This document provides some frequently asked questions about SiSoft Sandra. Please read the Help File as well!
Q: Isn't a name like Sandra daft for a program? Whatever possessed you to choose such a name?
A: It's supposed to be an acronym. Well, we did "stretch" it a bit to make it sound better. This is not the first program to have a female name, remember Apple Lisa, Miranda, Microsoft Mum, Brenda, etc. There are more...
Have a look at these alternative names suggested (by users):
"Admin's Best Utility"
"Admin's System Analyst Program - ASAP"
"Admin's Computer Diagnostics"
"Doctor Adrian's Computer Diagnostics Tool"
"The Diagnostics Tool Without Name"
Q: Does the name "Sandra" have anything to do with someone with the same name (maybe a famous person)?
A: No.
Q: Should I call Sandra "it" or "her" (or
"him")?
A: If that's your only problem then you're lucky…
Q: Can I get Sandra's source code for free?
A: No.
Q: I have some DOS system analyzer which shows way more information than Sandra. Why can't you do that?
A: Well, ask them why they haven't written a Windows version yet. Win32 programming is even harder and you can't do what you want like in DOS. Some stuff is just not relevant in Windows. Also, quite a few Windows analyzers are still 16-bit, Sandra is not.
On the other hand, a DOS analyzer could be better than a Windows analyzer if you check/test hardware at low-level. To check the Win16 sub-system a 16-bit analyzer could do better, too. The choice is yours.
Q: I have (e.g. Norton Utilities '9X, Nuts & Bolts) and I think that their sys info (e.g. Norton SI/32, Discover Pro)
is much better. Can't you do better than that?
A: If we could, some software company (Microsoft, Symantec) would have snapped us up a long time ago… However, we do think that Sandra does things that SI does not do, but overall it can't compete. Also remember that NU is a package and not a stand-alone product. Seen anything you like?
Q: What's the best overall information tool in your opinion?
A: Must be Discover Pro from Nuts & Bolts (former Hurricane). While memory compression programs are utter crap, it has the best diagnostic tool we've ever seen.
Q: I think that MS-Info is better than Sandra.
A: Are you a troll? No way!
Q: God! When Sandra crashes it takes Win95 with it. Where's the robustness I've read/heard so much about?
A: Well, we always say that if you do something, you
might as well do it properly… On a serious note, things are
getting very complicated down here, so watch out…
Q: Why a PowerPC CPU icon for CPU Information?
A: The shape of things to come?…
Q: How soon does Sandra get updated?
A: Every 2-4 months.
Q: What's this bunny thing in Sandra?
A: If you haven't found it, don't worry about it. The "bunny" existed in Windows 3.0, 3.1, 3.11 and 95 - it
was Microsoft's idea! SAW also had a bunny, so Sandra needed one too… Bunnies are fluffy and cute…