I think it is very unfair to say the new system is 'flawed' because you could not join the GB because the internet was down. I understand your personal frustration you missed out but you cannot solely blame the new GB system?
Look at the wider picture here. The new GB system was put in place simply because too many members here put their names down and did not pay the invoices. Karel has dozens of unpaid copies amounting to several thousand pounds, dollars, euros. So to prevent this from happening everyone has now paid upfront. Therefore Karel has no unpaid copies to worry about. On top of that it saves A LOT of work to keep invoice members, check who's paid, and keep chasing who hasn't paid. All that does one thing, slows the GB host down which in effect slows the dispatch for us to receive these.
Just say you had no internet access for say a week on the old GB system, you still wouldn't be able to stick your name down anyway. Are you going to point the finger at HDN and say that there should be staggered GB's? Perhaps vent your personal frustration at your network provider. But to say the system was flawed because you couldn't get a copy is more of personal frustration than HDN's problem. I personally think this is a great system put in place. Also with payment out the way I don't need to worry on invoice date.
In relation to 'preferred regular' members, there are five editions to choose from! It's not like you can't find a copy, you just didn't get the one you wanted and have to find an alternative.
No system will ever be 100% perfect. But the benefits for this outweigh the negatives.
And no I didn't join the GB. I knew E1 would be highly anticipated so made arrangements to source this elsewhere and give someone else a chance to have my copy.
You never know, another one might be floating around somewhere. Yesterday one popped up and it was nabbed straight away. Good luck
Edit - Just saw your reply
@cooey beat me to it!
) and e-mail sent.
