If you backup, or host and share, your precious files with MediaMax you’ve probably just had their ‘pay up or else’ notice.
Basically, the email informs MediaMax account-holders of the “exciting news” about a new service called The Linkup. It may be “exciting news” to MediaMax, and parent company Streamload, but for thousands of free MediaMax account-holders it probably came as a bit of a shock.
The reason? Well, MediaMax is switching to a paid-for service and anyone currently not paying for their account (yeah, the free account offered by MediaMax and heavily promoted on their home page) is being urged to upgrade, and pay for the service, otherwise (quote) “…your account will be deleted and all your files will be lost.” (end quote)
Sounds more like a ransom note than “exciting news” to me!
Anyone who’s ever tried MediaMax for storing and sharing files online will know what a frustrating experience it was – appallingly slow and frequently inaccessible. Possibly the worst service of it’s kind that I’ve tried! Whether the new paid-for service at The Linkup will be any different remains to be seen but I, for one, won’t be bothering to find out.
The thing about the switch from a free to a paid-for service that concerns me is the way MediaMax are handling it. No doubt it says somewhere in their Terms that MediaMax can dump free accounts whenever they want but it’s a model not used by many other providers of free services online.
Most offer a free service, with restrictive conditions (limited filesize and bandwidth, on-page advertising etc), alongside paid-for options. But MediaMax aren’t offering a free account at The Linkup, not even as a goodwill gesture to existing account-holders, they’re simply asking free account-holders to upgrade to a paid account or have their files deleted.
I guess extortion would be too strong a word for it?
Anyway, having tried out MediaMax (and Streamload before that) and given up on it due to the unreliable service, I’m glad I’m not being coerced into paying for an account, having made a commitment (in time and effort) to the service.
So long MediaMax, and thanks for… er? Well, thanks for nothing actually!
BTW, at the time of writing, MediaMax are STILL offering the the free account on their home page – a free account that will cease to exist, along with any files you upload, on the 25th April. I guess they’re hoping to sucker in a few more punters before the switch!
Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives.
UPDATE (30 April)
It appears that MediaMax are having problems with the move (nothing new to MediaMax, they seem to have problems with just about everything – it’s what comes of promising way more than you can deliver). They’ve had to extend the deadline until 9th May, so those of you struggling to get your files before they’re deleted have got a bit of slack. And I’d place bets on them extending it again and again cos that’s the kind of unreliable service MediaMax customers have always had to put up with!
30/04/2008 at 23:46
Pretty much. I had about 25 gigs of files on Mediamax myself and was only able to get about a half of a gig downloaded. Details.
11/05/2008 at 01:08
Argh!! I’ve only had MediaMax for two weeks or so, and this had to happen… And I didn’t get a warning email either, so my files are lost and my blog now looks like a plucked chicken. I’ve mailed them asking for my files back, and I hope they give them to me, and god knows what I’m going to do if I don’t get them back.. Oh well, nice post…
11/05/2008 at 18:48
Screw their bait & switch tactics.
All I had at mediamax was fun stuff.
I’ll find another place to play.
They won’t be able to estort me because I had nothing there that I don’t still have saved as the originals I uploaded there.
Bye bye, con artistes.
BTW-If anyone knows of a free for personal use site, I’d appreciate hearing of it.
Thanks.