Quote Originally Posted by Abriael View Post
SE told active customers that they were exclusively entitled to apply to the alpha
Then they made all FFXIV Account holders active.

In order to rally the greatest possible number of adventurers for the final reckoning, the game will be opened to all FINAL FANTASY XIV Service Account holders between Thursday, November 8, 2012, at 8:00 (GMT) and Sunday, November 11, 2012, at the same hour (GMT).
Explains to me why anyone with a FFXIV account was able to apply for the Alpha. If people with inactive accounts were applying before the 8th then that would be weird, but I haven't seen any evidence of that.

Doesn't bother me either way.