Well, I guess I've been sleeping under a rock, for a year. In February, 2012 Corel bought out Roxio. I never really thought much about it, until my Roxio Photoshow package was not working right. When I tried to find technical assistance, I really got the run around. It's been a frustrating transition for me. I know others have had difficulties too; I've been reading some forums.
I gave up trying to get any help and just kept producing more photoshows. I knew that I had a few months left on my 'annual subscription', and I knew I had changed credit cards so when they tried to do an 'automatic renewal', it would not work. Thank goodness . . .
I got a little lazy and had procrastinated on converting them and/or burning them to CDs or DVDs. Now, my time has run out, and I cannot even 'save' or 'convert' them, unless I 're-up' my annual 'premium subscription'. That in itself is a nightmare!
Anyone who has 'premium' level knows that payments for your annual subscription goes through a company called "Cleverbridge". This whole thing has been not just frustrating, but a wide-awake, in my face, nightmare! All Cleverbridge does is collect money. They have nothing to do with any software company and cannot answer any questions or dilemmas and are 'not responsible' for anything! And how do I get help or answers when I cannot understand the person on the other end of the phone?
Now . . . because of Corel's acquisition of Roxio, any technical assistance is, at best, frustrating. First of all, again, I have yet to speak to someone I can understand. They need to have some personnel who can 'field' calls with English-speaking individuals. I get so frustrated when I call for assistance and get a 'boiler room' atmosphere full of 'techs' (yeah, right) who are reading verbatim from a script; grrrrrr . . .
When my premium subscription ran out and they could not do an 'automatic renew', here's what I got (for emails) . . . one from Cleverbridge wanting to do an 'electronic transfer' because of a no-good credit card number. I sent them updated information about my current credit card. Okay, fine. Well, later when I tried to use my 'premium' features, they didn't work. ... frustration ...
In the interim, I got TWO more emails referencing my Roxio Photoshow account - advising me that my photoshows will expire in 30 days! One email was from Corel, the other from Roxio! I decided I needed to follow up with my communications with Cleverbridge to find out WHO HAS MY NEW CREDIT CARD INFORMATION ... and guess what? I called ALL THREE COMPANIES ... no one has my email, or the updated credit card information ... TERRIFIC!!!
At this point I decided I would call Corel and see if I could 're-up' for another year of Roxio Premium service. This is the kicker ... again, a foreign accent on the other end of the phone line. He 'tries' to advise me - they don't do 're-ups' for this product ... and suggested TWO other products in the Corel line I might try!!!!
Bottom line, I'm in limbo ... I would like to 're-up' just so I can retrieve, convert and save my current photoshows (or at least the photos), but don't want to work through Cleverbridge, and don't really want to use their software anymore, after that. It looks as though maybe Corel is trying to phase out the Roxio line all together; I have no idea.
This mess is as bad as our government ... strange bedfellows who don't even 'sleep'together. By that I mean that, as with local, state, and federal agencies, they don't work together. Same with these acquisitions, etc. ... grrrrrrr ...
Now my Roxio photoshow account has put a huge banner across my page reminding me that I will lose ALL of my photoshows in 30 days (it even has a 'counter' to let me know when they will expire!!! So, at this point, I have no intention to renew my premium subscription, will lose all of my productions, and this will be the end of my experience with Roxio 2010!!!
Say goodnight, Gracie . . .*smile*