Guest and Member subscriptions being discontinued

[Merovingian]

I'm coming up on 10 years as a very satisfied paying member of Fastmail's service. I just re-upped for another 5 years for my Enhanced account. IMO, I'm happy to pay for a service that I use all day/ every day.

There's so much more in this world to be upset about, email is not one of them for me.


Also, I'm hoping that at least one of the disgruntled "soon to be former" fastmail users will vacate an alias that I want

[samhu]

Originally Posted by Merovingian

Also, I'm hoping that at least one of the disgruntled "soon to be former" fastmail users will vacate an alias that I want

Originally Posted by jchevali

It's a selfish world I'm afraid, and at times dishonourable too.

&&&&&&&&&&

[brownb2]

Originally Posted by Mugwhamp

FM is not sending out any indicators that they won't be around in five years

Well they didn't answer or deny my question earlier in the thread (below) so I personally take that as them having some trouble.

Are FMs funds so bad they're charging for 16MB accounts they could probably hold on a USB stick?

The fact is unless you're a business, most people see that email addresses come with your ISP or are given away free by big providers like Google, that leaves a small market of privacy advocates and small business users (assuming large businesses use Google/Microsoft etc). If FM are losing market share with business users then it would make sense to better monetize their existing customer base, this I believe is what's happening, and somebody high up at FM has decided it's worth taking the risk to offset profit slippage.

[jchevali]

Originally Posted by Merovingian

Also, I'm hoping that at least one of the disgruntled "soon to be former" fastmail users will vacate an alias that I want

Originally Posted by jchevali

It's a selfish world I'm afraid, and at times dishonourable too.

Originally Posted by samhu

&&&&&&&&&&

I don't think waiting for an alias to be released is dishonorable, possibly only opportunistic, but that's ok, it often happens where some people break the rules others find new opportunities.

As for me, I'd gladly join a class action on a no-win-no-fee basis and commit to give the lawyers who'd fight the cause the first $1,000 I'd be awarded (though I believe if I won I'd be awarded much less, it'd nevertheless be wise just in case to set some limit).

The only reason I'm probably not going to join a class action, however, is that without knowing the lawyer firm first hand, what assures me that I won't be giving my personal details to a bunch of fake lawyers who'd then use them unlawfully against me?

Because if $FM is fake, or part of it, or part of it was destined to be fake, but that took a while to be revealed, what assures me a lawyer who takes on this weak cause isn't going to be fake too?

The other reason is that I'd probably like to sue them either for compensation, or to release the source code so that as public domain, any affected members can run their email themselves, but I suspect that'd be an even harder battle and I'd end up wasting my [precious] time for nothing.

IMO, it's these forums' fault... Had we been allowed to use swearing and profanity in the first place, we could have got this out of our chest way faster and more efficiently. $FM leaves us stranded, with only recourse to talk to ourselves, and we can't even swear. This is not fair!

PS: If you wish to read in the above a 'sense of entitlement', go ahead, please yourself! If that gives you pleasure, I ain't gonna stop you! I won't be your friend tho.

[communicant]

The supposed possession or display of a 'sense of entitlement' seems now to be reflexively applied, often with no relevance or logical basis, to anyone who takes a position inconsistent with a position held by the person deploying the phrase as an epithet. This unlovely rhetorical tic does not conduce to civil or informative discourse. Neither does calling people 'divas' or dismissing and belittling legitimate concerns and genuine distress as mere 'drama'.

[jchevali]

Originally Posted by communicant

The supposed possession or display of a 'sense of entitlement' seems now to be reflexively applied, often with no relevance or logical basis, to anyone who takes a position inconsistent with a position held by the person deploying the phrase as an epithet. This unlovely rhetorical tic does not conduce to civil or informative discourse. Neither does calling people 'divas' or dismissing and belittling legitimate concerns and genuine distress as mere 'drama'.

Yes. If instead of "sense of entitlement" they had said "feeling of attachment to something you hold dear, and disappointment of being about to lose it", it would have sounded completely different.

Same people wouldn't have poured scorn on someone complaining the dog they loved had gone through a terrible accident, and yet the market value of a dog in poor health might not exceed that of a year's subscription to an email service, but it might mean significantly more - the world - to his owner.

It's perfectly fine to say "not an issue for me because I'm savvy, I know how to fix it; or, I had my own domain already; or, I'd like $FM to make lots of money", but sensibility to step on someone else's shoes (empathy) is often tested in circumstances like this, without pre-advice you're being tested, and some people don't appear to have it, or rushed to type without thinking their words might sound hurtful to someone. Hope it's the latter.

[Merovingian]

I was just joking guys. Jeez.

Originally Posted by Merovingian

There's so much more in this world to be upset about, email is not one of them for me.

[neoforum]

Regarding entitlement, the thing is, we (holders of Member accounts) actually are entitled to have our accounts maintained as long as fastmail exists and we're still alive. That was the agreement they freely chose to sell us. No amount of repetition of weaselly arguments can change that.

I was amazed to read that people think it would be "emotionally" hard for fastmail to continue providing us the accounts we bought, as if the natural way for a company to view its early supporters is with annoyance rather than gratitude.

Shame is the emotion they would naturally feel about discontinuing Member accounts, and pride would be the emotion they would feel if they took the necessary steps to continue supporting their lifetime Members. If these aren't the emotions they're feeling, there's something wrong with them. In fact, they probably are feeling shame, which explains why they aren't responding here. Hey fastmail, want hold your heads high again? Recommit to maintaining your Member accounts.

[wakaba]

Originally Posted by neoforum

Regarding entitlement, the thing is, we (holders of Member accounts) actually are entitled to have our accounts maintained as long as fastmail exists and we're still alive. That was the agreement they freely chose to sell us. No amount of repetition of weaselly arguments can change that.

I was amazed to read that people think it would be "emotionally" hard for fastmail to continue providing us the accounts we bought, as if the natural way for a company to view its early supporters is with annoyance rather than gratitude.

Shame is the emotion they would naturally feel about discontinuing Member accounts, and pride would be the emotion they would feel if they took the necessary steps to continue supporting their lifetime Members. If these aren't the emotions they're feeling, there's something wrong with them. In fact, they probably are feeling shame, which explains why they aren't responding here. Hey fastmail, want hold your heads high again? Recommit to maintaining your Member accounts.

So, immediately after @communicant claims that using the term "sense of entitlement" to describe the attitude of posters on this forum is inappropriate, @neoforum proves him wrong.

[sflorack]

This may have been mentioned before (I read most of the posts but didn't see this specifically).. if FM is refunding the entire amount paid for a Member account (and actually they're refunding an additional $.05), whats the issue (moral OR legal)?

Take the upgrade offer, spend the free year to notify all your contacts of a new email address, and cut ties with FM if you're not happy. You've had many years of great email service and made a nickle.

[neoforum]

if FM is refunding the entire amount paid

They didn't sell a "lifetime account or your money back." I bought a lifetime account, end of story. They can't unilaterally undo the sale. They could decide to give me a million dollars, but they would still be bound to maintain the account as they agreed. And by the way, I paid more than $15 for additional storage, which I would also lose if they discontinue the account.

[David]

Originally Posted by neoforum

They didn't sell a "lifetime account or your money back." I bought a lifetime account, end of story.

Your rationale is defective, neoforum, imho.

I had a member account myself but found it to be totally useless (after only a year)

Though the 'Member accounts' did not have an expiry date, they were never, ever, officially described as a lifetime account.

If you consider me to be wrong, please show me the evidence (proof) of your synopsis.

[Terry]

When they purchased the account it was for the old Classic UI, that was changed to another classic version and now that is being scrapped so technically what people paid for is not longer being offered.

[samhu]

Originally Posted by David

I had a member account myself but found it to be totally useless (after only a year)

Though the 'Member accounts' did not have an expiry date, they were never, ever, officially described as a lifetime account.

.

http://web.archive.org/web/200212151...ricingtbl.html

[neoforum]

please show me the evidence (proof) of your synopsis.

See the links here:

http://www.emaildiscussions.com/show...0&postcount=40

what people paid for is not longer being offered

Oh, please. They didn't sell a Classic UI account They sold a fastmail account. More specifically, they sold an email address that you could give to everyone you know that would let you receive email from them for life. And FWIW, I'd be happy if they continued supporting my account with any of the UIs they've provided over the years.