RichardKAthena said:
It's not comedy. I'm not laughing. Neither is anyone else experiencing issues with Parallels' (lack of) support. Yes, I've PMd people, and emailed/called Avanquest.
No offence, but £%! being patient. These people that you seek to patronise here are Paying Customers.
I'm not patronizing the people here. I'm having a conversation with you and you are a miserable conversationalist, I assure you. Or are you, after just 19 posts presenting yourself now as being of the common man and that these hapless waifs you stand before and defend bleed when you bleed? Believe me when I tell you, nothing you are contributing is new stuff. There is nothing patronizing about my saying that, or that the line for seeking a remedy is long. Now I agree completely with you that this is an unacceptable situation. Join me as we shout it "UNACCEPTABLE". Right, feeling better? Good, but it hasn't helped anyone, has it? And working to drive Parallels out of business is not going to help anyone, either.
Now about that lack of patience problem of yours. Are you, by being a very squeaky wheel, trying to crowd ahead of everyone else so that you are not so inconvenienced? What is your goal here? Bluster yourself to the head of the line? You've admitted you don't believe in the "we're all in this together" view. As I recall you didn't even buy your own copy of Parallels and if that's so you don't even have skin in the game.
Without them, SWSoft/Parallels has no revenue stream. If I were the only person having problems, I'd see it is being an isolated issue, and it isn't.
That is well known and oft repeated. It is not isolated. It is commonly discussed here. Saying it again doesn't make it better, doesn't help. In fact nothing much you've contributed has been particularly helpful. Perhaps a commiseration forum would appropriate where folks can lament in alike company. I expect though that you would be quite lonely there as the bulk of users here are seeking help, getting help, and in turn helping others. There is a grass roots movement here that is not a group of victims but a group solution. There is becoming a sense of community here that is succeeding in spite of the shortcomings of our hosts. And finally, your problem is not the norm. Not even close.
SWSoft/Parallels are not some hopeless charity case or a team of shareware hackers. They're writing enterprise-class solutions commercially with a real enterprise market (VM technology being increasingly important overall) and if they get it right, they could be the major players in the field. The Mac Desktop people are a thorn in their side, no doubt.
For the longest time Parallels was the only game in town. Now that's changed. If they do not also change they will be known as the company that used to provide emulation software for Macs until VMWare whipped their butts. It will be the weight of competition and the withering of the customer base seeking a better product that will do them in. Econ 101. And guess what; you and I, and everyone else here including Parallels and SWSoft know that. And if anyone else reading this didn't know it they know it now. That drumb has been beat.
That it has not already happened should tell you that your problems, while completely unacceptable, are not all that pervasive in the scope of the entire user base. Parallels has had some good successes beyond being first to market. They are becoming better right here under our noses and while it seems at times that there are a lot of retreats, the progress is overall forward. The staff who visit these forums are polite and helpful despite the fact they have to put up with a lot of crap better aimed at the management.
Meanwhile, some of us are trying to help Parallels improve by making positive contributions and criticizing them from a position of loyal opposition. They have been beat silly over the idiocy of the marketing, beta, pre-sales, support problems and they are utterly aware of the situation. That is not a blind loyalty, I assure you. We all have something to gain by seeing Parallels turn these problems around and provide a good product with a good reputation and a world class support system. And the clock is indeed winding down.
Now as for that part about Mac Desktop users being a thorn to SWSoft. Surely you and your lawyer can provide evidence that supports your assertion that SWSoft has a contemptuous view of Parallels' customer base. Personally I think you just made that up from whole cloth. If so that would make it a what? Think legal, here, no peeking.
