tarot software/freeware: jtarot

Has anyone else here looked at this freeware? I'd be interested in hearing some reviews on 'jtarot' by someone who's also familiar with some of the other well-known tarot spread software out there.

http://www.lazy8.nu/tarot/

(mods: if I've put this thread into the wrong section, please bump it over into a better one.)

I'd be a bit wary of it. It's a strangely put together program. I tried to download the private version. I got a little java file which supposedly downloaded the actual program. After it did it's thing, including checking for updates, which my firewall alerted me to, the tarot program opened and took me to a setup wizard. I looked around in it a bit but didn't want to fiddle with it right away, so I quit the program. Now I cannot find the program anywhere! It didn't get installed on the desktop, or my applications folder, or anywhere else I would expect it to go. It apparently vanished! Now I'm left with the original little downloader file (only 4K, so that can't be the whole program). What's even stranger, is that my firewall keeps a list of known apps that have permission from me (or don't) to connect to the internet. There is no jtarot or any similar sounding program on the list. It should have immediately made it onto the list after it was downloaded, and also after it checked for updates.

So, to summarize. It's very strange. I hope it wasn't a trojan of some kind.

oakdragon
if you do a search on your computer for all files and folders it should come up - it cant have disappeared

type in *tarot*.exe

or just *tarot*.*

edit prob these are better
or *.jnlp

or *lazy8*.*

Thanks, star-lover, but I tried that. It's apparently not fully Mac compatible.

It looks interesting but not as good as Orphalese . I wonder who the Free Tarot Foundation is? They own it but don't say who they are. I haven't googled them yet but plan to.

One thing - you have to download "sun java" before installation. They give you the link.

They claim also though that if you already have java of some kind, that should work. I tried it with Apple's built-in java, to no avail. Could be Apple's fault though. Their java is not very robust. I just thought that since I had a strange experience, I'd caution others to be careful.

Remotely possible connected to j k tarot, a fellow fairly hostile to most of the tarot community. Just a possibility.

I would guess the j comes from the program being Java-based.

Ownership of Free Tarot Foundation

I used Web Crawler to search for the "Free Tarot Foundation" but nothing came up at this stage anyway. This does not necessarily mean anything. As time goes on others may find more.

There is a registered address in Boston but no further information.

In this day and age it does seem unusual for there to be no identifying information. Perhaps we should wait and see. Well meaning Tarot philanphropist or eccentric ........ possibly. And possibly completely fine .

It would perhaps be interesting to examine the program and interpretations in more detail. I'd never seen the deck in the display program before. A complete critique requires further examination.

I am so happy with Orphalese that I see no need to try something else, however.

From the horses mouth

Hello everyone. Ok... I am the guilty party . I am the one who made the program. I am the "Free Tarot Foundation." So, just to answer some questions:
1. It is mac compatible as far as I know; you need to get the latest java from apple.com. OakDragon--Sounds to me like it worked perfectly on your mac??? You are just not used to the "java web start" system of automatically starting and updating programs. Just for me, could you try again the whole downloading process and let me know how it works on Mac? thanks in advance.
2. "Free Tarot Foundation" does not really exist. I made it up a few days ago. You see, I was really afraid of being sued over copyrights since I use a lot of artwork. But I have found a way around that problem so I might change the owners name. But "Free Tarot Foundation" has a nice ring to it. Why can't WE be the "Free Tarot Foundation" who fights for a tarot that is free from money centered organizations but yet supports the advertising of artists work?
3. When you download the software with the program "Java Web Start", the program is put far away, deep in the java directory. You can search your hard disk for jTarot.jar if you really want to find it. Or, simply write "javaws" in a DOS window and "Java Web Start" will appear and you can delete it with that program.

I would love to hear more comments. I am actually really new to the tarot program world although I have loved tarot for lifetimes. Believe it or not, I have not yet seen orphalese....