"I recently bought IBM ViaVoice for a doctor I know who wants to speed up writing a book," the reader wrote. "You've seen various doctors' penmanship so I think you can see that part of the problem, and he doesn't do technology nor keyboarding very much better. I've used ViaVoice for several years, so he asked for my help setting it up. So I buy the software and start to install it. Arg. The install hangs. Reboot, restart, hang ... reboot, restart, hang."

It was only when the reader went to get support from IBM that he discovered that IBM ViaVoice is now sold and supported by ScanSoft, which was renamed Nuance last year. "That's not good news," the reader wrote. "I didn't like ScanSoft's non-support of Paperport, so already I know I'm in trouble. I look around their support website, and there's nothing in the knowledge base to shed any light on my problems. What I do find is that there's a $10 charge just to send them an e-mail with a support question."

I should mention that I've heard about this $10 pay-per-incident email support fee from a few other readers using Nuance/ScanSoft products such as PDF Converter. Along with the ten bucks, one is also required to fill out a long online form demanding name, address, phone number and other personal information. Not a very friendly way to begin a support relationship.

Not surprisingly, the reader decided he would just have to make ViaVoice work himself. "There was a restocking fee of 20 percent and a doctor depending upon my skill, so I was committed," the reader wrote. "I spent four hours tinkering with it. Just clear, install, fail, and reboot. After countless times, some error messages, and much hanging unresponsively, one install worked! Now I am not sure that it will work for him or what he can do if he runs into more trouble, but at least it's installed."

Of course, what the reader really wonders is how supposed to know that IBM ViaVoice is not actually supported by IBM. "It's in a box with an IBM logo," the reader wrote. "The web site that I bought it from had a big picture showing it. 'IBM' is screamed from every listing you can find on it. So, I would label this as a gigantic fraud on the marketplace. It shouldn't be advertised as IBM."

A spokesperson for Nuance whom I contacted says that the product does actually still belong to IBM. "We have had distribution rights for IBM ViaVoice since 2003," the Nuance spokesperson said. "It is still an IBM product in that they develop it and they own the technology. Nuance markets it and supports it." While she confirmed that e-mail support for the product does cost $9.95 per incident, the spokesperson also pointed out that the first incident is free for toll phone support and $19.95 thereafter.

Be that as it may, the reader still feels hoodwinked. "I think we have arrived at a time where brand doesn't matter, the vendor doesn't matter, and promises implied or explicit cannot be relied upon," the reader wrote. "If IBM ViaVoice only comes with poor support, or pay-to-send-us-an-email support, from somebody other than IBM, then it should be labeled abandonware or crudware."

I think we can all agree that the reader's brand confusion over ScanSoft IBM ViaVoice from Nuance Communications is understandable. What I find perplexing, though, is IBM's willingness to let its name to be used this way. After all, it's a name that has long fetched a premium in different markets in great part because customers felt they could rely on Big Blue support. If products with those three letters on it can wind up being supported by just anyone, how much brand value does IBM risk losing? Write me at Foster@gripe2ed.com or post your comments below and let us know what you think.