So disappointed by support team refusal to help with Luminar 4
Devastated by the Skylum team & support refusal to allow me a 11 November download of Luminar 4 despite my early pre-order upgrade purchase. In retirement, I am a dementia support assistant at our local care home one day a week and based on the 11th November date given to me by Roman, I agreed to setting up a pop up studio on Saturday 7th November photographing residents and their families for Christmas cards. I need the sky replacement tool or will have to use Affinity Photo and more time. Gary McIntyre showed me how to replace a studio background with my own images https://youtu.be/7Bx3O1qn37E?t=8. I am now told I am not in the first 20K which I had assumed and will have to wait till 18th. Despite pleas to three support team members, they refuse to help me. As a long time user of Luminar I am so disappointed :-(
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Hi John!
I'm afraid only those who have pre-ordered one of the first 20,000 copies of Luminar 4 will get the program a week earlier the official release.
And the first 20,000 copies were sold out in July - the beginning of August. I'm sorry, we can't provide you with Luminar 4 earlier as it wouldn't be fair to the customers who pre-ordered Luminar 4 in July.P.S. We've also replied to your facebook post.
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John,
The bright side to this is that odds are L4 will ship just as buggy and unusable as L3 did. So you saved some grief. Do what many of us have done about this cheesy company. Vote with your wallet. There is plenty of good software out there from companies that are not run by incompetents and amateurs.
" as it wouldn't be fair to the customers who pre-ordered Luminar 4 in July"
BS! Who would have known if they had granted this request? Besides, this one week early policy for the first 20,000 is infantile. No other software company carries on with foolishness like this.
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Good point. I have been thinking my DAM switch was premature but Aperture disappeared. Perhaps a refund is the best way to show my disgust. Devastated that #Skylum will not support my dementia charity work by just including my preorder purchase of #luminar4 in its 20K download list. Not a lot to ask to a longtime user
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Hi John
Sorry to hear of the predicament.
Seems that Skylum must have changed the criteria in the last 2 weeks...
On 17 Oct they were telling us this...
"I have some cool updates for you! First of all, we’re ready to reveal the official release date for Luminar 4 — November 18. If you bought Luminar 4 at an early bird price, you’ll get your copy on November 11.
The next thing I’d like to tell you is that you can use your Luminar 4 license on 2 different devices. The early bird pre-order licenses (first 20 000 copies) are good for up to 5 devices."
So according to the above statement, everyone who pre-ordered should get access to Luminar 4 on 11 Nov. The first 20,000 licences relate only to number of devices. I do not understand why you are being told otherwise.
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Hi John
I'm annoyed with Skylum for ...
1 Not treating you as an exception given the circumstances (no one except you would have known anyway!!)
2 Changing the eligibility criteria since their 17 October message (unless their support staff or not on message)
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If Skylum said that only the first 20000 purchasers will get it early then that is that. They should not make any variation to that. So I am sorry John but I do not think your case holds water for if they give in to you then they would have to give in to any other individual who can make a case. I say that whilst also being an early adopter but not one of the first 20000 - oh and I also do charitable work.
Now if what David Ashley says is true, and I have no reason to believe otherwise, Skylum do have a case do answer. Personally I think all early adopters should get the product in advance but Skylum will say the benefit is in the discount. I say we have helped Skylum's cash flow and they should be very pleased given their history. If the product is ready on the 11th then why not let the early adopters have it then. What difference does it make? Perhaps Skylum could explain the rationale? -
I agree. I only got fired up after watching a video that shows sky replacement can work with white studio backgrounds and that could save a lot of selection time in Affinity. I may be able to get the Care Home to wait an extra week, but we had promised relatives that they would get the prints on the 14th November ( I am offering a few Christmas backgrounds which is better than just white or the residents rather cluttered lounge as a background). I suppose we should be used to Skylum’s subtle word changing (remember the 3 roadmap!.)
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Colin - looking back at the message from Roman David is correct -
If you read the note - the download date is separate from the number of licenses in the email - This clearly states that the 11th November date is for ALL at early bird price - and the second paragraph says only the first 20K get the extra licenses. Have you changed the rules?"I have some cool updates for you! First of all, we’re ready to reveal the official release date for Luminar 4 — November 18. If you bought Luminar 4 at an early bird price, you’ll get your copy on November 11.
The next thing I’d like to tell you is that you can use your Luminar 4 license on 2 different devices. The early bird pre-order licenses (first 20 000 copies) are good for up to 5 devices."
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Please! The early bird offer was a special offer for a limited number of buyers (20,000). This was communicated in July and sometime early August it was sold out. This limited offer included some Inspirational Looks and most importantly, early access to Luminar 4. When I purchased the upgrade (in July) there were 11,606 copies left. The offer clearly said:
So either you bought the upgrade in July-early August and was part of the 20,000 and thous part of the "early bird" buyers or you are not! If not, you will simply have to wait until November 18 to get Luminar 4.
It is as simple as that!
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I do not think I challenged that John. You need to reread my post. And why do you think I changed the rules? I do. not work for Skylum. But reading what you have posted I bet the the definition of an Early Bird is being one of the first 20000. What you posted is not inconsistent with that - in your quotes it reads to me that the official release date is the 18th but if you bought at an Early Bird price you get the app early - on 11 Nov. It then goes on to say in the next para that Early Birds also get 5 licenses rather than 2. They have separated nothing, they have just deployed the two benefits - early release and five licences - in two paragraphs. They could equally have used bullet points.
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John, this is what they said in July. Seems pretty clear to me and presumably this is the deal you purchased under. Early Bird seems well defined.
Our $49 “early bird” special gets you Luminar 4 one week before the official launch, at a price that will never be offered again. This offer is limited to the first 20,000 people, so don't delay! Luminar 4 is already shaping up to be our most exciting product to date.23 Jul 2019
And ref changing the rules - you need to amend your post to Skylum changing the rules as you use the word "you" (not Skylum) and in the contact of your post that points to me. -
I think they should have granted you the early copy, nothing to do with the 20K or not 20K... but for a good charity.
Saying that, the track record of Skylum on early releases is not great, dates slip and product still comes out with major bugs. I would be very careful using it in a live environment.
I still can't use Luminar 3 with Catalina, I had to create a new library to make it work, and now I have 2 libraries, one for new files one for old files.
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Colin - I am sure we both have better things to do on a Sunday that agree about this.
All I am saying is that having read the note from Roman Pylypenko, Head of Customer Success which I received on 17th October I was led to believe I would get the early download, but not the extra licenses. I did not receive the July email for some reason and only purchased in August although it was still described as an early bird discount. The extra week would not have mattered if I had not (thinking I would get it on the 11th), I agreed to supply some photos before the 18th. Now I will have to spend more time using Affinity to change the backgrounds. Hopefully we can still be both right and Roman's email was badly worded in English. On my side perhaps that extra week will now mean you can sort out any bugs before the rest of us get it! :-) Stay Cool
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You are clutching at straws, John. The July notification was the deal that was advertised on the web. I knew about it but never partook, although I did order early. The fact that you bought as part of the early bird deal puts you firmly in the 20000 camp, or outside it in your case. The trouble with Skylum is they all send out stupid emails that do not seem to to have any quality control. There are all these little people scurrying around trying to be important when in truth they are just minions, but unfortunately they are often out of control. I have just has a ridiculous email from the same person, Roman Pylypenko, Head of Customer Success (what a strange and pointless title) telling me Luminar Flex has received an award from some outfit called Lucie. Who the hell are/is Lucie and what is the point of a reward for a piece of software that is at end of life. The email also tells me L4 will be released on the 18th, something we have known for ages. In all honesty, this company is a complete joke.
Re your background change, have you ever tried using Topaz or ON1 and doing it with textures rather than the longer Affinity way. You could download the free trials and use them to get around your time problem
Stay cool we must :-) -
Gal, I fundamentally disagree with that if for no other reason than there are others using the software for charitable ends as well. There would also undoubtably be a few who would claim they do when they do not. Rules is rules and I have no problem with that - it is the way the Skylum hordes deal with them that creates the problem. I certainly would have no issue with charities having some sort of privilege but it should be open to all those using the software in such an environment, with appropriate checks to ensure the request is genuine.
Of course Skylum could never make the above work so the only options are no early release for anyone or, more sensibly, early release to all who purchased in advance. Hell, why not make all the early adopters beta testers. -
Thanks all for discussing. I have accepted the decision by the support team (who appear pleased to put me down by signing off with “cheers!”) it seems mine was not an early bird offer, but a an “early offer” price. I will use other software, probably ON1 as you suggested. I take you point on charity, I am 77 and just do one day a week in our town care home doing dementia recall talks, quizzes and discussions, so not a legal charity - just trying to help. The pop up photo session was suggested and I took it on. I of course pay for the software, and other than this job, don’t mind when I get the software. Many thanks for your help.
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Colin, there will likely have others that will get a copy - early testers, journalist, opinion leaders, bloggers, early adaptors, beta testers. So, yes, rules are rules, but not be under the impression it is only the 20K that get an early version.
There are early rules for a certain promotion. I think it is within the "Rules" to assume there are other ways to get the software early.
For example Skylum can give him a one week code for the event to support the charity.
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In which case they can give me a special code to support the charity I use Luminar for. I too am keen to get my hands on it but would not pull a stunt like that. What if release was not until Jan. I imagine the op would have managed somehow. Sorry but he purchased on the back of an offer with terms attached. It is not wrong for Skylum to work to those terms.
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This is the image I was trying to create with your software
Despite my pleas you rejected my request and refused to give me the downloadI work with dementia every day and was creating this image for a social media campaignIn the end I used Affinity Photo and it dd the jobShame for not helping us fight this terrible disease. At least your support will not be forgotten by me!
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