Tomas Peceny, Czech Republic

OYS responds:

We e-mailed Winamp's customer support, using the form on its FAQ page, but like Peceny, we received delivery failure messages. Fortunately, Winamp's had a recent thread about invalid registration keys.

After many customers had posted complaints about not being able to reach customer service, a moderator finally provided a functional e-mail address: winamppro-support@listserv.sup.aol.com. As long as you provide proof of your purchase, such as a credit card bill or the confirmation e-mail, Winamp will issue a new registration key. Peceny was able to get a working registration key promptly.

Vendors, we have found, are more likely to update information in forums than in their FAQs. Also, you'll have better luck getting a response on a forum, whether from a moderator or a fellow customer, than by sending a generic customer service form (especially a broken one). Before posting a question, though, search for existing threads on your issue-otherwise, you'll probably be ignored (or flamed).