desiro5 wrote:conbuilder is a great program, no doubt.
but the way it has been sold, customers have been treated and the overall organistation has been absoloutley disgusting. pathetic.
i've lost my money to them and have just generally been scammed. it really is pathetic.
Hi Ali,
Because I posted on the TS.com forums on this subject I got a rather curt pm from a moderator telling me to back off because Joe had a family emergency. In reply I pointed out that it was generally acknowledged "over here" that that was the case but that as Joe was taking folks money for this programme he had a duty to communicate any hick-ups in support to his customers. The mod contacted Charles Stagg (who runs the conbuilder forum) who also pm'd me with an equally curt question about what the problem I'd highighted was. As this problem was not discovered by me personally (but during development work on MEP) I replied that he'd have to wait until the work on the route was completed and suggested that Joe needed to look at his security and support arrangements. Many suggestions have been made that would allow a better solution than the current USERCHK programme.
Sadly Charles response said that he thought he knew what the problem was and stated that it had not been fixed despite being looked at. He then went into great detail as to how an unnamed UK user had requested a new activation code for a hard disc change but that the (rather intrusive?) USERCHK program suggested that the programme was on a different computer. Charles, Joe, that MAY indicate pirating ...it may not? BUT .....WHATS THAT GOT TO DO WITH YOUR OTHER CUSTOMERS? Sorry to shout but you don't seem to be listening?
I can't comment on this other than to say that he didn't get a new activation code apparently. More to the point from our (the community as a whole) point of view is that instead of acknowledging that they could or should review their licencing/security policy and method he then went on to list all the benefits of Joe's involvement with Conbuilder and ask where the MSTS community would be without it?
Well as I'd also pointed out to Charles in my original reply "Without the freeware community and the decent payware providers (there have been a few that weren't!) his utility would be about as much use as breasts to a chicken. Maybe he should ponder that for a while."
MSTS has despite it's age a good selection of decent Payware in the form of Routes, Stock packs and utilities and tutorial books (well book if you bought the old Abacus guide to writing activities) and they all prosper because they have been professional and commited to supporting their customers. Those who spend just as much time providing stuff for the community for free have, in my experience with MEP, been equally happy to support and help with use or modification of their efforts.
The overall ethos is one of Friendly support and Goodwill.
Whilst a provider seems so obssessed with securing HIS rights and slow in supporting yours, you really have a personal choice as to whether to support that provider. Sadly, as with ALL consumer issues, it's only when a good few folk have had their fingers burnt that these issues come to light. It really makes you appreciate the efforts of Mike and Tony (and many others too) without who's efforts we really would be struggling with MSTS.
It's not too late for Joe and Charles to turn this around. The ball is in their court. Only they can make a difference but they need to step back and look afresh at where they are coming from?
Geoff
PS as the thread is locked and disappearing down the pages at TS.com here's the link if you want to read it..
http://forums.flightsim.com/vbts/showth ... p?t=286313
Sad that issues of lack of support are seen as "Another useless thread and some folks that seem to want to maybe start something"! Have you forgotten Surfliner?
