Why did the Forum hyperlink disappear?

can we get a consensus for an outside forum in case this one goes away? xlr8yourmac.com or macfixit.com

suggestions on where to go just in case?

 

Just creating more forum "categories" may help:
- printers (w/ a sticky saying: printers are not supported, so post here the printer you'd like for us to test, and we'll consider it as we do our testing)
- imaging devices (similar sticky)
- PDAs / phones (similar sticky)
(you get my drift here....)

I think that creating outlets to channel the wide-ranging posts yet setting expectations everywhere appropriately will help.

I also believe they may have sufficient support from the beta test community to want to limit our collective input -- their right; my $40 doesn't entitle me to personal support.

 

The forum is about more than direct support from Parallels. It is about communication between users. I do find the decision to remove the link very, very strange.

I think what we are seeing is complete and total overload on the guys at Parallels. They went from a little known product to 100,000+ beta testers. That can produce a LOT of communication and they are probably simply unable to manage it.

Product is great so far though....

 

onmac.net has a forum thread for parallels...

http://forum.onmac.net/forumdisplay.php?f=31

This is also a good source for other options re. windows & the new Intel-macs.

 

product's great, but removing the support forum is not a good idea at all

now i haven't bought it yet, but was going to either today or tomorrow since i got my wireless working finally after a tweak jeff posted and i tweaked it a little bit (same idea though)

now if parallels remove's their support forum where it's been so helpful understanding the software and all the support other users give, i don't know what else they might stop doing. i may have to rethink buying it, and hope that apple does come out with a free solution for virtualization (dunno if they ever will)

just wonderin....i know ppl are going to yell at me for that, but i'm just sharing my thoughts

 

Others have said it earlier, but I clearly think Parallels need to reorganize the Mac section of the forums into more fine-grained topics, and then re-institute the link from the main site. No matter how you make the forums open 'only to the users' there will always be clueless ones.

Meanwhile, maybe you guys need some volunteers to help running the forums.

 

I think I can relate with PW reason on hiding the forum, as it took me to browser history to log into the forum. but in all honesty, If you want to remove access, think about the people that have paid as I did, and a complimentry email would be in order. I too believe that things get to cluttered with people going off on tangents. Stick to the point, and if you wanna yap to someone about a post, use the Private messaging.

 

I only "found" the forums on a whim...by going back via my history. I always just used the dropdown on the main page. I thought they were gone...

the onmac.net forums look to be a good "backup"...thanks for the link.

 

I think forums are an important part of the relationship between a software vendor and their customers. The best forums have active members outside of the company itself that can help newbies with basic questions, point them at FAQs, etc.

I also agree that creating sub-forums, like "Getting Started", "Bug Reports", etc. would likely be helpful.

Please don't created a walled garden around this forum - it sends the wrong signal, and other than this item, I have enormous respect for what you guys have accomplished. You've got great buzz, great execution and a great product - I'd hate to see you limit your 'good mo' with something so easy to change... Don't walk away from a vital way of communicating with your prospects and customers.

Just my $0.02 - I wish you guys every success - you deserve it.

 

I agree with the others who have said that removing the link to the forums is a really, really bad idea. Customers (current or future) expect to see this support and communication option. Not having makes it look like you're hiding something. Intentionally hiding it makes it look worse.

Obviously someone at Parallels has the misguided notion that a lot of questions on a forum would jeapordize sales. Completely incorrect thinking. As others have pointed out, creating a visible community can only help your sales.

cypher
-licensed user-

 

I have to agree with everyone that it was not a good idea to remove the forum. I don't see how this will provide better support. Limiting who can post to a forum is not the way to provide better support, it more effective if you allow people to discuss their ideas and take all of the input and evaluate it.

Also, you should have sent an email to the current forum members so they were not caught unaware when looking for the forum link. Doing this so abruptly makes people think the company or product is not stable or real and I for one really like it and want it because it fills a need.

Please try to provide better support by keeping in touch with valuable customers and those who provide input in this beta process.

(I am not being critical, just expressing some thoughts, I think the improvements in the product and the responsiveness to requests and bugs has been great!

 

I think removing the link is at best inconvenient

I've pre-orded PW and found it pretty confusing to see the forums dissapear from the homepage. I assumed they were no longer in existence until by chance I tried one of the pages in my history. I think you'll be hurting valid customers by removing the link. The problem of signal to noise posts would be better solved with either more categories or requiring a serial # to post.

Look forward to seeing that link return to the homepage.

Dale

 

How can I give my employees Macs to run Win on Parallels if I cannot count on Parallel to properly support the product? Likie everyone else I hope they succeed. I paid for the product.

But all of the people attacking me are basically saying that they are emotionally invested in the company and so take any questioning of the company as a personal attack.

However, the people at Parallels should know that the vast majority of the public is not as emotionally tied to Parallels as are their beta testers, and especially the people on these forums. The public's reactions will be very different from what you see here. They want open adn visible forums so they can make an informed decision.

I don't care if the bandwidth charges on the forum are too high (or whatever concern caused you to make this horrible decision)- raise the price of the product but give us something that we can rey on to conduct our business activities. Beta testers do not make their living with a product. The real world does. You have to market to them and not think that beta testers represent anything but the technological first adopters who will make allowances that the public will not.

Am I being a little shrill? Yes, because I want them to stop being programmers and start seeing what it takes to make a conmpany that is more than a niche player.

 

No, actually we are amazed that a rational human can suppose from a link removal that suddenly the Russian mob is out to fool us, and even question whether or not they have a working product.

THAT'S what we are amazed about. The emotional instability some of the people seem to possess. Threatening to "take it to every mac forum out there". "They must be a front for Russian gangsters", etc, etc. Did you even read what you wrote?

If I were Parallels, you'd be the last guy I'd ever want as a customer. The first time ANY tiny thing goes wrong, you have a nuclear meltdown.

Nice.

PS. You never did tell us what this award winning software you wrote was. Or how you are a qualified expert on taking a company to the next level. And you call the guys at Parallels liars.

 

these posts should be searchable

I tried to put "ubuntu" into that SEARCH field at the top of the page, and guess what, it found nothing. Apparently, it does not search this forum.

If it did, there wouldn't be so much repeated posts., like the one I did concerning ubuntu.


p.s. I agree, not a good idea to 'hide' this forum, if only from a PR point of view.

 

I Suggest that every obnixious behavior that this forum member accused me of doing is exhibited in his post. With 105 posts in this forum he is clearly emotionally invested in this company.

Again I ask if this is a serious product for business use then the level of discussion must go beyond name calling. I did not say that this was a Russian Mob operation, I just pointed out that they were playing into that perception that had already been posted elsewhere.

I suggest that you look where the emotinal instability may lie and stop with this invective.

Parallels made a huge mistake, and you are making look worse by acting as if anyone who does not agree with your Parallels company line should be banned from the forum. And this comes after Parallels made the forum less accessible because they felt that there were extranious comments that detracted from what they saw as the proper use of the forum. Your comments just add to the perception that there was an attempt to limit discussion. You are not doing Parallels any favors. You are hurting them.

 

You can't really be this stupid. I like the product. I am using it. If it was produced by a bunch of elves living in a tree fort in Nebraska I'd still like it and use it. I speak for myself, and myself only. My opinions are my own. But, noooo, clearly I am "emotionally invested". But you aren't - because accusations of shady behavior and of betraying the customers never comes from emotions, does it?

That's a lie... you specifically said maybe there was truth to it. This is exactly what you said, I copied it from page 1 of this thread:

I wonder if all of the posts on other forums about Parallels being a front for Russian scammers is correct.

Please do tell me what that means if not that you are seriously considering these guys to be frauds. Go ahead. Maybe English isn't your first language so you don't understand what you wrote. If that's the case, maybe you shouldn't write things you don't clearly understand the implications of.

Oh no, they removed a hyperlink, they are doomed!

I never said anyone should be banned. You did. I said you should pull yourself together and calm down. I did say that if I were Parallels I wouldn't want you as a customer, but that's not the same as saying they should ban you. They should do whatever makes them happy.

I don't have a company line. I say what I think. You don't like it, tough. But it is my opinion. And it has my real name all over it. That's more than I can say for your hogwash.

I tell you that you are off your rocker and you equate that to an organized attempt to limit discussion?! You really are a nut case.

Maybe in your eyes. May I remind you that I don't speak for anyone else, and I'm not trying to do anyone favors? No, I actually seriously think you are a little cuckoo. I think you are overreacting and making accusations that are counterproductive and make you look stupid. If you equate that to me in any way speaking for anyone besides myself, you aren't too bright.

By the way, you still haven't named your award winning software. You publicly called the guys at Parallels liars (yet you say you aren't emotional). I'm returning the favor and calling you one. And I'm doing it with my real name attached. What's your real name again?

It's mind boggling. ONE link is removed, which may very well not be a great idea, and you start accusing people of shady activity and bad marketing.

You keep saying you have taken companies to the next level and written award winning software - if that's true (which it isn't, in case anyone cares) then surely you must know that right now these guys are buried in feedback and are trying to deal with it AND get their programming done so they can ship a product.

And you also know that many companies don't even have forums or allow so many people to participate in the beta to begin with. This forum and the clear impact the users have had on changes or improvement to the product is a bonus. Is removing a public link to the forum really an act of treason? Seriously?

It just so happens that I agree with you that they should leave the forum public. I think your train jumped the track when you starting suggesting maybe they are frauds and that they are doomed because of bad marketing. Can you see the difference at all? Hello, McFly?!

 

Come on guys, stand down, or take it elsewhere. This is getting obnoxious. Sorry to be the civility police, but that's one thing I like about this forum (you can tell I'm not a big Fox News fan).

We ALL agree that this move by Parallels is troubling, and, at the least, counterproductive. Let's hope they provide some clarity/reassurance soon.

Veggiedude, you need to use the Search menu item lower down (next to New Posts) if you want to search the forums.

 

It took me a day to figure out that the forum still existed. Perhaps they are trying to get us to sign up for paid support, but I agree that this is an unfortunate move by them. To this point, they have been doing everything right! Also concerned about the expiring key thing. Oh well, I guess there is nothing to do but chill.

 

I think they have set the price of this software too low. Should be a $99 package IMHO. That would allow more support options and still be a fair price.