Frequently Asked Questions


Can your programs be used on a Mac?
Do I need to have Excel installed on my PC to use Moves or Micplot?
Which versions of your software products are compatible?
Are software updates included in the purchase prices?
How are the software products licenced?
What methods of payment do you accept?


Can your programs be used on a Mac?

Yes. The following guide has been written by one of our customers who regularly uses both MicPlot and Palladium on his Mac: Using MicPlot & Palladium On A Mac.


Do I need to have Excel installed on my PC to use Moves or Micplot?

No. Although Moves and MicPlot export data in Excel format, this data is only used for the following purposes:

  • In the case of Moves, the Excel file contains a table showing all the show's data, and this allows the data to be sent to other members of your production team who do not have access to Moves or MicPlot.
  • In the case of Micplot, the Excel file contains the wall chart showing the entire show, the labels for the mics and transmitters, the running order sheets for the sound crew, and the rehearsal tags.

Therefore the only software required to use these files is either the Excel viewer available free of charge from Microsoft's website, or a compatible application such as Open Office. Further details on both of these can be found on our useful links page.


Which versions of your software products are compatible?

Our software products are constantly evolving, and as such, so do their data file formats. Although newer versions of a program will always be able to open files generated by earlier versions, the reverse isn't always the case.

The same applies to data imported into one program from another. For example, a "new" version of Palladium will always be able to import data from an "old" version of MicPlot, but again, an "old" version of Palladium might not be able to import data from a "new" version of MicPlot.

The easiest way of avoiding compatibility issues is to regularly check for program updates.


Are software updates included in the purchase prices?

Yes. Updates will be available free of charge for a minimum period of 2 years. Most software vendors allow free updates until the next 'major change'. In other words, if the current version of a software product is '2.xx', a customer would receive free updates until the software changed to '3.xx'.

We decided against this approach because it discriminates against those customers who purchase a software product just before a major change. Since we expect a major change to happen at least once every 2 years, we thought that providing a guaranteed minimum 2 year's free updates would be a fairer approach.


How are the software products licenced?

In the case of Moves, since this is currently a free program, there is no licencing as such. Users are free to install and use Moves on as many PCs as they like, and distribute the program to other members of their production team, provided it is unmodified and distributed in its entirety.

In the case of MicPlot and Palladium, the primary form of licencing is in the form of a hardware security key (dongle). We thought long and hard about this, and eventually decided on a dongle for the following reasons:

  • It allows a user to install the software on as many PCs as they like, and simply move the dongle between them as needed.
  • In the absence of the dongle, the software will still run, but will be limited to "demonstration" mode which has the "file save" functions disabled. This means that a user will never be prevented from running tonight's show because they left their dongle at home. It is also perfectly OK to have 2 PCs in the theatre, one as the main and the other as backup, both running the same show file, without the need for a second licence.

In addition to the dongle, we also provide short term software security keys which are used to allow customers full use of their software until their dongle arrives. This saves them money, as the dongles can then be sent via standard air mail rather than expensive couriers or air freight companies. It also provides a backup in the event of dongle loss.


What methods of payment do you accept?

We currently accept three methods of payment:

  • PayPal. This method allows on-line payment via credit card, and is probably the easiest method for most customers.
  • Bank transfer in $AU.
  • A cheque made out in AU$.