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Please, read this if your license key doesn't work after upgrade

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Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 3042)
Mar 06, 2021 12:50:08 pm EST
Things to note if you have upgraded your Viewer to version 7.x.x.x:

  • Your license key from version 6.x.x.x is incompatible with version 7.x.x.x. You must also upgrade your license key using this form
  • Your key upgrade may either be free or paid with a 50% discount. Please, read our Upgrade Policy, the section "Upgrading product version". We have never changed this policy for customers who purchased and use version 6.x.x.x license.
  • If you are not willing to upgrade to v. 7.x.x.x you can use version 6.x.x.x along with your v. 6.x.x.x license key forever. To roll back to version 6.10.10.0 (the last v.6 minor release) please visit this v.6 download page
Rob Barrett, User (Posts: 92)
Mar 08, 2021 1:19:48 pm EST
It is a shame that Remote Utilities loyal and original pro licensees, if I understood this correctly, will have to upgrade and purchase this for version 7 viewer on a regular basis. We have been waiting for Linux and MAC host software for a couple of years as well.... What gives? Did I assume incorrectly?
Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 3042)
Mar 09, 2021 2:05:48 pm EST
Hello Rob,

It is a shame that Remote Utilities loyal and original pro licensees, if I understood this correctly, will have to upgrade and purchase this for version 7 viewer on a regular basis. We have been waiting for Linux and MAC host software for a couple of years as well.... What gives? Did I assume incorrectly?

We have never changed our upgrade terms for version 6 users. Version 6 has been around for 7 years and all the minor updates released during that time were free for all customers. As well as our techical support (and it still is).

Even now and in strict accordance with our upgrade policy we provide free upgrade to customers purchased within a year (slightly more than a year actually) from now.

During these years one of our biggest competitors (subscription based) increased their prices almost 4x times. Another big competitor released several major versions (all paid) and finally also switched to subscription model.

Yet, it is Remote Utilities that treat their customers unfairly :)
Dave Moran, User (Posts: 10)
Mar 10, 2021 5:20:17 am EST
Support level: Free or trial
Hi,

Having perhaps prematurely upgraded Viewer to 7.0.0.1, what is the process (uninstall/re-install) to follow to roll back to 6.10.10.0 please? On W7 do I uninstall Viewer as per existing guidelines and then after a restart re-run the viewer6.10.exe, copy in the version 6 License Key and away we go, or wot?

Cheers - Dave
Conrad Sallian, Support (Posts: 3042)
Mar 10, 2021 1:17:45 pm EST
Hi Dave,

You should just uninstall Viewer 7.x.x.x using Windows Settings -> Apps. Then download and install Viewer 6.10.10. You can download it from the older versions page.

Hope that helps.
Christopher, User (Posts: 1)
Apr 08, 2021 12:18:18 pm EDT
It's just bad business to update "Viewer" with a pop up asking to update.  The software should recognize that the key won't work with the update and warn the user.  
Proper etiquette would be:
1)  Tell the user that there is an update.
2)  Tell the user that they will need to purchase the update if they proceed.
3)  Tell the user all the new awesome features they will receive with the purchased update.
4)  Double check ("Are you sure?") before the user clicks the update which will require a purchase.
5)  Give the paying customer free 7 day trial licence (without making them jump through hoops) because they already have a previously paid license.  (At least my trial started expired "0 days left" at the first minute).
6)  Make the downgrade simpler than going to the web to download the old installer.  

Hopefully you take some of these suggestions.  I agree with people paying for upgrades and new licenses.  I appreciate the 50% discount.  It's the WAY that you went about it that was distasteful.

Thank you for listening!
Pauline, Support (Posts: 2867)
Apr 08, 2021 1:14:19 pm EDT
Hello Christopher,

Thank you for your feedback!

It's just bad business to update "Viewer" with a pop up asking to update. The software should recognize that the key won't work with the update and warn the user.
Hopefully you take some of these suggestions.  I agree with people paying for upgrades and new licenses.  I appreciate the 50% discount.  It's the WAY that you went about it that was distasteful.

Yes, unfortunately we didn't update that mechanism in time to accommodate for major version upgrade. We apologize for that. Although anyone can downgrade their Viewer to version 6.10.10.0 if they are not eligible for free upgrade, we'll definitely take notes of this, so our next upgrades would provide better user experience. Sorry for the inconvenience once again.

Please let us know if you have more questions or need our assistance.
George Payne, User (Posts: 9)
Apr 11, 2021 6:08:03 pm EDT
Support level: Free or trial
I agree with other posts here about the way in which this was handled. Christopher has laid out exactly how the upgrade should have been done which would have allowed users to back out gracefully if they did not want to purchase new licenses.  I have two paid licenses - a 20 user and a 10 user - these were purchased many years ago.

This has been disappointing as it has wasted a lot of time initially trying to add licenses after the upgrade until I realised that I needed to purchase new licenses - time most people don't have to waste.
Pauline, Support (Posts: 2867)
Apr 12, 2021 4:37:53 pm EDT
Hello George,

Thank you for your message.

This has been disappointing as it has wasted a lot of time initially trying to add licenses after the upgrade until I realised that I needed to purchase new licenses - time most people don't have to waste.

We appreciate your feedback and apologize for the inconvenience. I've forwarded the feedback in this thread to my coworkers, so we can improve our update processes next time and make it more convenient for our users.

Please let us know if you have more questions or need our assistance.
Douglas Hamilton, User (Posts: 2)
May 05, 2021 3:29:41 pm EDT
Support level: Free or trial
Wow.... at least I am not the only one. Have been a loyal user and promoter as well as a paid license holder since 2012.
The way this upgrade process totally took me off-line and by surprise is simply amateur.
Thanks for the memories!

Who were those competitors again?

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