Over the last few days I

Were they accusing you, or were you just being paranoid? After all, if the problem DOES arise if someone uses a pirated copy, why wouldn't they say so? And why shouldn't YOU, the customer, have to provide the proof you are a customer. Do you honestly expect a developer to go rummaging through hundreds, thousands of bits of paper or computer just to verify you are a customer, when it's your job to prove you are if you have a problem which, coincidentally, is often found in pirated copies? Seems to me to be a very astute question to ask of a customer - "Sorry, we don't seem to have you on our records" is preferable to: "Fer chrissakes give us your customer order number you stupid geek if you want us to help you" - because there are one or two developers who WILL be that unsubtle! Allcott

>Were they accusing you, or were you just being paranoid? >>After all, if the problem DOES arise if someone uses a pirated>copy, why wouldn't they say so? And why shouldn't YOU, the>customer, have to provide the proof you are a customer. >Do you honestly expect a developer to go rummaging through>hundreds, thousands of bits of paper or computer just to>verify you are a customer, when it's your job to prove>you are if you have a problem which, coincidentally, is often>found in pirated copies? >>Seems to me to be a very astute question to ask of a customer>- "Sorry, we don't seem to have you on our records" is>preferable to: "Fer chrissakes give us your customer order>number you stupid geek if you want us to help you" - because>there are one or two developers who WILL be that unsubtle!>> >AllcottAllcottI don't mind sending proof that I own my software, and no I am NOT paranoid. Why would I post in the forum if I was? I was asking a question but as always, there is one who has to respond negatively. I wanted to know if others were having the same issues.I own all of my software. It just gets frustrating every time you send out a help request and you get the old, it shouldn't do that response and are you using a legal copy. That is what it has come down too these days. I guess you never have issues from your response. I guess you

I think Allcott has the right idea, although I think developers should learn more tact. Versus saying "if you're using an illegal copy" better to say "if there is a problem with the registration", etc...Developers using words like illegal, pirated, etc.. in communication with customers on a support issue immediately put the situation into a negative tone. On the other hand, when a customer enters the forum and posts the issue, we don't know the tone of the customer's end of communications with the developer. Your tone could have been polite, or you could have approached the developer with "this blankity software doesn't work, fix it." I don't know, but it's good to mention that if you did set a positive tone from the start, you deserve one in return. -John

The way I see it, they don't get that much for the effort put in the development of the product so they resent having to spend time "servicing" the add-on. Think about it, although I'm sure their overhead is almost minimal the hours spent in the development of the add-on is not. They say to themselves why should I spend my time handholding this guy with the amount I made or am going to make on this add-on.

Okay, that makes no sense. If an add-on doesn't work on certain individuals computers, then they should offer to help as much as possible or refund the order. By your logic, it seems okay for bugs to be in a product and developers to swindle users out of money. All they have to say is "Not my fault it won't work for you". That's pure BS and you know it. There's a reason certain companies get my business and are looked at as top-notch developers in the sim community. I won't name companies who take a beating for their buggy software, but most know who they are, and by not addressing those issues, they're screwing themselves out of sales.I'm in the same boat as Dan right now and having the same exact problem. I can tell you the company is considered a top-notch developer and I've always been happy with their support and products. I've been in contact with one developer on the team and he's awaiting a time for me to give the green light on a remote assistance session to try and troubleshoot this problem. I need a microphone however and haven't had the ability to go buy one. I was injured riding a dirtbike and I'm a little busted up at the moment.What I can tell you is that I have never tried, installed, or thought about putting pirated software on my system, FS or not. I have proof of my FSUIPC, PMDG, Level-D, Flight One ATR, Ultimate Traffic, Piper Meridian, Active SKy Ve, and every other bit of code on this computer is registered and paid in my name.This computer was built by me (one of about 20 in the last 10 years) back in December/January. I have only a handful of non-FS programs on here at this time, mostly ultilies for Windows. My computer has never given me problems with FS or any other program. My add ons for the sim have always worked very well, and this CTD issue is a first for me since FS9 was updated.

You wouldn't believe how many people use pirated software and then complain about not getting support from the manufacturer.Some even go as far as to produce fake sales receipts and flame the manufacturer on open forums for their lack of support.If the problem is unknown except with pirated versions, cannot be reproduced with legal versions, and especially if the customer starts threatening and shouting (not saying you did, but that too happens a lot), I can fully understand that they're not very forthcoming.

I understand how people are. Of course people don't like to pay for stuff, and it's unfortunate, especially when we're talking 30 to 50 dollars. I see how many people on the net use Photoshop, and I can only imagine how many of those are pirated as the cost is so high.I just know my stuff is legit, and I pride myself in the fact that I pay for things.Perhaps tomorrow I can e-mail the developer who wanted to connect to me and I can at least prove to him that it will not work, despite having all legit software on my system. The previous two releases worked fine.

Seems to me the polite thing to do in ALL circumstances is to attach a copy of your original order in the email when asking for anything from the developer or publisher. And make note of it in the email. I cannot understand what is so difficult about that.That way there are no questions and everybody is on the same track.Live by the golden rule and your life will go much smoother.RegardsDennis Waggoner

I don't post order details in open forums, but always say that copies of my registration information is available if they need it. I will normally put the date that the order was placed, as that isn't really confidential information but can help someone narrow down a specific order much more quickly than just a name. Remember that on a forum, your "real" name that you placed the order in may not be spelt the same or immediately obvious.In e-mails to developers, I always put as much order information as I can. How different is it, in reality, to taking something back to a shop and saying "it doesn't work" - the first thing they ask is "can I see the receipt, please?"In the end it is always worth helping the developer as much as possible when asking for their help. It makes things easier on both ends. :-)Cheers,Ian P.