consolation, but you'll probably only have to do it once. Again, there may have been a better way, but in the end, if you were successful, then you're probably in good shape now. But we're here if you need us.
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I too wish you would have reached out. I typically respond to people's questions within the hour, and often within minutes. From my converter suite thread's first post:
You haven't said where or how you were having trouble, so I don't know how to address the issues you experienced. Once the environment is setup for conversion, the conversion and import process is about 30 seconds.
The converters have been used thousands of times. Some will always find the process too challenging, for whatever reason, and this is where I can help, both directly, and indirectly.
You may have experience with a singular conversion from "Lastpass and others" who "make these data conversions almost seamless", but I can guarantee you there are many issues about which you are unaware. Conversion from the multitudes of external data sources, data formats, platforms, and product revisions is a very large task.
Examples:
mSecure's export format is as rudimentary and basic as it gets. It allows you to get your data out, but that's about it.
mSecure allows user's to customize their Types, and yet does not provide any field types or labels in the export. NO converter or importer can determine the meanings of the data.
mSecure's typed-data values such as Expiration dates are completely invalidated, meaning users can enter total garbage. NO converter or importer can meaningfully handle conversion of such data - it has to be imported as raw text.
mSecure allows users to construct their own record Types. The export contains no information whatsoever about what the fields mean
mSecure allows users to run the program in their native language, and this can create records in multiple languages. This creates a huge challenge for converters/importers.
mSecure recently changed their supported Types, and also their export format, abandoning their old format, and many Types. This leaves users with mix and match records from old and new versions in poorly defined state.
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Thanks to both of you @brenty and @MrC for responding.
Firstly, @MrC , please don't think I was being critical of your efforts! Not at all. My comments were directed at 1PW. If it helps, I was able to set up the scripts and other required elements correctly on two laptops (after the Perl failed on one, I tried running it on another) and I got the same result each time. After entering the command to begin conversion, an outline of what appeared to be a program window appeared on the screen, then disappeared into thin air, with no conversion file being produced.
@brenty: My partner is in good shape now and everything is fine. I was able to do this using the CSV import, after spending a bit of time reconfiguring the CSV file so it would be compatible. Everything worked perfectly. After that, I had to manually enter his credit cards and other "non-login" entries. He had 74 records in total, of which 37 were logins.
It was very frustrating yesterday - I truly spent over 5 hours all-told switching from friend to 1PW. Now that have, he's a happy camper, as as am I.
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@amswitzer: Thank you for your feedback! I am glad to hear that you are all set now. :+1:
Conversion is a complicated process, there is a lot of things you have to take into account and MrC is doing an awesome job at it with his converter utility. Please let us know if there is anything else we can help you with and do not hesitate to reach out to us sooner, as we are always ready to help.
Thanks!
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Greg0
