I think I saw them (FSDT) request the order number prior to helping users. Perhaps to verify validity of the user/product.
We *never* asked anyone to prove being a customer, for the following reasons:
- We don't have to restrict forum access to customers only, as a form of protection, since our own software protection works very well...other developers might restrict from forum support (because they don't have any means to stop piracy), but not us.
- We are glad to help POTENTIAL customers too, because our products are all available in Trial version so, everyone has every right to report a problem without having to prove himself being a customer, simply because he's using the Trial, and a Trial user has exactly the same right to be supported as a regular user.
So no, we don't ask any proof of ownership before giving support.
The ONLY time we would ever ask to someone to provide his Order Number, is when the issue IS related to the order itself, like a problem with the activation for example but, of course, it should always be a PRIVATE (Email or PM) exchange, never in public.