Site Crashes and Premium Accounts

[WIF1073]

I am really disappointed at the current state of website crashes. May I suggest that FSA don't initiate any recurring subscription payments until they get this mess sorted out. I for one am very tempted to cancel my recurring payment due very shortly.

Malcolm

[CAPFlyer]

Sorry, but I don't see that happening. All Flightsim websites, even the best maintained ones, have experienced problems and crashes at one time or another. None of them have suspended membership payments. I don't see why we should be any different.

[MOW]

I'm backing Malcom remark, being perhaps a little more patient. I paid for one year, so I will make a point in one year.

But it's true that it is really disapointing these crashes, especially because I'm leaving in French Polynésia, that means 12 jours in your past. Generally the crash occured at night, what means during day for me, and it is 3 days I do not succeed in flying under my EPSILON va. Like it happened during european night and FP day, it means that I know that no one will wake up to solve the matter, and that it's a new day without...

But, I'm using other sites, and they have all known at least 1 big trouble a year ! So I just can hope this is your year's trouble !

I really do hope that you will solve this concern, and I will stay patient for this. But the soonest will be the best

[Stan]

The site appears to be working OK now.

[edwinb77]

Everyone who knows something about IT, knows that severe problems can occur, which disrupts operations. Running databases and websites etc. etc. is a complex thing and absolutely alot can go wrong.

I will not defend the people behind it, but i do respect the work they do for us, since most people behind the scene are supporting and maintaining this whole thing in their free time to keep other busy with their hobby being part or running their own VA.

I do understand your frustrations, but threatening canceling subscriptions because errors occur is a bit rational in my opinion. Do you do the same thing when your internet will go down for a few days? I bet you won't, because absolutely nothing can have a 100% uptime and your ISP has a clausule in their notes that they will not guarantee a 100% uptime on yearly base and that when the shit hits the fan, they wont go give money back. There is always a critical point that can go down which you cannot make redundant, no matter how much money you will invest.

The only thing we can do and support is that people learn from errors to prevent possible causes in future.

I played some time on simfly.eu and enjoyed, but i looked for a little more detail, which they haven't and which i found on FSA. From this point i can only say, keep up the good work and if we all be a little more relaxed and think things through before you spam them out on the forums, everything looks a little brighter every day.

[WIF1073]

I am pleased to see the feedback on the main site front page about the server upgrade and migration.

Having been an electronics engineer since 1967, I don't think I need a lecture thanks edwinb77 and I certainly don't like the insulting way you refer to my post. There is nothing wrong with a customer (me) highlighting issues of concern, after all we were asked to pay so as to provide improved service. If the information posted on the main site front page at 0804 31st March had been available to me at 0330 that day then I obviously would not have made my original post.

So - thanks to the team for taking timely action.

Cheers

Malcolm

[CAPFlyer]

It's kinda hard to post information when the reason for the server migration is due to a crash that disabled the whole site. The news item was posted IMMEDIATELY after the new server was brought online and the website returned to action. In addition, several posts were made in here on the forum and on the front page about the slowdowns and that it was being worked on. I'm not sure why that communication BEFORE and DURING the event wasn't sufficient when you made your post but is now.

Either way, if you read the information available in this forum, you'll see that the primary reason for paying is not "improved service" nor is it specified in the agreement when you sign up for the premium account. It is to hopefully offset the costs of the network as each VA uses a minimum amount of space and bandwidth, so asking that each active VA have an account is not unreasonable to help maintain the level of service that we had established to be available. The Gold Account is the only "new" feature being added and we have specified that there will be benefits to it in the future, but never set a deadline and were quite clear that at this time the Gold level doesn't provide any real additional benefit over a basic free account.