Buying technical support

[cf_code_warrior]

I have literally been trying to BUY technical support for Adobe CF9 for the past 2-3 days.

Between an impossible to navigate web site, to being transferred from departments in India to USA; first getting a tech who helped me through 90% (but failed the final step when we thought it was a licensing issue with Microsoft, it wasn't) on a no charge phone call.

Then call back for the 10% and told I had to pay ... FINE!

Pay whom, how much and for what?  Yet I cannot find anyone at Adobe who knows HOW to sell support either through web site, on the phone and eventually got transferred to CDW.  We are close to them and not even they knew what to sell us as we are not a Volume Licencing client.

I have never needed support before ... what I do realise is that if our production environement ever did fail, we are [expletive deleted] down for who knows how long.  This is insane.

Can someone guide this wallet to a link or phone number where I can BUY help?

The problem ... CF9.01 on Windows 7 64 bit ... SQL server 2005 SP3, cannot connect in CF admin panel.

Many thanks.

Robert

[tclaremont]

In over 10 years of CF programming and administration, not once have I needed AllaMacroDobe support for anything. The answers are easier to find, based on experience rather than theory, and a heck of a lot cheaper right here in the user forums.

Tell us exactly what issue you are having and lots of us are happy to try and help.

[cf_code_warrior]

Normally I'd agree but after posting here, I have had no luck ... no replies.

Than again, no offense, that wasn't the question! 

I simply cannot connect to SQL server 2005 SP3 on a laptop using CF9.01 admin panel running Windows 7 64 bit.

This is development, pre-production ... and we too have used this for 10+ years and never needed support!

Robert

[ilssac]

I presume you got to this page?

http://www.adobe.com/support/programs/

I don't know if you consider yourself an Enterprise

http://www.adobe.com/support/programs/enterprise/

Workgroup for small to medium businesses

http://www.adobe.com/support/programs/workgroup/

Individual

http://www.adobe.com/support/programs/individuals/

OR developer

http://www.adobe.com/support/programs/developer/

This is the information I am able to dig up through those links

Server products

Call 1-800-833-6687 to purchase single incident support for the following products.

• Adobe ColdFusion®
• Adobe Contribute® Publishing Server
• Adobe Flash® Media Server family
• Adobe FrameMaker Server
• Adobe JRun™
• Adobe PDF Generator
• Adobe RoboHelp® Server

I do not know if that is a different number then you used, or if you will get better results from it.  But supposedly that is what it is for according to the web page.

Trust me, I feel your pain.  You think it's ugly for an individual like you to wade these waters, try doing it from inside a Government agency that has its own entire layer of bureaucracy to pile on to this mess.  Took us over 6 months to get our support contract in place and working correctly with Adobe.

[cf_code_warrior]

Beleive me I tried ...

Click through tot the upper right ... buy support online and you get to

https://store1.adobe.com/cfusion/store/index.cfm?store=OLS-US&catType=SUPPORT#

and it's a screen void of material!

I'll try that number again ... not sure where in the maze I started last time!

[cf_code_warrior]

I called (again) the 1-800-833-6687 number.

The guy on the phone (in USA) remembered me from earlier!

Told me I had to go to CDW.

BOLLOCKS!

I have an email from CDW telling me they only sell volume licencing stuff, minimum $3,500.

So he said he could sell me a 5 pack incident support ... for $175.

But it was not for ColdFusion.  All other Adobe products.

Exasperated I bought it and ... thought (like he did) to see if these engineers he transferred me to would support CF.

I am on hold.

Again.

In another offshore s****shop.

Now in the wrong department again ... customer service.

Transferred again.

Explained problem ... not ColdFusion ... transferring ... cannot transfer ... give me new phone number.

Calling that number ...

You finally get through to music on hold ... after 12 minutes they force you to leave a message for a return call ...

Hours later ... try again ... nothing.

And I've still yet to talk to a tech!

Robert

[ilssac]

A doubt this is going to help you much, because I think this link will only be viable once you have some support deal in place, but maybe those 5 'tickets' you purchased count.

But I get access to the technical support through this link: Adobe - Customer Support Portal [https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/support/].  When I log in here with my Adobe account, I can start trouble tickets, review and submitt information on current tickets and otherwise interact with technicians without having to translate any thick accents.

[cf_code_warrior]

Well, finally, I did get technical support ... the sad part is that the process to find it is SO illogical and when you do finally stumble on it, you guard the method with pride!

The technician I spoke to solved the problem, we had spoken before and had an EXCELLENT rapport both phone calls, but he questioned me WHY I would pay for support ...

At least now I know who to call, when to call, how much ,etc.

[Adam Cameron.]

This was for your SQL Server 2k5 issue, yeah?

What was the problem / solution?

--

Adam

[cf_code_warrior]

To be perfectly candid with you ... having used CF since Version 1, but not doing an install but every

x years and just let it "purr"; you sometimes, excuse me, *I* sometimes forget the obvious.

It was user error on my part and so damn stupid, than when he enabled a remote session and asked me a question, I windexed off my glasses and sure enough, I had reversed two fields of information.

Stop laughing.

But now I have a new issue so am trying to get back in touch ... my CFADMIN panel of course comes up fine, but when I try our dev application folder I get the dreaded 404.3 which in the past has been solved using the Web server cofig tool but not this time. 

But I don't think this time I have done something THAT stupid again.

Think.:)

[ilssac]

I'm glad you finally got through to the correct person.  I've long enjoyed using several of Adobe's products, even before they became the masters of ColdFusion.  But I have never thought their Customer Support was anything but a nightmare!