Someone reviewed v on Jul 5, 2022

Pros: 555

Cons: 555

Bottom Line: 555

TagTeam reviewed v2.5 Build 3900 on Aug 26, 2007

Can't say what HTFRon ran into, but I followed on the licensing issue with Poco Systems and was told that the 2-installation limit refers to the number of concurrent installs you are allowed, not the number of re-installs.
I asked my question through the online support. I heard back from "Tomas" overnight. As he explained, the idea is that you could, for example, have a copy of Barca on your desktop PC and on your laptop. As he said: "It DOESN'T mean that you are only allowed two installations attempts - far from that."

Hope this helps.

Second Shadow reviewed v2.5 Build 3900 on May 23, 2007

Excellent e-mail client and PIM. I agree 100% with pamindic, the previous poster.
A new version has just been released.
New in Barca Pro 2.5 - Changelog:
http://www.pocosystems.c...mp;id=112&Itemid=54

Do get it.

pamindic reviewed v2.1 Build 3650 on May 7, 2006

This is the best email client on the market, and it just goes on getting better. Ver 2 was delivered in Oct 05 and 2.1 in April 06. The early glitches that people complained about with 1.0 have been ironed out, the address book is now first class. With great spam filtering, a terrific interface, a reliable data file system (unlike the terrible Outlook .pst file, a great interface, easy account setup, good search and "focus box" facilities, notes, tasks, calendar, diary and planner there is no other email client to touch it. Support is fast and intelligent (if curt, but so what) and there's a great online forum. This is what Outlook with MS's resources should have been. Get it.

HTFRon reviewed v2.0 Build 3350 on Jan 17, 2006

There is a major PLUS and MINUS when it comes to using any mail program from POCOSYSTEMS.

I have been an avid user of their email programs for the past 6 years. I started with PocoMail and worked myself up to Barca.

Their email programs are first-rate. In fact, I prefer them to EUDORA, perhaps the king of all email software, simply because POCO and BARCA allow you to create customized stationary which is important for sending out business email with a letterhaed.

Additionaly, neither POCO or BARCA wil launch any attachments in their email, making this the safest email client to use.

That being said, there is a MAJOR MINUS to dealing with the software and the folks at POCOSYSTEMS....

First of all, when you purchase the software it is not yours for life, as you may think it is.

Pocosystems gives you the right to install the program TWICE -- either on the same computer or once on two separate computers.

I found this out the hard way when during the peak of a computer virus epidemic early last year, I found myself having to format my computer and reinstall my operating system at least 4 times over the course of 5 months.

After the second time reformatting my computer, I was no longer able to activate my copy of Barca. I was told by their support team that I only had permission to install it TWICE. In fact, the guy was highly rude to me and accused me of installing it on many different computers. More on that in a moment....

Their support is horrid. Go to their message support forum and complain and you'll discover its owner erasing any negative posts. When I complained about their licensing issues and suggested they make a LIFE copy available just like every other email software -- my message was promptly erased. PocoSystems does not want their message boards tarnished by negative posts.

I then went through a huge ordeal with the owner for months regarding obtaining a license code for the software after it was suspended. Because I had to do multiple formats on my computer I exceeded the 2 install limit. The owner was rude and hostile, accusing me of taking his software and installing it on multiple computers. It took me months of failed email replies and phone calls to the company and a threat to report them to the Better Business Bureau for the owner to finally allow me an additional license.

If you opt to purchase Poco or Barca realize that though you will be getting an outrageously great email program at your disposal, you will be stuck with licensing limitation and highly rude customer support.

It's a shame pocosystems actually conducts business this way. Any other email program that you purchase is usually good to use on multiple computers throughout your lifetime. If you want an upgrade, that's usually where they charge you. What Pocosystems does is limit the number of times you can install their software -AND- nab you a substantial fee for any upgrades.

Good buy -- but buyer beware!

Yogurth reviewed v2.0 Build 3350 on Dec 4, 2005

I have been using Barca's sister app called PocoMail for few years, and up until Barca 2 was released Pocomail was my eMail app of choice. Previous versions of Barca weren't in same clas as Pocomail in eMail functions.

Barca 2 has completely integrated Pocomail 4 engine, with support for Unicode(this was lacking in previous versions). It looks very Professional, it's fast, it is secure...uses it's own HTML rendering engine, separates attachments from mail.Base(MBX), has News and RSS reading built in...

Well done Pocosys.

Eldar reviewed v1.4 Build 1000 on May 27, 2005

Edit: New major version has been released.
Barca 2 (Calendar, Email, Planner)
---> New in Barca 2

I've been using it since the first release and love working with it. :-)
Lots of features (scripts, events, bayesian filter, ...) which can also be found in Poco as well.

I like the feature to add an appointment, task from the preview window and many others too.

Barca is a really very secure email client and very customisable. Really fast in downloading or sending messages.

The next major release (coming this Summer) will have SSL/TLS, so no need to use a third party app to send through Gmail & others.
A new Search engine (much faster), Unicode improvement, new features and ...

So I'm looking forward to this major release. :-°)

Caratacus reviewed v1.1 Build 840 on Nov 9, 2004

The worst experience of your life, finalcut? And you do not give one single specific criticism. Forgive me, but your review sounds a little hysterical.

finalcut reviewed v1.1 Build 840 on Nov 8, 2004

Buying pocomail has been the worse thing in my life
barca is the same but add calendar and task features
Pocosystem should fix bugs first and listen to ppl
that actually buy their software.

zridling reviewed v1.1 Build 840 on Oct 26, 2004

Better than most everything else, but still disappointing in its note taking abilities and its calendar options. It will continue to get better as it has a great company behind it.

Caratacus reviewed v1.0 Build 700 on Sep 7, 2004

I'm really enjoying this email client/PIM combo. I too switched from TheBat! and am very glad I did so (especially since the recent TheBat! joke V.3-pay-50% for-"upgrade" rort). It's similar to Outlook but much lighter and nicer. It hasn't put a foot wrong for me yet - I reckon it's a good 'un.

mrgrieves reviewed v1.0 Build 700 on Aug 1, 2004

This is very much Pocomail cross with Outlook. It's clearly a rip-off of Outlook (some of the features are a little too similar), but it's a good one!

As a user of the Bat that made the switch to Poco, I have now made the switch to Barca and haven't regretted it. It doesn't seem to use any more resources than Poco but has loads of useful (Outlook-style) options like calendar, notes and so on. But without the disadvantage of actually being Outlook..!!

Importing wasn't quite as easy as it should have been and some of the options from Poco are missing right now (eg getting message view on the right is a bit of a pain as you need to do it for each folder in turn right now and the row shading isn't as good) but overall I am very pleased with it - for a first release it's of a very high quality.

Can't wait for the next version!

(UPDATE: score lowered - application is still great, except that it has no real originality anywhere - but the customer service from Poco Systems is dreadful, as is their inflexibility. Beware.)