Int'l retail box users - Why are we stuck with specific builds?

N

Nekura

Bit poster
As indicated in several threads in this forum, the registration key included in international retail boxes can only be used with builds made specifically for the country where the box was sold.

This means several things for people in this situation:

- They do not have access to beta builds (they can use a trial key, but these last only 14 days, and you're not really supposed to renew them ad libitum)

- Once a build has been qualified as GA (General Availability?) by Parallels, they have to wait for a specific build to be produced and made available through the internal update feature of the application. Generally this involve waiting for the related translation to take place, too, and that's not always a fast process. Note that in some countries, localization is not even available, but users are still restricted to dedicated builds.

Nowhere on the Parallels website nor on the boxes themselves is indicated this restriction. The only place where it can be read is in some posts on this forum... which is hidden from the public. And even once on the forum, you have to more or less know what you are looking for to find these posts. Had I known, I would have bought the software through the Parallels online store.

So ok, all of this is 'only' an annoyance. People can just wait a few additional days/weeks/months before getting a newer version. However, not all of us care about translation, and it's a very frustrating experience, infuriated by the fact that nobody at Parallels seems to be able (or willing) to explain the reason of this restriction. Legal issues? Limit the number of people providing feedback for beta versions? Allow local distributors to generate and check their own registration numbers?...

Wouldn't it be possible to let people freely use the US builds if they voluntarily choose to do so, either by directly downloading a build on the web site, and/or by specifying in configuration a different "update track", like the folks at www.omnigroup.com do?

Another question: when v3.0 will be shipped, will we have the option to buy an upgrade license directly on the Parallels online store, or will we be stuck -again!- with less-than-reactive local providers?

Thanks to the Parallels team for any answer or explanations they can provide to these issues. And above all, thanks for this great tool :)
 
what build are you trying to go from & to ? Ive gone from every release without a problem with box edition bought here in London. Ive read that it doesnt like going from 1940 to 3036 in one jump, but I was able to go from 1940 to 1970 then to 3036 without it complaining ?!?
 
Hi Darkone.

I already saw your post in another thread (Parallels Activation Key). It might work with the activation key you have, but not mine. 3036 just does not accept it, whichever transition I try to do between 1942 and 3036. As stated by Parallels people in this forum, retail licences are not supposed to work with these builds, or at least not for all countries...
 
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Oh, damn. I wish I would have read this post earlier.

I bought a license from unimall.de (40 euros for Students) for the English version of Parallels. It turns out that the retailer (Avanquest) sells the UK-English Version. Well and this won't work with 1970-en or the current beta version. I guess I have to get a refund or write a crack. This sucks.
 
There is a UK-English version for 1970, just use the software-update feature inside the application to download it.

But yes, it is annoying that the people from Parallels are so silent about this issue...
 
arnoud said:
But yes, it is annoying that the people from Parallels are so silent about this issue...
Click to expand...

No, you're wrong. They are not silent. From times to times, they will comment in some threads saying "Just wait for the update to show in your 'update' menu".

Well, if at least the latest GA versions were available for ALL users, it would not be that much an issue. But since translating seem to be something too difficult for Avanquest to consider doing it in a timely manner (1970 still not available in my language, 1.5 month after its release in english), and since they do not let your permanent registration key work with other builds (random guess: weirdo business arrangement between Avanquest and Parallels?), I'm stuck with 1940. And I refuse abusing the trial license system to get new licences every 2 weeks, even if it looks pretty easy.

Actually, complaining here will not change anything. Parallels is unlikely to move on this issue, and it's probably more on Avanquest side that things are going wrong.
They do not even really support Parallels software in my country: it only exists in the "purchase" screens of their website, but if you start looking at the support section, oops, no Parallels. And if you directly phone them/email them, they just basically answer the same thing read in their internal FAQ: "Just wait for the update to show in your 'update' menu". Sure. In a few days, err, weeks, maybe months? Great CS...
 
Nekura said:
So ok, all of this is 'only' an annoyance. People can just wait a few additional days/weeks/months before getting a newer version. However, not all of us care about translation, and it's a very frustrating experience, infuriated by the fact that nobody at Parallels seems to be able (or willing) to explain the reason of this restriction. Legal issues? Limit the number of people providing feedback for beta versions? Allow local distributors to generate and check their own registration numbers?...
Click to expand...

I agree. It's not only an annoyance, it's a huge annoyance for no reason -- at least none that customers can understand. I just purchased the German version, not knowing what problems I would have. I will probably return it for this reason.
 
I bought the Italian version and I'm in the same situation.
Let's subscribe a petition to get a universal activation code.

Simone
 
It could have been simpler

Nekura said:
Parallels is unlikely to move on this issue, and it's probably more on Avanquest side that things are going wrong.
Click to expand...

I don't agree. Parallels certainly entered an agreement with Avanquest. They should push them to offer a decent service.

I am also in the same situation except that my company's firewall doesn't seem to allow the connection for Parallels to update so I am stuck with 1940 :mad:

Here's a few suggestion for Parallels/Avanquest:
- Provide a location on either site (both preferably) where users with an international product key can download the latest official builds and beta builds (eg 1970 and 3036)
- Explain on Avanquest site that their users are 3rd class citizen therefore do not deserve access to US centric builds (ok... just blew a fuse... a simple explanation and warning would satisfy me ;) ).
- Get rid of international pid and have one simple activation process and key management
(or get rid of Avanquest)...

I'll be at Macworld and I'm thinking of bringing back the 20 boxes we purchased and ask them for a US replacement! :eek:

End of rant :D
 
yep i am totally piss** with this kind of key management.

I mailed the parallels support and they just said "talk to the store where you bought it"

In 3 days my 3306 trial key expires and I have to reinstall the old version...

That's exactly the frustration you do not want to deal with, when you purchase a software!
 
Talk to the store?? Yeah right... As if they could help it...

Nowhere on the box or in the manual or on any official website I have found this limitation mentioned.

There is no way a potential customer can know that the boxed version is any different from the downloadable version from the Parallels website. (At least for people who live in a country where the boxed version is in English)...

How hard can it be to build a version that accepts both webstore-bought serial numbers and localized ones?
 
yep. feels like being punished for buying this app at a local store. I won't spend another cent on any upgrades for this uhm "service"
 
I am also very annoyed about this.

I have tried ALL channels I have seen available to try and shed further light on this, but I either get very basic, selective answers from support - or so far, ingored by any attempts to take this further up the chain.

Is there anybody at management level who can talk to me about this?
 
JDub said:
I am also very annoyed about this.

I have tried ALL channels I have seen available to try and shed further light on this, but I either get very basic, selective answers from support - or so far, ingored by any attempts to take this further up the chain.

Is there anybody at management level who can talk to me about this?
Click to expand...
Though I understand that this forum is a "technical support" one, I would also have appreciated to read any kind of feedback of the Parallels team on this topic. Even just to say "we do not want / cannot change anything to the existing system"...
 
To add - I have been told a few times now by tech. support that once my trial key expires, I can request a new one so I can use the demo.

Well, I've just had to and guess what? It sends me the old one again - which obviously doesn't work, so that solution is a load of nonsense. I'm now locked out of the beta full stop.

My patience is really wearing thin on this. :(
 
I've been all round the houses with this one too

Similar story. Downloaded the trial version. Very impressed. Bought the boxed CD from Amazon.co.uk and expected that I would be able to use the bought and paid for key to activate what I had installed and running. No such luck. Key not recognized. Installed the CD version, and it crashed my computer, repeatedly. Assumed it was a version clash and tried to turn the clock back by removing all traces of first install, hence lost my VM. Still no luck. Much anguish. Daughter complains "he's going moose again" (reference to the "ooooorrrraaaghhhhoooh" noises of impotent rage at computer not working). Apparently early builds still in the retail channel not compatible with Core 2 Duo iMacs.
I was given the correct response from Parallels regarding the kernel panic issue, but stony silence on the duff key issue. Discovered the answer, namely install old build then use built-in update feature (as mentioned elsewhere, very slow download) before starting a VM, somewhere on these forums. Google found it for me.

I cannot begin to express how much I hate being jerked around like this. My solution would be that we tell Parallels our paid for but crippled keys, which presumably they could verify, and they issue us with a fully functional one.

What do you say Parallels?
 
Try Phoning / Writing Parallels Directly.

I work for a very large software company and can tell you that writing messages in a forum isn't very likely to draw much attention from management.

Writing letters in a support forum doesn't cost the company any money and doesn't expose the issue to management. I recommend calling telephone support or perhaps writing letters directly to management. Each call to technical support has a dollar amount associated with it and each call should be tracked by a support incident number. If Parallels is a reputable company they will in turn roll-up high ranking support incidents and act on them.

Not to mention when telephone support is overwhelmed with telephone calls regarding this issue, each costing them $200 (per call??) perhaps that will make them to act :)
 
Goodbye to Parallels

Well, I think we don't have a right to get the newest beta. We can work with the version we've bought and get some updates in the future. But don't understand me wrong. I'm very annoyed that Parallels doesn't show any effort to solve the problem. Maybe they just want to have a limited number of beta users? I don't know. I really hate software activation and I know from the company I'm working for that it really brings a lot of trouble to everyone: developers, dealers and customers ... But this gets off topic, sorry.

It's really annoying, but I suppose the fastest solution is to buy an additional English / International version, if you really want to use the new features. But I hope the bigger this thread gets the more it will attract Parallels' attention. It think when too many users are getting angry, they will buy VMware in the future (which as far as I know works a little bit more professional even if the first mac os version just has arrived) and this is the only thing which might bring Parallels to solve the problems asap …

Michael
 
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