Is Parallels taking its' users for granted?

F

firesong

Bit poster
Just need Parallels to clarify this for the users.

I've been using Parallels Desktop for some time since it was bundled with MacUpdate, while many of my friends who have been long-term PC users who have switched lean towards VMWare due to it's longer-term reputation overall...

Now, Parallels has got at least 2 competing products in virtualization under OS X - one of which is free and the other is the aforementioned VMWare. Interestingly, one of my better friends bought VMWare 1.x while I bought Parallels - he went with their reputation while I decided to try the upstart (Parallels was the main reason I bought the MacUpdate bundle - I find I do not use any of the other apps at all).

Now, to the main point, while VMWare offers a free upgrade to a major release (1.x to 2.x is a major release), we users of Parallels 3.x find ourselves having to buy the software, albeit at a reduced price, over again. To many users who are in countries that have stronger economic growth, it's all well and good. However, the US Dollar is pulling away from many other users in other countries, and that difference is big enough for us to re-consider, even at a "special upgrade pricing".

Frankly, I am disappointed - if I know Parallels was going to be pro-profit and charge for every single software update, then I'd have gone with the competing product and enjoyed a free upgrade. For me, I'm a student - money does not come easy.

Anyway, this ends my rant... I am pretty sure I am not the only user who feels somewhat cheated... I already have a friend who's paid for the 2.x to 3.x upgrade, and will abandon Parallels and buy a VMWare license instead - such is the disappointment in a company's failure to trust its' users advocacy of their product in conjunction with Apple's growing market share.
 
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John@Parallels said:
It is not just next version of Parallels Desktop yo can even start Parallel Desktop without GUI, and run it in the background.
As for Parallels Workstation, version 4 is coming, we are working hard to bring it as soon as possible and it will be amazing one, and it the most probably will be free (note, this is my opinion not official)
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That's nonsense! You need to give everyone a free upgrade to both Parallels Desktop 4 and Parallels Workstation. I'll keep saying it until you listen. How can you even mention a version 4 of Workstation when you were promising version 3 over 15 months ago?! It still hasn't arrived and meanwhile we're still stuck on the old unstable Parallels 2.2. Are you just taking people's license fees and developing releases for internal use only? If that's not criminal, it should be!
 
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ryanplusplus said:
John, we don't want to hear about how great Parallels 4.0 is going to be. We want to know why as paying customers we are getting the shaft with Parallels 3.0. We want to know why it is that we are not getting the features promised to us when we purchased Parallels 3.0. I purchased Parallels 3.0 as a pre-order because I trusted the Parallels team to deliver the features listed on their pre-release announcement here:

http://web.archive.org/web/20070705025352/http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/upgrade

Now many of these features are being rolled into Parallels 4.0 and all you can do is tell us how great a deal Parallels 4.0 is. I want the product that I paid for, not another $40 upgrade.
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The thing is - the features were NOT promised. Not that I can find anywhere in the statements. Nonetheless, it is very irresponsible for Parallels to make mention of intended free feature upgrades when the policy suddenly shifts and turns them into a paid upgrade.

M.
 
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movielad said:
The thing is - the features were NOT promised. Not that I can find anywhere in the statements. Nonetheless, it is very irresponsible for Parallels to make mention of intended free feature upgrades when the policy suddenly shifts and turns them into a paid upgrade.

M.
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SMP support was promised by Ben as reported here:

http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2007/1/11/6582

Linux support (support lagging 6-12 months behind is hardly 'support') and Vista Aero (and hence DX9.0 since it is required by Aero) were promised for 3.0 on their upgrade press release shortly before the release of PD3.0 here:

http://web.archive.org/web/20070705025352/http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/upgrade

Sure, Ben could have been talking out his ass and there is *technically* Linux support, but there is no way to argue the Aero/DX9.0 support promised on press release available prior to the release of PD3.0 which was all that what was available when many of us pre-ordered.
 
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John@Parallels said:
Email support is free, and your opinion will be forwarded to management, no problem, you can mention ticket number here, and I will take care personally about that
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You're backpedaling now.

John@Parallels said:
it is not technical question, so you can contact sales
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I want to contact sales, not technical support. I would appreciate an avenue for doing so, preferably by phone. This is the 3rd time I've asked in the last few minutes.
 
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