Service Announcement for Users of Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac

Must be related to geographical localization and VAT.

For comparison, in my location PDM 9 costs €79.99 for full, €49.99 for upgrade and €99.99 for 2 full licenses (pack). So, for me, 12 months of Crossover costs more than an PDM upgrade which is supported for 2 years from now.

 

Reality? At least in our world... I am getting a new Mac book pro. It is on it's way. What Parallels is doing is causing us to try other programs. I will try Oracle VM VirtualBox next on my new macbook pro. It is free and looks like it is actively being developed with new free updates? This could end up being very competitive for you? Especially when you add so many new users who will allow input from our usage to improve the program! I bet they are glad you are driving people to them! Am I wrong on that? Why would parallels alienate so many of it's users in the way you have? For a temporary boost in revenue? Most are updating free as they should. Or at least for a reasonable fee! Not well over half of the cost of the program! I (and my church) have paid for 6 licenses and now we have to pay another $300? We are also about to buy 2 more Pro machines for our video ministry. If virtual box works we will use it on the machines that need it. I would be buying a full install of 9 for my new machine but I am so mad I will not do it and will most likely end up paying more to someone else because of feeling like we are being taken advantage of and will be again in the future. I only need it for the version of Photoshop I have on my Imac and thanks to you guys, I am now looking into alternatives like Photoshop for Mac or maybe Gimpshop which is free. A $100 bill and I don't need Parallels any more. Some of our machines have to have a VM, at least for now. I am not alone. The money is only a part of the issue! That is what is going on in our world.

 

Wow, thanks for recommending Virtualbox as an alternative to Parallels! I didn't even know this application existed. Like most of the others here, I refuse to pay for these outrageous upgrade prices (I've been a user since ver. 3). I mainly use the Windows VM while I'm traveling with my Mac - so it's not required extensively. There's no way I could justify this steep upgrade price. So I downloaded VB from Oracle's website, installed, and configured it (be sure to also include "Guest Additions") - in less than an hour. The main feature that doesn't exist here is drag and drop between the Mac and Windows. But I solved that by creating a shared folder on my Mac and auto-mounting it in Windows (detailed instructions are included when you download VM). VirtualBox is highly recommended!

 

What VirtualBox REALLY doesn't do as well as Parallels is 3D acceleration, more than anything else, that's where it excels any other.

 

I registered with this forum especially to post this.

As a Parallels 7 user I'd just like to announce that because of the decision to not give a discount for users of PD7 to upgrade to the last version of PD8 (not PD9) as 'we don't stock it anymore' (it seems that Parallels have deleted all of their PD8 software) that I'm just about to revert back to the free and open source VirtualBox which is what I used to use before Parallels came along.

I have previously recommended Parallels to friends and colleagues but this will not happen in the future. You have lost a long standing customer over a bad business decision surrounding Mavericks.

Here's a business tip: For a business which only sells software, if you lose sight of what your customers need (cheap update to PD8 which supports Mavericks if they elect to not update to PD9 and take part in your annual subscription pricing model) then you lose that customer.

Another business tip: A happy customer tells 2-3 people about their experience. An unhappy customer tells 8-10 people (some up to 20) about their experience (some will review your latest software on Amazon and other sites telling them how they feel unfairly treated and reach hundreds or thousands of potential customers). But here's a startling statistic: an UNHAPPY customer will again become a loyal customer if you fix their complaint, 80% of them will come back if they're treated fairly and 90% will come back if you sort it out quickly, and will continue to tell their friends about how well your company treated them.

 

I am running Parallels 7 with Win 7 & XP VM's. Yesterday morning I upgraded to the new Mavericks OS. Then received the email with "URGENT NOTICE" to upgrade to Parallels 9 prior to Mavericks upgrade as the Parallels 7 will "will not start your VM". Too late, already loaded Mavericks. However, I am still running Win 7 with Parallels 7 just fine with no know problems or issues. Is this just an accident, and I will soon lose this capability? Do I need to uninstall the Mavericks before upgrading Parallels? Will Win 7 & XP still run under Parallels 9?

 

I must say that I'm a relatively new Mac and Parallels user. I had heard great things about the product prior to purchasing it and can say that it lives up to my needs.
This discussion made me look at the tech guarantee page that was displayed on this link: http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?290069-The-Parallels-Desktop-for-Mac-Tech-Guarantee-2013
I noticed bullet #5 regarding upgrade protection and wonder if this is something that is still offered? subsequent searches led to this link: http://kb.parallels.com/en/111619 ($15/upgrade protection)
I didn't get an opportunity to purchase this and I think I would have if I could have.
Is this something that is still available to purchase?
Thank you!

 

Other software companies can make business while keeping their customers up-to-date with the software they bought.

Adobe? Said you can get fine with Mavericks and Photoshop CS6 (from 2012). And CS5 (2010). And CS4 (2008). And CS3 (2007). Microsoft? Still have extended support to Windows XP, launched in 2001. And supports all of their major products for at least 5 years. And launches free service packs for them.

So even if comparing with Apple is unfair because they have a different business model, there are other companies with software-only business models that can offer better experience to customers than Parallels.

 

I totally agree with you, this new policy make me angry to buy new features I don't really need. As you mentioned, if they don't strive to make it true, there is always some of other resolution.

 

I agree with you too, in that case, I would prefer to pay more money to buy much faster Mac to support the perhaps slower but free VirtueBox, because the business mode of Parallels is totally unacceptable, I will also be seriously considering your idea that don't buy the Parallels any more, because in the future, the same situation will also possibly happen again if Apple announce the Mavericks 2, 3... I don't think I want to suffer from this again.

 

I'm another very disappointed customer thinking of jumping ship.

I don't actually object to Parallels 7 being incompatible with Mavericks - there may well be a very good reason for it. What I do object to is that on the day that Mavericks was released - the day that we were forced to make a decision - there was no upgrade discount. The fact that there was a discount weeks ago isn't relevant as none of us could be sure we would even want Mavericks at that time.

I've looked at the features of both 8 and 9 and neither upgrade has made me think it was worth spending £34.99 (the upgrade price in the UK). It's up to Parallels to provide features that we think are worth the upgrade price, or to set the upgrade price to something that tempts us into upgrading. But what's happened here is that we've been told we HAVE to upgrade for continued support of the latest OS regardless of new features.

I like the claim that it's ok to not provide support for a product 'three versions back'. It does make us sound like people clinging on to Internet Explorer 6 or Windows XP and demand it work with the latest technology. Parallels 7 is only just TWO YEARS OLD (October 2011) and was only superseded a year ago.

Parallels should have provided an upgrade discount both before and immediately after the release of Mavericks. The fact that they haven't comes across as the company exploiting the fact that we now have to decide. I know Parallels are a business but treating your customers in this way isn't very good for business as many people have already said.

 

Gee, I am amazed by all this whining.
I surely was a little irritated myself realizing ver 7 wouldn't work under mavericks. However I find this endless complaining and threatening even more irritating. Enough with this sense of entitlement. Developing software costs money. Parallels 7 is 2 versions old and it is understandable Parallels don't want to further maintain it. Move on!

 

I was just curious this morning and checked back to see what was happening on here... I am moving on. The Code weaver License is for all of my machines. That makes it a lot cheaper than Parallels 9. We will only need 5 licenses from them verses 9 (Every year or two) from Parallels. The damage is being done. I am leaving feedback on amazon as others are as well. That's where I bought every one we have. You may or may not be a Parallels employee but you obviously did not spend a boat load of money on 6 licenses and now need 3 more? 3 of the nine are for my use and there are cheaper alternatives with single user like Code Weaver Crossover but I wanted to see what Parallels really thinks of the customer before I change everything over for good. No satisfaction to have here though. You sound like you have no problem with money! How about paying for all our new "upgrades"? You obviously don't want to be part of the solution. Makes me wonder who you are working for? Why would you even be reading this thread? Curtmantle- You are exactly right! I was about a minute away from pulling the trigger on Mavericks and decide to double check on Parallels for compatibility myself. I had not seen an email... That was a pretty good oops for Parallels.

 

Not sure if by "you" you refer to me, if that's the case, 3 observations:

1 - All I said were just facts, I didn't express any opinion, I didn't say what you should or should not do, I didn't show any sort of emotion, angst or bitterness, I just analyzed the facts, provided the data and the numbers so people can make informed decisions. Specifically concerning Crossover, I stated the pros and cons that people might not be aware, I even referred the Wine project, which is free, forever, from which Crossover is based off, Crossover just wraps Wine in a nice looking packaged more user-friendly.

2 - If you are, by any chance, questioning my motives, my motivation is that people should be well informed, and what I read here had some misinformation that I tried to address.

3 - Finally, from my signature, present in every post I make:

[NOTE] I'm a Product Expert, that doesn't mean I'm affiliated with or work for Parallels.

 

In fairness I did get an email about this prior to the release. It was exactly the same as in the OP of this thread. I wouldn't mind but it's a very stern warning isn't it? No apology or anything... just a threat that if you don't upgrade you're out of luck and on your own.

When I bought my Mac in late 2011, one of the main reasons I chose Parallels over VMWare was that VMWare had recently dumped on their customers by not providing an upgrade discount at all for a new version and then failed to respond to feedback. I guess this has matched that. I hate it when companies treat their customers with contempt. But I suspect those of us still using Parallels 7 aren't top of the list of people to please because we aren't playing the game and upgrading each year so I don't expect a positive response from them.

Fortunately there's a substantial new kid on the block backed by a huge organisation... and free too. I will be giving that a try. As a customer I'm entitled to give my reasons for removing my custom... surely Parallels want such feedback no? They or others may see it as whining but... like I care?

 

I think he was responding to BorisM.

 

Ok, sorry if that's the case.

 

I AM SORRY SPECIMEN... NO I WAS NOT TALKING TO YOU... I WAS TALKING TO BorisM. Telling everyone to stop talking is not what this is for. I think it is a place for opinions to be expressed.

I totally understand your position. I am glad you are conversing with us. I have not doubted what you have said.
Thanks.

 

Specimen, can you comment on whether actual Parallels employees are monitoring this thread and/or getting feedback from you as to the discussion going on here? I'll just state that I think it would go a very long way for an official Parallels employee to post here with something positive. I really think they dropped the ball on this one. As stated previously, I think all that would have been needed was a gesture of goodwill and an offer to upgrade at a discounted rate. Sure, there would have been some people that still wouldn't be satisfied, but as it currently stands the company has done absolutely nothing to even attempt to meet us part of the way. I really think this is a dumb mistake on their part and will cost them more customers than they've anticipated.

Consider this from a different angle: There are a good number of Parallels 7 customers (like me) who never bothered to upgrade to Parallels 8, and were in no special hurry to upgrade to Parallels 9. We're using Parallels for Windows 7, and probably don't use Windows all that often. But we do need to use Windows for some specific task on occasion. OTOH, we *do* use the Mac OS side a lot, so no surprise that we're anxious to upgrade to Mavericks. But now, upgrading to Mavericks "breaks" our ability to use that one or two Windows 7 programs that we need to use on occasion. Because we're not "power Windows 7 users" paying $50 to upgrade Parallels seems steep, so we're looking at alternatives. Some of us might begrudgingly upgrade to Parallels 9, while others will switch to VirtualBox or whatever. Now the Parallels team has to do the math and guesstimate whether it makes sense to offer a special upgrade to keep a good number of those latter users, or if they think they'll lose more money by doing so because other people who would have paid the $50 "full price" of the upgrade would now be giving them less money. Note that the math is a bit more complicated because some number of disgruntled customers will also go out of their way to post negative reviews on Amazon, speak negatively about Parallels to friends, colleagues, etc.

 

You can see replies from Parallels employees as recent as page 3 of this thread.