forum.vdsworld.com

[suxi]

Hello everyone

Many years ago I used to realise little private projects with VDS Version 2 (I think), prior to it’s acquisition by S.A.D.E.. I now re-discovered it’s latest version 5 and think of registering again. Unfortunately I am startled about the company’s support behaviour. I sent a mail to their support address a while ago, stating that I am thinking of registering again and asking whether my project could be realised with VDS. A person called Garret (which I now understand doesn’t belong to VDS, but just helps out with support) gave me a quick and polite reply. I still had some problems understanding the possibilities of VDS and wrote back. Unfortunately since then I haven’t received an answer. I even got a server reply, stating that my message had been manually deleted without reading! Well, I am very confused now and don’t want to register VDS before having a clearer image about the current situation.

Does anyone know what is happening there? Julian?

Thank you very much for your help and understanding

Marc

[jules]

Hi Marc.

It concerns me the number of times I see complaints like this on this forum. I think I'm not alone in this forum in feeling that the possibilities for VDS are being spoiled by a lack of attention to customer service and marketing. I don't think there is such a big number of VDS users, and it can't afford to lose potential customers by treating them this way. It's particularly frustrating to me, who sold VDS to SADE several years ago when I was suffering from stress and didn't have the time to support it, to see now that SADE's successor is doing a worse job of supporting and promoting it than I now could. If for no other reason, I'd put the effort into promoting VDS because I need the money.

Unfortunately, I can't answer your question, because I'm only being employed on a part-time basis to develop the new version of VDS, just as Garrett here does the support. My presence here on this forum is purely unofficial and voluntary. Nobody on this forum works "at" Commercial Research and knows what happens when email is received.

I can only suggest, that you address your questions to this forum.

[jwfv]

I am concerned about this as well. I started using VDS several years ago to automate some other applications by passing keystrokes, etc. From there, I have come to depend on it quite a bit for my business. I have several applications that are written in VDS - some quite extensive. It is a great language (I call it a language, anyway) because it is easy to start a quick project and it has the flexibility to do lots of things. Plus the programs just look and feel good to the user. It would very tough for me if VDS ever went away.

I hope that VDS can be supported and can even grow. The more users we have mean the more add-on goodies and cool little extensions for me to try to invent uses for in my programs!

[Garrett]

Part of the problem here is that I only receive a percentage of the support
emails, the rest go to someone else.

I have noticed that support emails that are initiated with me, don't always
come back to me if the user replies to my reply. This is really bad.

Sometimes I get replies to issues that have already been initiated with
another support representative, which kind of makes it a bit hard
sometimes, since I have to email the user again to find out the
initial information, and then hope that I actually get the response back
to me.

I'm not sure, but there may only be two people handling the support
emails. Myself and and one other who's usually very busy with many
things.

I remember the support email from the user above, but I never received
another email from that user.

And as Julian noted, I am not a paid employee of Commercial Research
anymore. When I was, I manned the live support from morning to night
almost every day of the week. If and when they are able to hire me back
on, I'll be available in the live support again and ask that they send all
support emails to me.

I wish I could say that the issue of failing support will be resolved, but I
haven't a clue since I do not work directly with them.

-Garrett

[JRoza]

I never visit the Commercial Research website anymore. I consider VDS World as "my official VDS site".
Here you get answers when needed and always in a reasonable timespan.
But that's to be expected when among VDS-family

The only time I visit the Commercial Research website is when I need to download VDS itself.
Maybe it's an idea to change the support links on the Commercial Research site to go to the VDS World website.
It would certainly be a benefit for the VDS users or those interested in VDS.
Just my humble opinion!

[vdsalchemist]

Well I see these questions all the time too. I too do support for Commercial Research but only on a voluntary basis and only through the Live Support system. Since I have been very busy with my main product I have not had the time to spend on Live Support. I still logon from time to time just to check the Live Support. When I was on Live Support all the time I could be logged in for a month and only see 1 or 2 questions durring that month. Most of the questions that are asked is questions that have to be answered by someone from CR. The live support is best for install questions and help with writting code. If you ask questions like "When will I get my license key?" no one but CR could answer that. Also there has been issues with CR's servers being up and working I would be happy to help with the email support questions but CR has not given me access to those. I think there is a lot of good intention but there is not enough follow through. I will be free to help more soon. Well I hope anyway

suxi,
Now to answer your question about the possibilities of VDS 5 compared to VDS 2. VDS 5 is by far more mature and is not limited like VDS 2 was. Many changes and improvements to VDS has come about through the efforts of Julian and many others. If you could post your question here I will be happy to tell you if VDS 5 will work for your project. If Garrett could forward me your email I try to help the best I can.

[suxi]

Thanks everyone for clarifying the situation. All of my questions have now already been answered by the great folks visiting VDSworld and I am in touch with Emmanuel to register Verison 5.

I really hope he'll manage to improve on the support issue and provide an smooth path for the future developing of VDS.

Good luck on this and all the best

suxi