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Old 17 Jan 2017, 08:04 PM   #11
BritTim
The "e" in e-mail
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: mostly in Thailand
Posts: 3,084
Quote:
Originally Posted by n5bb View Post
I suggest you read the Fastmail Terms of Service (in Help) before getting too excited. Be sure to read sections 6, 7, 8, and 11.

Some people have gotten into the habit of inventing a "lifetime" subscription account. There never was such an account. There was no Guest (free of charge) account at the time when Member accounts started about 15 years ago. Fastmail created a "Member" account with a one-time fee so new users could try out an account before getting a Full or Enhanced account. These accounts didn't expire at the end of a year, so there was plenty of time for Member accounts to consider an upgrade to a yearly subscription account. There was no specific expiration date, but no guarantee of the account lasting for a lifetime. See my post about this (nearly four years ago):
http://www.emaildiscussions.com/show...51&postcount=9

Bill
Bill, I think much of the motivation for the Member account was to encourage sign-ups by those who might upgrade later. However, it was clearly understood at the time the Member accounts were introduced that "one-time payment" meant "lifetime" Fastmail subsequently regretted providing Member accounts, but they did offer them. Whatever the terms and conditions say today does not change the implied terms under which the accounts were offered at the time.

As you say, Fastmail considered and rejected extending one-time payment to Full and Enhanced accounts. The main thread discussing this is instructive:
Quote:
Originally Posted by msulloway View Post
Yet you do with the member account - which I have purchased for myself & other family members. There is as much risk on the user side as the provider with any lifetime account. I am also pleased you allow one-time purchases of additional email space which allows the account to grow & does provide additional income to your firm.

Lifetime plans appeal to people like myself - which is why I purchased an ASO lifetime hosting acount.
Quote:
Originally Posted by robmueller View Post
True, we have done that with the member account, and not made any changes to it over it's life.

The actual original motivation for the Member account was as a stepping stone way to get people to pay for an email service. Yep, when we started the concept of paying for something on the Internet was still a bit radical I'd say
...
Rob
Source: http://www.emaildiscussions.com/showthread.php?t=42971

I sympathize with Fastmail on this, and think the old Member accounts are quite impractical for any current real email use. I cannot really imagine why anyone feels strongly about keeping such an account. However, Fastmail may be on shaky legal grounds here if a few people want to be bloody-minded.
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