I have been using ACT 2000 as my customer database for several years. It is good but it takes over my computer. For instance, when I try to print a mail-merge from it, it says my spooler isn't working. Then I have to reboot before I can use the printer again with any other program, such as something I've typed on Word.

My boss tells me that the last salesman here had the same problem. His computer was always having problems until he finally got rid of ACT. After he got rid of ACT, he had no more problems. So he told me last week to find and buy some other customer database program and stop using ACT.

I have to agree, I like ACT but I hate that it screws up my computer.

I looked at a couple of other programs like Goldmine but I don't like the way it looks and besides, I have to buy an additional program to get it to transfer my files from ACT.

Does anyone know of a good program for this? ACT can do mail merge (if it worked), keep records of appointments, notes, etc. I want a good program capable of different tasks. Not like Outlook, that doesn't do as much as ACT.
Thanks.

I started using ACT when it was called First Act, on DOS systems 15 years ago. I was a firm believer in it for a decade. The last version I had was a Not For Resale copy I got from Symantec when they owned the title. About 98 or 99.

It got to where I could not instll the NFR on any of the XP systems, so I made the mistake of buying the 2005 version. It slows everything to a crawl. Not wven using it, just having it loaded taxes the entire system.

I just can't bring myself to use an online CRM (or anything else online for that matter). So, right now I've got one old Windows 98 computer that I use just for ACT and PC Anywhere over a phone line.

And I'm looking, also.

In 30 years of computing I've never seen such a resource hog as the newer ACT versions.