Looks like I will be keeping this address another year.
For now.
Seems like every year - or every other year, there's an issue with billing or something. I noticed the parent company of TypePad was 'acquired' in September, but not until after I attempted to renew the annual subscription I have had here since 2003.
I signed on as a beta tester of this platform in the early summer, and as a paying customer in December of 2003. They don't seem to know that at this point, and during the 'renewal' process I got caught in their new 'fee structure'.
My annual rate (with discount) is $39.60 - but you can tell I don't use this site as much as I used to, (and I have not participated in the beta testing for several years...) - the options presented seemed clear, based on what I had been paying - and the current economy:
I've been paying $39.60 - don't need the "ProPremium"...might as well down-grade, right?
"Pro-Unlimited" seems like a good compromise - not the cheapest - should still have some features to play with?
no.
Billed $150 bucks. (oh - 20% 'discount' - so $119...)
Seems the new owners must have blown out the old structure - that is a monthly rate you see there. Do you see anywhere there a mention about a 'monthly charge'...?
Neither did I.
By that chart - the 'cheapest' alternative is still more than TWICE what I have been paying.
Now - once I complained about the charges they were nice an apologetic - this year.
TypePad Customer Service has always been top-notch. Especially as they were tweaking the service early on. Now, I have the feeling they were 'accomodating' - and clearing the boards with the new owners.
I beta tested the Townhall.com platform as they started up years ago as well, and found a similar feeling up the back of my neck that - no - I do NOT want to trust my content to this platform.
Same advice I gave to users then - never - NEVER - trust your content to someone else. ALWAYS back-up your posts/pictures, etc. to something YOU control. Online or off line - doesn't matter, as long as YOU have access to it.
Doesn't matter who runs the platform - if it's not YOU....then it's NOT YOU in control.
I guess this is some incentive to post some more and research the new owners a little more closely - follow along for the next year - and see how they intend to operate.
Not a good start - I can see the trend. It points to a change in hosts.
Soon.
AND - this is on top of removing any promotion of the 'RightHaven clients' from this past year.
Just to stop anyone from linking to those outlets (who seem to NOT want anyone reading their articles) and remove any liability from this site and TypePad - is going to take a while to scrub the past 7 years of posts.
hmm.
Might be easier to just blow this up and start over - with filters. No linking to the harassers - no reference or promotion of their sites.
Just original 'paraphrasing'.
