One week agho i hijacked this thread and asked a question about the upgrade policy for the upcoming v5 of DVDfab. A moderator asked me not to do so (at least in this thread, thats why i start this on now) and asking the company or the author instead.

Less surprisingly and in compliance with earlier experiences i did not receive any reply.

The author states on the website that you will receive free lifetime upgrades (what is not the truth) and free lifetime e-mail suport (what is also not the truth). Especially the first point might be of interrest for everyone who considers to buy a product.

Maybe the author have pity with us (me) and answeres the question in this thread?

Frankly speaking, i would be surprised.

The author is going to provide FREE Lifetime upgrades for all purchases before May 8, 2008.

As we promised, all customers who buy DVDFab Platinum before May 8, 2008, will get lifetime free upgrade.

Old DVDFab Platinum contains "DVD to Mobile" feature, so we will provide lifetime free upgrade to customers who buy DVDFab Platinum before May 8, 2008.

I hope it's helpful.

Best Regards,
Fengtao

Yup. My DVDFab Platinum shows exactly the same as the pic posted.

Sometimes the answer is readily available, right in front of you, if you read some of the other posts or use the SEARCH feature.

This is not what the author claims on his website - and even if so, i would prefer to read this from the author.

Don´t get me wrong - but i paid once and feel screwed, i do not want to make the same mistake a second time. Lifetime means lifetime (and according to judgments in my country therefore at least 30 years); if the author means the product lifecycle he should speak this out clearly. Until now he avoided any bindingly answer to this question.

There are so many mis-informed opinions and rubbish being passed around concerning this business model change - too many people are paranoid.

I am relatively new to the program, having picked it up in the late version 3 cycle. I have emailed fengtao on 3 instances about some issues, and each and every time, have gotten an answer from him personally.

I for one never had a doubt about the continuation of updates. It was clearly stated that those who purchased before May 8 will continue to get them. In addition, the DVD-Mobile Option (only a paid option after May 8, otherwise the option is included for free) has registered confusion as well. It seems as if fengtao has made a decision about changing his business model, and is exempting everyone who is licensed prior to May 8. It is very simple to understand, and really, a big headache for fengtao to manage (as he will have to manage multiple style licenses) - but he is doing it.

Just keep the faith, and hope fengtao and ting have enough energy after the change to keep up with the ever so frequent updates and continued excellent support.

Well said...

Well said HAMsmoke

Edit: hehe maineman

OT...apologies.
Is this even possible??? I actually beat "the clawed one"!!! and at my usual turtle speed?
Oh oh, I'm can feel that slap with a kipper now...

Hehehe

The author is invited to change his mind as often as he want - but he should inform people considering to buy his software. Neither he does this time (see above screenshot - i cannot see anything belonging to May 8) nor did he last time.

And as much as i am happy for you that your questions were answered quickly the less it helps me (and maybe others who did not find this board to complain about it).

(Sorry for cynism )

I'm guessing the "free lifetime upgrades" bit will be changed on May 8th. If you buy until then it's still valid, so no need to change the website info until May 8th, when the change takes place...

Hi alphap3nis,

We declear it on top of all pages on our website. Why don't you read it?

Best Regards,
Fengtao

Way to go Fengtao!........What don't people understand about the free upgrades........seems simple to me.

... cause it does not answer the core of my question: what means lifetime?

If lifetime means the customers lifetime - why was delivery of upgrades for customers of DVD Region & CSS Free stopped? Why should i believe that this will not happen again? Unhappily i do not have a screenshot from your website when i bought last time. But maybe i am paranoid / a lier / both.

Maybe you should read more carefully. And when already doing so, have a look at your inbox. You will find a one week old, unanswered message there.

A somehow more friendly behaviour to your customers does not cost you anything but would make a ways better impression - just my 2 cents ...

lifetime means product lifetime.

The upgrades of DVDIdle were stopped because developement of the product has pressently been stopped. If developement of the application starts again then upgrades will be made available. Lifetime is the Lifetime of the product.

I am going out on a limb here, but I believe like all other products that offer " Lifetime upgrades" , it means the Lifetime of the product, not the persons life time, how would one know when a customers lifetime is over, I think that would be impossible to calculate, I think he means as long as DVD Fab Platnium or Gold is being updated you will get those updates. I dont see how it could be construed anyother way. Lets say you are 18years old and Fengtao is 40 ( this is just a guess) would you expect 60 years from now when we are all long gone to still get updates? My guess would be that it is the Lifecycle of the product software. I could be very wrong here but that is the way I read it.

There is a fine difference between updates and upgrades. Usage of the term upgrade suggests that you are entitled to use the following product once the old is EOL.

And that is exactly the point - there is simply no clear statement about this on the website. You explained your thoughts in your post, the thoughts of judges in my country can be found earlier in this thread. A bindingly statement where it should be (on the website, not hidden in a board like this) would avoid confusion.

However, i have heard enough to make my decision.

Nothing is hidden, either on this board or on The DVDFab Website, I am glad you have enough information to make your decision. I think I should get Vista for free, I bought XP Pro, its an operating system from Microsoft that they upgraded but they tell me I have to pay for it and my XP Pro updates will stop in 2009, and if I want updates to 2013 I will have to pay more. Should I complain?

I have been registered with FAB since the first version was released; I have received all "Updates" and "Upgrades" to date with no additional costs to me.

One of two software purchases I have made that have more than lived up to their promise of "LifeTime" support.

Right. It is not hidden - because it is simply not there. If you want to know what "lifetime" means you have two options: asking the company and never receiving an answer or asking your question on this board and receiving answers that leaves me with ... well, to put it a very friendly way, mixed emotions.

If MICROSOFT would have promised lifetime upgrades for free - sure. I have a feeling if they would have promised that, there would be no need to ask for this.

Just to recapitulate - my questions were these:

- Why is the term "lifetime" not explained? (Answers until now: none.)
- Why does the company / author not reply to questions? (Answers until now: none.)

Sometimes no answer is also an answer. But hey. Even if there were no answers, we bashed MICROSOFT.

yes

there comes a time when you add up how much money you've given microsoft over the years & you begin to see why they are rich and you are poor. I've bought several of win95, office 95, win98, office 97, win ME, XP & now Vista . in just about every case I had to buy those things as they were bundled with the PC package

but back to the thread - I think Fengtao's product support & upgrade policy as as good as it gets in the software world. Just compare him with the dreadful support , fiendish install/actiavtion/uninstall hassles & and have-to-pay-again-for-every-upgrade practices of PowerDVd, & WinDvd ( Intervideo, Corel) of this world

If the OP can cite a more generous software company then do so, otherwise stop whingeing - and quit claiming "no reply" from DVDfab when there is a clear and succint one from Fengtao in this thread, which was posted an hour before the last whinge.

I agree, but I have to say that " I am not poor. j/king.