Software support - am I losing my mind?

[Darwin]

OK, I need a sanity check here. Below is the text of an open support dialog that I have started with tech support for a well-known password manager. I'm going to let the text speak for itself (note: it is in reverse order - my original message appears at the end)...

You wrote (2010/01/28 04:25 pm EST) 

Yes, the CAPS lock is off, as noted in my original message. To summarize:

1. Passwords are rejected when typed into the Master password field using either of the physical keyboards available to me.
2. I have confirmed that both keyboards DO work AND that I can type in the Master Password field)..
3. Caps are not turned on
4. Passwords entered via virutal keyboard ARE accepted.

******replied (2010/01/28 04:06 pm EST)  

Thank you for your message.
Please make sure that Caps lock is off. The Password is case sensitive.

You wrote (2010/01/28 03:11 pm EST)

Yes! I am aware of the button to the right of the password field and its use for toggling the virtual keyboard on and off. Enabling/disabling the virtual keyboard is not an issue. The issue is that ******* will not accept passwords entered using a physical (ie REAL) keyboard.

****** replied (2010/01/28 01:52 pm EST) 

Thank you for your message.
You can toggle on or off by clicking the button to the right of the field where the master password is entered.

You wrote (2010/01/28 01:43 pm EST)

Thank you for your reply,******. However, I am not clear on what you are trying to tell me! I am using the virtual keyboard now but would like to use a real keyboard, which is how I have entered the master password for the past 7 or 8 years.

I had also meant to ask if this is a known bug/conflict/issue? If it is, fine, if not I can keep troubleshooting it from my end.

Cheers,

Mike

****** replied (2010/01/28 11:32 am EST)

Thank you for your message.

KEYBOARD:

This is called the "Virtual Keyboard" which you can toggle by clicking the button to the right of the field where the master password is entered.

You wrote (2010/01/28 10:52 am EST) 

After upgrading to 6.9.98 AND patchined IE8 this week on a system running Windows 7 64-bit, I am no longer able to enter my Master password successfully via the physical keyboard - I have to use the virtual one. Caps are NOT locked and I have tried two different keyboards (one wireless with fresh batteries and the other the built-in notebook keyboard). In other respects, the keyboards work flawlessly. If I try to enter my password via a physical keyboard, ******* tells me that the password entered cannot open *******. If I keep trying, after the fifth or sixth attempt it will work; I find it quicker to simply use the virtual keyboard.

EDIT: cleaned up the quote formatting (?)

[Darwin]

And here is the latest reply:

Thank you for your message.
Please verify that all keys on the key board are working properly. this can also cause wrong master password to be entered.

OMG

[mwb1100]

I think their tech support department is staffed by Eliza.

I think that the next response you'll get from them is:

Can you elaborate on that?

[Darwin]

Thanks, mwb110 - I'd not heard of ELIZA before, but that gave me a good laugh!

[wraith808]

Ummm... time for a new password manager?  

[f0dder]

Time to see if you can reach somebody else in the company, and tell them that they've lost a customer because they've outsourced support to India?

[Stoic Joker]

Are you losing your mind? No. But I suspect that you soon will if you keep trying to get through that (Tier 1) front line "Tech Support" ruse. Obviously mwb1100 is on to something as the responses are way to "mechanical" to be an actual person (Nobody is that   ing thick).

I'd scour their website for a phone number and get a real live breathing person on the phone.

[cranioscopical]

Thank you for your message.

Passwords beginning with 'F' and ending in 'you' are no longer allowed in version 6.9.98.

[Target]

Passwords beginning with 'F' and ending in 'you' are no longer allowed in version 6.9.98.

please ensure your capslock is set to off

[PhilB66]

Replace the keyboard 

[parkint]

Call us with your password and we will enter if for you with our Virtual Administrator Keyboard.

[tinjaw]

Wow! Over the past week I have been migrating from ******** to LastPass. This is one more reason to make me feel better about my decisioin to do so. I'm glad you have more patience than I. I would have used lots of profanity and uninstalled the software by now.

[4wd]

Your last message should have been your first, (along with the added points that all your hardware is in verified working order and the OS version).

You gave them a far too complicated message in the beginning plus you could have just cut'n'paste your first message into all their subsequent responses

[mwb1100]

the responses are way to "mechanical" to be an actual person

I'm sure that the reality is that they have a canned set of answers (probably in something like Direct Access or PhraseExpress - let's see if those keywords cause a minor flamewar sidebar here...), which combined with zero desire to actually understand what's going on results in one of several canned responses.  Then again, that's pretty much what the ELIZA program does.  So we've come full circle on AI - humans acting like computer programs. I think I have a PhD thesis somewhere in there.

This is probably not helped much by the fact (and I'm completely making up the assertion that this is a fact) that 93% of their support requests are due to the user having CAPS LOCK on.

[ljbirns]

I have had experiences with both HP and Microsoft in which I would swear the tech support people did not read the e-mails  that I sent.  They just send a response that has little or no bearing on the problem that I first brought up. 
To my e-mail  # 1                  send response  #  1
To my second e-mail                Send response # 2      and so on ad nuaseum

No need to actually read my e-mails

Your call is very important to us .............

[lanux128]

ironic.. "Why I'd rather be punched in the testicles than call customer service" by The Oatmeal.

[attach=#]
• http://theoatmeal.com/comics/customer_service

P.S. credits to zaine for introducing this comic.

[f0dder]

Darwin, I wonder if your or anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?

[Target]

Darwin, I wonder if your or anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?

Darwin

Good News!!  looks like your inquiry been escalated to management

[tinjaw]

Darwin

Good News!!  looks like your inquiry been escalated to management

ROTFL 

[KynloStephen66515]

haha, had the same experience today while inquiring about a dedicated server, they might as well of said 'Computer says no' to each of my questions.

Promptly gave up and looked elsewhere haha

[Darwin]

I've been contacted by someone else from support and she seems to be listening! At the very least, she's ask for clarification about the circumstances in which the problem manifests itself. I have high hopes...

[J-Mac]

This is why I switched to LastPass last year, and that after trying several other alternatives for over a year prior to that. After purchasing a total of four licenses from R******m starting back when they first appeared their support steadily dropped in quality. I only contacted them maybe four or five times in several years. The first few were decent; the last several contacts were similar to Darwin's.

LastPass is not without its own shortcomings, but it is working much better than the other brand. Particularly with Firefox releases, which the other guys usually catch up with after a few months each release.

Jim

[f0dder]

Why do you guys keep blanking out the product name? Seems pretty relevant to me...

[J-Mac]

Why do you guys keep blanking out the product name? Seems pretty relevant to me...

I don’t know - Darwin's first post started it. And like a good little sheep I guess I followed suit.

Probably because Darwin's a weeny! (Makes me a weeny follower). 

Jim

[joby_toss]

Call us with your password and we will enter if for you with our Virtual Administrator Keyboard.

This one ... I just can't stop laughing !