One thing that people usualy don't realise is the amount of details that are needed in order to put some system working, like LJ or any other complex system, for instance.
Ok, I've setup LJ once and I know the number of details that must be taken into account.
I've been managing the mail servers here for a number of years and I do know the number of details that can arrise from it.
I've been dealing with the problems of users who don't know how the system work nor want to know.
That simply attach large winword, excel, powerpoint, mpgs and even all sort of executable code without even trying to copress it so it would be transfered faster and more efficientelly.
Users that do insist into open all attachments they receive even when they are executable code and they don't kow were it came from.
I see it in the number of virus that I've been blocking at the mail server.
So I don't complain when a system don't work. I try to see why it doesn't.
Although some times it it time comsuming and requires a lot of effort....
But is fun to learn.
Well, back to work....
But I do understand both sides.... Probably because I do know the technical issues that oftenly arrise from complex systems.
And the fact is that the paying users in LJ are less than the non paying, so even with separated servers for paying and non paying users, there are still some common parts where a problem can affect both, I think (in the Master Data Base server, for example)...
Personally I do prefer people explaining the reasons for the failures than just what so many technical and support departments do, where they just acknoledge the complain but don't explain nothing.
I must add that I'm not speaking just for LJ or defending the way things are done.
I'm just saying I understand the issues involved, as I have my own quota of support work in what I do daily...