vbulletin.org

[Alastor]

I realize these are two separate sites and that vbulletin.org is in no way officially supported here...

But I can't post there or get them to respond thoughtfully and intelligently to my issue, so maybe someone here has some insights.

When I got my first set of VB boards, probably about 6 years ago at least now - 7 actually... I registered at VBulletin.org.

When I did so, the email never got sent to me, so I wasn't able to activate my account. Being a relative newbie, I never did figure out how to reconcile this - since the account had been originally created with an email account that didn't actually exist.

Several months later someone that worked with me took our license info and registered a different account at that site. That person then left the project, and it's been quite a few years since I had access to that site.

I have tried PMing them to get my original account's email changed and activated. I have spoken with them through emails multiple times, but they always just give me a blanket "no" and "make a new account" (which I don't want to do - in this arena it's always far better if accounts are streamlined, and that account name matches this account name).

I'm not certain why they have been difficult to track down and talk to, nor am I certain why they're so rigid on this rule, but at some stage I would hope that some resemblance of customer service and common sense kicks in.

We all own VB boards. We all know that this can be rectified with the click of 7 buttons and about 30 seconds. For some reason, that has not ever happened, despite spending a lot of time, money, and word-of-mouth endorsement on the product they are associated with.



I was hoping someone here might be able to help me by putting me in touch with a reasonable and intelligent person of authority from that web site.

I've been trying to get this very, very small matter resolved for about 6 years.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone here can offer.

[Homeworld'sa]

You should use the support ticket system to ask. Also, this isn't a support question.

[Alastor]

You should use the support ticket system to ask. Also, this isn't a support question.

Yeah, I've tried that. Whenever I remember to do it or get up the ambition to bang my head against the wall again, over the course of the past several years.

It hasn't ever worked. Thus, my post here.

I'm not trying to be overly assertive or gruff, but I've paid quite a bit of money to this site and this product over the years. I'm certainly not the largest customer anyone has, but I've paid a bit all the same. I've also always been very supportive and vocal in my praise of this product and its people.

Yet for some reason, this simple issue has persisted for an absurd amount of time.

I'm pretty frustrated, but I'm doing my best to be productive rather than destructive.

I think the time has come for a resolution, however.

So thank you for the input, although it was a fairly simple question, and an answer would have been more helpful. Your tid-bit was awesome though - except I've tried it that way more than a couple of times over the years.

[ENF]

First off, ignore this post:

You should use the support ticket system to ask. Also, this isn't a support question.

Filing a support ticket here will get you no where with vbulletin.org.

Honestly, you just should create a new a account and be done with it. If they bend the rules for you, they'll have to do it for other people.

Good Luck.

[Homeworld'sa]

ENF, yes it will. Just put in the subject title "ATTN: Marco" and it'll get to him. Please don't tell people to ignore posts like mine, because my answer was perfectly valid. I'm not going to argue with you anymore lest to prevent stupid arguments in threads.

[Alastor]

First off, ignore this post:



Filing a support ticket here will get you no where with vbulletin.org.

Honestly, you just should create a new a account and be done with it. If they bend the rules for you, they'll have to do it for other people.

Good Luck.

This is a silly reason to create a disgruntled customer out of a long-term and happy customer. I think that if I find a reasonable person within that site's power structure who can look at the account, see that it is actually mine, and simply activate it (it has never been successfully activated) and send me the activation code, putting this behind us and letting us all move together happily will be easy to do.

What I have run into however, are people who are either unwilling or disallowed to think outside of a rigid set of rules and processes regardless of the merits of doing otherwise.

Again, I'm not trying to be hostile, but I'm asking for a very small and easy resolution to an issue that has spanned years. I am going to get it now.

The only thing left to be determined is how that comes about. My hope is that someone over-rides the automation of "instant no" with about 20 seconds of thought followed by about 30 seconds of work and lets us all get back to other projects and feeling good about one another.

[ENF]

ENF, yes it will. Just put in the subject title "ATTN: Marco" and it'll get to him. Please don't tell people to ignore posts like mine, because my answer was perfectly valid. I'm not going to argue with you anymore lest to prevent stupid arguments in threads.

He's already been told no by vBulletin.org and filing more support tickets here isn't going to help.

That's pretty bluntly clear.

[Alastor]

ENF, yes it will. Just put in the subject title "ATTN: Marco" and it'll get to him. Please don't tell people to ignore posts like mine, because my answer was perfectly valid. I'm not going to argue with you anymore lest to prevent stupid arguments in threads.

If you knew this would get the attention of someone there with a brain, why would you not include that?

"Hey, Alastor, I know that you're frustrated and that you've tried this before, but open a support ticket here and putt "Attn: Marco" in the subject line. I think he might be the guy to help you out."

That at least tells me:

A) Who to contact.

B) Why opening yet another trouble ticket will result in a different outcome this time.

All I got the first time you wrote in this thread was, "Open another ticket."

Without any other information, Homeworld, I've already tried that many times.

I'll try it your way now, however. Thank you for the additional information. I hope it proves useful as you think it might.


I'd still appreciate it of others had some hints or help to offer, however.

[Lynne]

Did you try just changing the email on your account to a valid one associated with your license?

[Alastor]

Lynne, I cannot change the email on the account, because that account was never confirmed via email.

It's not an active account and I can't get into it to modify the email address, because I never verified the email address.

When we (I had someone else running the boards at the time) registered the account, it sent the email to God only knows where. We never confirmed the email, the account is not active, and therefore I cannot log in even if I remembered the password so that I could then change the email account.

I mean seriously. It's patently obvious that I am the sole owner of this license. I think I just haven't ever confirmed the email because the email address that was input the first time was incorrect.

It's really quite easy to verify that that is my account and my license. I don't understand why this is taking intelligent people 6 years and many trouble tickets, and hours upon hours of frustration for all involved to get resolved.

And again: it's been six years. I obviously am not going to give up. This consumes time, energy and patience on all of our parts.

Please, for the love of God, intervene and help me out while I still have the self-restraint to be constructive about it.

[Alastor]

ENF, yes it will. Just put in the subject title "ATTN: Marco" and it'll get to him. Please don't tell people to ignore posts like mine, because my answer was perfectly valid. I'm not going to argue with you anymore lest to prevent stupid arguments in threads.

Homeworld...

I just sent a PM to Marco.

Marco has not logged into this site in quite some time.

There are several Marcos on this site. I presume you've encouraged me to contact the one that is a member of the staff here? If that's the case, his last long in was quite some time ago (his last post being 6 months ago).

[Homeworld'sa]

Yes, the Marco van Herwaarden of vBulletin.org . He usually does not log in this forum, but sending tickets to the vB.com staff should find their way to him. I know he can get tickets since there was a thread posted somewhere on here/vb.org with a screenie of someone conversing with him on tickets.

[Alastor]

Did you try just changing the email on your account to a valid one associated with your license?

I cannot alter the email on the account at VBulletin.org.

I cannot get INTO the account on VBulletin.org, and therefore I cannot change any of its contact information.

[Alastor]

Yes, the Marco van Herwaarden of vBulletin.org . He usually does not log in this forum, but sending tickets to the vB.com staff should find their way to him. I know he can get tickets since there was a thread posted somewhere on here/vb.org with a screenie of someone conversing with him on tickets.

I got this immensely helpful response from Steve:

Marco does not handle support tickets. You will have to try and contact him via the forums.

Best regards,
Steve Machol
Customer Support Manager, vBulletin

[Homeworld'sa]

That's odd. Marco used to receive tickets from members.
Only thing you have left is to just create another account and assign it to your license.