I recently bought a video card from them. They were VERY reachable via email. They answered each of the couple of emails I sent and very promptly. And what I was asking was just checking in on shipping as I'm in the U.S.
As to email vs. fax. Businesses should scan their SPAM folders every couple of days and the chances should be low of not answering all customer queries, even if it takes extra time due to it accidently getting sorted as SPAM. If they have no anti-spam solution and their ibox directly is such a mess they shouldn't be in the computer business. Maybe try making a gmail or hotmail account to try emailing from a different address.
While you shouldn't have to fax its probably best to do that before taking it to a forum. You aren't ordering a new DVD from Amazon. You are ordering an antique PCB from a specialty dealer which we are lucky we have them around ultimately. The fact that you need to be doing business with a firm in Germany in the first place shows the current state of the hobby. A little more effort as a customer from time to time is unavoidable unfortunately given that.
You altered the contents of the board. Whats to say you didn't fry the board with a static discharge pulling the ROMS off? What exactly should they do for you with the ROMless board at this point anyway?
