Ian (Corel)
Aug 3, 06:50 EDT
Yani
Thank you for contacting Corel Customer Support.
Unfortunately your product version is no longer supported. Because the computing environment changes so quickly, it’s very difficult for us to maintain older versions of software as they do occasionally run into some issues when installed on new operating systems.
That being said, I would like to offer you a suggestion to the issue presented.
Corel distributes software in a variety of formats, each of which are licensed for specific uses and have specific transfer requirements. Many software components are limited from redistribution through "Not For Resale" or "Not For Retail Or OEM Distribution" licensing. These components are generally distributed for promotional purposes, and are licensed for demonstration, testing, or evaluation only. They are not complete, retail software packages, and are therefore not eligible for an upgrade.
CorelDRAW x6 is not compatible with Windows 10. I suggest that you upgrade to CorelDRAW X8. If you are interested, I have spoken to our Sales Department to give you a good deal.
This response insults the intelligence!
I've had to reinstall after a disk failure and I'm already "not happy Jan"!
It's a very simple issue with software and the roadblocks of the security system Corel have put in place to (*&^%(^%$ us off.
X6 is installed.
When I loaded SP1 I wasn't expecting the damn Spanish Inquisition about my user details.
SP1 asked for the details, I didn't provide them but it installed anyway.
Then SP4 throw a spack attack...There is a problem
Unfortunately, we were unable to verify your product status, which prevents you from accessing product updates or using online content.
Despite being logged in!
Now I would think this was a question for the forum as it relates to software licensing.
AND IT SURE A (*&^%*# has nothing to do with Windows 10.
What it does have to do with is a litigious attitude of support that is risibly fallacious customer service!
If this isn't simple to resolve then the whole licensing system is screw loose!
Dude you are such a suck up! Don't you have a critical thinking hat for a customer's perspective. Don't give my our attitude!
This has nothing to do with Windows 10! If it was Windows 8.1 the solution would be the same.
You don't use a licensing error to push a client into an upgrade! Especially one that involved a connection to a database at Corel. On that basis Corel could 'damage' the database and tell everyone to upgrade.
What you say to a client in this case is... "Sorry but that is an unusual error. Uninstall the program and reinstall and you should have no issues. I've checked your license and there are no issues with it." I can accept that they have the usual 'who give a' staff working in product support. Clearly 17 versions hasn't improved the attitude of the support staff. They have never been more than 1% as capable as the forum. Yet I don't expect the forum to check on a licensing issue when I've look at my account and can see no issues.
I've had this running on Win 10 since before the official release and never had an issue.
It's a licensing issue that is likely solved by deleting a single file. If it is more than this it is a reinstall. It certainly isn't marketing opportunity!
The message with the error says "For assistance, please contact Corel Support at ###.corel.com//membersupport" so that is exactly what I did. With "we (Corel) were unable to verify your product status"
GAWD your inventing excuses for Corel! So you have no shame!
I own my life choices. I'm giving you a full and honest background on what a customer's status is using myself as an example so we can be clear on why it isn't appropriate to focus marketing from a companies viewpoint and not the customers viewpoint and do that when a support request is made.
The first thing any good marketing person does when reviewing copy from a customer is take the "we provide xxx" out and replace it with "you will benefit from xxx".
Look at what has been said in detail...
Where in this is my concern about a licensing issue addressed? That is why I'm contacting support and what the error message said to do.
Now I'm not entitled to an upgrade. What I've not bought enough copies of this as a user that goes back to 1.0? Am I going to be forced to reinstall the last version before being in a beta team? Do I even still have that? Slap me over the face with a dead fish why don't ya!
What not compatible on Windows 10? Hey I've been using it on Windows 10 since before Windows 10 was released to the public. I've been using it on Win 7, 8, 8.1, 10 Beta and 10. My issue has nothing to do with the version of Windows, my issue is with a licensing system error.
So when the solution was likely well known and involved deleting a license file that was upset and at worst doing what I did, to uninstall and reinstall, Corel's response is a forced upgrade base on a damn lie that me the customer know is a damn lie as I've been using X6 on every version of Windows since 7.
The customers, all of which have complex lives, as demonstrated by my example, hit a licensing issue that clearly says contact support, and get BS about a version being "not compatible" with a Microsoft operating system that is designed from the outset to be compatible with just about everything going back to a DOS application. You likely have to go back to versions that were earlier than Win XP to have a compatibility issue.
Risibly fallacious and pretty much inexcusable is what I call it!
Were I the product manage I'd want to know immediately how many people with a basic licensing issue fixed by a reinstall have receive this form of "support"? Your claim that this is acceptable because 'Corel needs the money' fails any understanding of the complexity of the relationship between the customer and the organisation. As it is me, and one could well say I'm a specialist in uninstalling and reinstalling X6 it's merely stupid and a lie. To someone else it would rightly be consider blackmail to update.
I've been outspoken in here telling people to update to a newer version when a feature in a previous version was broken and there was no further services pack on issue. I'm not anti-updates. What we are talking about here is not respecting the complex lives of the customers and lying to them in the interest of making a sale. Corel is not the center of our universe as customers, we the customers are the center of Corel's universe. This form of support is as dodgy as a used car dealer's warranty! And I'm saying this as a friend to Corel. It's just another nail in the coffin if you are in an organisation where people crap on about "Adobe is the industry standard".
If you can't tell yet I'm shocked that support would try this out on me. Of all the customers in the universe some fool thinks I'm the one to try it on. And on the only time ever that I've contacted support and because the software told me to. There would be 40 of us that should be flagged as "never try it on as they will tell the boss publicly in the forum".
If Corel supports people who want special treatment, I.E. supporting unsupported operating systems they will lose money and not be able to support as well as they should, current users and new development. I'm a much larger Corel customer then you and I look to the future, oh I forgot you don't buy CorelDRAW.
Apple and Adobe have successfully used techniques like this for years I suggest Corel adopt more of them. For Corel to cater to those who do not continue to support the software going forward is just bad business.