My First Forum “BANNED” ORBX

[Rocky_53 1,617]

Is there something wrong with me? I buy their products because I like it and I feel it is value for money, if I hav a problem with it they support me and fix it. What they do with their pricing and sales policy is their business. I spend 95% of my fsx time flying and 5% on related forums. I think many people with mega posts counts have it the opposite way round! Voicing negative opinions on forums is asking for trouble. If your banned, what do you actually lose? Not the ability to use and enjoy their product.

I hear what you are saying Iain, but you know, it's not the fact that the negative posts received a negative response, but more the fact that the posts didn't get a response at all! Guys are just simply dropped from the forum. Now if you were in business, or indeed maybe you are, but would you not simply drop an email to a customer and explain the difficluties rather than just tell them to ###### off?! The situation has nothing to do with posting negative comments. The argument is about writing an opinion that may not be 100% in line with the company, being slapped on the hand like a little school boy and kicked out of the room.IMO Robert at PMDG has he right approach, if things are not going how he feels they should go in a post, then he'll pop in the discussion and say so. But for someone to come along and effectively say to someone who has been a loyal customer for years and spent a load of hard earned money on their products, 'hey drop dead' that is rediculous, arrogant, out of order and exactly what Dave has received and many others, me included by the looks of things. Edited January 20, 2012 by Rockliffe

[Ponk 51]

Yeh, fair enough. I don't know the posts word for word that got banned, usually banned posts have something in them that will upset the mods, in this case, I can't say, seems harsh from what I've read though.

[Rocky_53 1,617]

Yeh, fair enough. I don't know the posts word for word that got banned, usually banned posts have something in them that will upset the mods, in this case, I can't say, seems harsh from what I've read though.

Here ya go Iain, this is my post that appears to have got me banned, well I assume so as haven't been able to post of the forum all afternoon. A little contentious perhaps, but perectly legitimate IMO and posted with good grace, diplomacy and without rudeness or aggressive undertones, unless of course I'm wrong...Ok, ok, I've been waiting in the wings for ages and got as far as downloading P3D and then stopped. The reason... because while I actively support JV and the gang at Orbx and have the utmost respect, I'm afraid I will not be paying the licence fees that are required for my 36 Orbx addons. When I first heard about the licence fee, I assumed it would simply be for the main scenery areas, such as PNW, PFJ, NZ etc. I was extremely surprised when it was revealed that I was also going to have to pay for every airfield too! So, you can work out the cost involved for me as with many other guys (£160 approx $220 US) I simply cannot afford those costs after having already purchased the scenery.Now please don't get me wrong, I realise this may well be a very contentious issue, it's not meant to be. I believe it's important, especially when we all so wholeheartedly support a developer so closely, that they hear what we are saying, whether they listen is up to them, but I do feel it needs to be said. Don't get me wrong, this post is not an Orbx knocking exercise, but as one of their most loyal customers, just some friendly feedback from a disappointed supporter Edited January 20, 2012 by Rockliffe

[CFIJose 5,485]

Here ya go Iain, this is my post that appears to have got me banned, well I assume so as haven't been able to post of the forum all afternoon. A little contentious perhaps, but perectly legitimate IMO and posted with good grace, diplomacy and without rudeness or aggressive undertones, unless of course I'm wrong...Ok, ok, I've been waiting in the wings for ages and got as far as downloading P3D and then stopped. The reason... because while I actively support JV and the gang at Orbx and have the utmost respect, I'm afraid I will not be paying the licence fees that are required for my 36 Orbx addons. When I first heard about the licence fee, I assumed it would simply be for the main scenery areas, such as PNW, PFJ, NZ etc. I was extremely surprised when it was revealed that I was also going to have to pay for every airfield too! So, you can work out the cost involved for me as with many other guys (£160 approx $220 US) I simply cannot afford those costs after having already purchased the scenery.Now please don't get me wrong, I realise this may well be a very contentious issue, it's not meant to be. I believe it's important, especially when we all so wholeheartedly support a developer so closely, that they hear what we are saying, whether they listen is up to them, but I do feel it needs to be said. Don't get me wrong, this post is not an Orbx knocking exercise, but as one of their most loyal customers, just some friendly feedback from a disappointed supporter

When I read that post, I raised my eye brows, and then said, "oh OH." It's not an area I would venture into.

[Rocky_53 1,617]

When I read that post, I raised my eye brows, and then said, "oh OH." It's not an area I would venture into.

Hi Jose, sure, but was it disrespectful? No. Was it arrogant? No. Was it aggressive? No. Was it racist? No. Did it knock Orbx? No. Did it have a personal attack on anyone? No. What did my post say? It simply said I was unable to take up P3D because I found the pricing restrictive because of the SBSL. I didn't question once the legitimacy of Orbx's decision in charging a fee for the SBSL, I simply explained that as a loyal customer I could not support the SBSL. I'm sorry if a grown man or men find it so offensive that they have to resort to ignoring and banning people simply because they voice an opinion. Blimey, look at the PMDG forum and the amount of less than favourable posts I've read about the SDK release, I don't see any of those guys being kicked away. Besides, it's not real life, I won't lose any sleep over it. I'm sad I cannot engage with some of my virtual buddies over there, but hey... guess what... it seems most of them are joining us all over here... rock on! :( Edited January 20, 2012 by Rockliffe

[bliksimpie 1]

I'm sad I cannot engage with some of my virtual buddies over there, but hey... guess what... it seems most of them are joining us all over here... rock on! :(

Yeah that was also what got to me in the beginning, as I have made some really good friends over the pond (and an enemy or two, lets face it I was not maybe very nice sometimes and a bit too direct), but yeah it is nice to see some old names popping in here now and again.but to see old stallwards like Nyxx, J van E and Rockliffe and a few other mainstays, surely is an eye opener as I never ever thought guys like you will ever get banned/have limited posting previledges Edited January 20, 2012 by bliksimpie

[n4gix 4,970]

I don't own any of OrbX's scenery. I did install the PNW demo and enjoyed flying around for a few days, but haven't been back to the PNW for several years.I came very, very close to buying all of the available products while they were on sale, but "something" whispered to me and said "No, when will you ever have time to install all of this, much less fly around and enjoy it!"Now, having read this thread (as well as a few other similar threads) I'm glad that I listened to that pesky old man and his whispered comments. :(

[GHarrall 494]

What makes me laugh is the sheer arrogance of banning people for comments made at another forum!The comments were not even that negative and certainly not abusiveTalk about inflated ego....

Edited January 20, 2012 by GHarrall

[Virtualwombat 4]

Building a world-class software business from scratch requires gobs of self belief. You gotta be able to ignore the naysayers, focus on your own strategy and work towards your own goals. It takes drive, ambition and not a little arrogance to lead a group of people in one direction. Only certain personality types are suited to such an endeavour (Myers-Briggs have a lot to say about these categories http://en.wikipedia...._Type_Indicator, but I leave you to assess their validity). Trouble is, when you become successful, your already high level of self- belief is continually validated by the praise of your customers and your colleagues. Now it is all too easy to fall into hubris; to ignore dissenting opinion as being mere noise that you are justified in ignoring in pursuit of your own vitally important and self-evidently correct goals. This is human nature, captured at a facile level by the proverb "Pride goes before a fall".Cheers,Noel.

Edited January 20, 2012 by Virtualwombat

[Phantom88 3,290]

Orbx developers are fantastic talented people.Their products make FSX 200 times more scenic and interesting than stock FSX.I own most of them up until The CEO informed his customers of his 2012 mission statement.I do not feel comfortable patronizing a buisness that holds such little regard for the people who provide them with the cash flow for their buisness to grow and prosper.With a limted budget for flight sim purchases,I'll look else where to spend my money

[Ron Attwood 3,574]

Welcome to the club.. You will many "ex" ORBX here..

Not you, surely? :(

[ZKOKQ 986]

They seem to embrace there forum as the holy grail, and seem prepared to forsake some or most of the loyal customers who have been Orbx customers of long standing.After reading Howards post, I have also decided to no longer purchase from them. Seems the forum is more important than sales targets, hard to believe in this day and age, when maximising sales is the core part of running a strong buisness.If I may quote Bomber Harris " You sewed the wind, now reap the whirlwind"

[Buzz313th 0]

Haven't been to the orbx forum in a while. This thread prompted me to read the 2012 Mission Statement.All I can say is, "Who does he think he is"?I only own 6 of there products and after reading that post, I think 6 is enough.Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkJB

[Ron Attwood 3,574]

...except of course that Jeroen guy, now he IS trouble :( (only joking my friend!)

He's not joking Jeroen. Only yesterday he told me you talk too much.Rocky, have you really been banned? I read your post and very nearly PMed you to say: "You'll be on the sh*t list now mate". But I had second thoughts as you are/were an Orbx stalwart. Besides, it wasn't REALLY that contraversial was it?

[altstiff 71]

I notice the word "Ego" and "Arrogant" coming up a lot when it comes to ORBX. We all know it is one guy that has gone off the deep end over there. And we are forbidden (even on AVSIM) to point fingers at this person for obvious reasons (slander comes to mid, so I feel for and totally understand David and the Mods here and their stance on that).I did get a nice response from The Flight Sim Store when I complained about pre paying for PAKT October 31st, getting it December 24th only to have it on sale for 33% off a couple days later, and when I did get it on the 24th is was incomplete at that, they are adding the "service pack" that was supposed to be included in the first place. I suspect they rushed it out the door.FSS told me they had many complaints about the same issue and that their hands were tied as they are only a distributor for ORBX. They told me the only way to rectify the issue was to deal with ORBX directly. We all know how that goes.And with this I ask, if you have an issue with a company like this (getting ripped off, banned, ignored and even insulted) why on earth would a person ever deal with them again? If I ever treated customers this way I would be out of business......EDIT: For ther record I am not banned on ORBX forums as I do not frequent them very often.

Edited January 21, 2012 by altstiff