I just tried to use CrossLoop to help out my sister. I instructed her to go to the website to download and install the software to her PC. But CrossLoop is dead.
To support our rapidly growing AVG CloudCare offering, AVG Technologies in 2012 acquired some of CrossLoop’s assets, including the service provided at the www.crossloop.com website. AVG has made the business decision to no longer provide the remote support and management tools available through the CrossLoop website.
Effective today, January 31, 2014, the CrossLoop website at www.crossloop.com and related products and services are no longer available (pursuant to the terms of use available at http://www.crossloop.../termsofservice.html). This announcement applies to any and all versions of the product, including paid and free releases. It will no longer be possible to register for a user account, or purchase or access the CrossLoop website, services or products.
AVG is providing a full refund on valid, active subscriptions. If you feel you are entitled to a refund but have not received one by February 28, 2014, please notify us at [email protected].
If you wish to contact us directly with regards to your account, or for any other questions, please contact us at [email protected].
We thank you for being a customer.
I guess I can uninstall it now. . .
-Deozaan
...
It's not so much that as how it's now only available bundled in (AVG makes pains to say it's included free) with a bunch of AVG cloud services you probably won't want. If they merely wanted to make it 'pay-only' that wouldn't have been a problem. They could have moved the old subscription base over and continued without anyone minding -or- announced there wouldn't be any renewals and served out the subscription periods. Instead they've elected to be disruptive by immediately shutting down the service and only offering refunds to current subscribers.
Nope! This is pure carrot and stick. You want CrossLoop? Well it's not for sale. But...if you want to subscribe to a pile of AVG things you may not want (or are getting from other suppliers) you can magically get CrossLoop for "free."
It's the old 'bundle blackmail,' (aka dog-in-the-hayloft) marketing strategy at work here.
Like I said: jive move AVG... 
(Can anybody tell I'm really pissed about this? 
)
-40hz
((Apologies if I mucked up the quotes))
I'm "pissed from afar", as a moderately informed bystander.
Somewhere about here is my comment about the true volatility of software, across the entire industry.
Company A produces software, and even escapes the whole free-vs-paid trap and convinces you to pay for their program. (Only some five programs ever passed that bar for me.)
Company Sauron-Clone8 "Purchases some of the assets including ____, which includes The-Program&Service-you-liked, for (usual biz fake reasons)."
Company A's stuff becomes "no longer available". Company Sauron-Clone8 "offers refunds" blah blah blah.
No. Here's why.
Specifically/Especially the "Lifetime License" is the one at risk.
Because a Business in 2002 is doing just fine, did its math right and can afford the license, and off it goes. So you look hard, it all checks out, and you buy a Lifetime License in 2003.
That small company A has no idea that in 2011 Sauron_Clone8 will buy them out to shut them down, just because some 3/4 executive manager decided that was an action item to do.
This brings up a grand meta-topic: Are any DC'ers registered attorneys? To me this feels like it begins to have legal implications, even if we don't stand to gain much. If Company A sells "Lifetime Licenses" "In Good Faith" and all that, and Company Sauron_Clone8 decides to "buy selected assets", how are they escaping the contractual obligations to provide the services?!
Bonus: "Some assets". Forgive the clunky wording based on my old program from work, but what is "Assets +ConditionAdd AssetsNotBought"? Can we "utilize" those NotBought Assets? : )
