Microsoft: the authentic smell of failure

Jarrod Spiga:

This is not just a Microsoft issue - sure, WGA is an example of the guilty until proven innocent mentality that activation procedures force people to endure, but they aren't the only ones.

I remember Intuit being one of the worst offenders a few years ago - forcing users to fork out at least $5.00 in calling a 1900 number to reactivate software that wouldn't activate in the first place or needed to be reactivated for one reason or another. In my opinion, that's ransomware.

And then you have Starforce and other game "copy protection" mechanisms which infest yoru PC and occasionally prevent you from actually doing other things with yoru system.

The irony is that you aren't subjected to any of these restrictions with pirated software - and you save too. I'm not advocating the use of pirated software, but to pay for software these day seems a bit like paying to get someone to insert a pool cue in your proverbial...

And of course, the same applies to the music and film industries.

What's the solution? I don't know. The old idea of reducing the price of things so that people are less inclined to pirate is probably the best way, but no software/music/film vendor will ever do that.

Sadly, the only other choice is to use product activation - until we all get suckered in to using online apps. The next time you buy a WoW voucher, you might have to pick one up for Office too...

azi:

Some worthwhile points you made there Jarrod. Copying isn't unique to the software industry. If you're a content creator you don't want to be losing all that sweat and tears to creating something wonderful, then simply have someone take your work and use it without due credit.

I think there will always be cheapskates out there who will steal things no matter what you do. I think the trick is to put extra added value and 'cherishability' to a product so that people will want to pay money for it. For example, the experience of buying a Harry Potter novel and holding it in your hand whilst reading it is much more rewarding than reading it off a dodgy photocopy or a computer screen. A quality hand printed family portrait photo is going to be cherished more than some tiny 2-inch proof prints. I think cheapening the product will just remove the incentive for going out and buying the real thing.

Software? At the end of the day we aren't paying for ownership of it - just the rights to borrow it for a while (as per EULAs). Unfortunately it feels like borrowing a favourite toy from an overprotective brother who wants to make sure you won't scratch it.

Jordan Messenger:

I unfortunately chose Saturday to format my system, and still cannot update, as it was a fresh install, i am simply reformating but the way microsoft has handled this has been bad.

Brendan:

Heil Microsoft, lol.

Anonymuos:

I hope XP starts entering into Reduced Functionality Mode with XPSP3+WGA.

Reghart:

I'm no MS basher, on the contrary, I'm a Windows user, but I'm afraid if MS lets too many of these things happen, businesses will find another OS. If there's anything I've learned so far, if it doesn't work reliably, businesses won't deal with it. Such a happening is a long way off, I believe, but if MS keeps allowing irresponsible things like this happen, then they will lose money.

I've always felt the Genuine Advantage is a ridiculous measure against piracy anyway. I'm in the US, and I doubt that more than 20% of computer users are pirates...seems like a big waste of money to me, when 80%+ of the market are legitimate users, if I'm correct in that assumption.

Beanyama:

The world is a funny place. Despite all these Microsoft muck-ups, come two years time Vista will be on literally every PC in the world. I really have to give it up to MS.
This stuff is funny, unless your machine is flagged is illegal, of which mine hasn't beeen flagged as yet..

Kaiser:

While it is a fact that in 2 years most pcs will have vista, it should be noted that in 2 years every effort for WGA will have been cracked and people will browse the web with their hacked vista with no problem

bertilP:

I'm not surprized.
Windows is Windows, nothing is new under the moon.

Prefer Unix/Linux/Mac but where are all developers?

john195:

Its a windows world !

WGA:

I love the Windows Genuine Advantage it truly is an Advntage

dblack (New user):

ha~ even worse with the windows VISTA! those idiots! I called them today because i had bought vista ultimate. i needed help and they claim to give you 90 days of phone tech support free. i was mad because when i called i guess they ask you for your product ID number which is assigned to you as part of your activation when you activate windows vista (OS). basically i heard from the tech that microsoft gave HP a bunch of demos and real copies. their IT guys STOLE and copied and pasted the product keys with when recycled aparently they keys will give you a product ID number in your system but freakin microsft PRE-SCREENING SERVICE can't see this ID number when you give them the product KEY # which is supposed to pop up. so then i was tortured for 3 hours total to fix my problem that I called about. You cant go through to tech support until the indian and arabic WOMEN screen you first. they have to see if that ID will come up on their system and since HP stole the crap, it wont work. Basically it means you have only HALF of a product key working for your OS. and where is my damn refund???? Its bull, how they asked me to read them the WHOLE LABEL and the top and bottom halves of the DVD's of VISTA. total crap. asking you a billion questions, making you hold. More questions. When the stupid lady asked me since I DONT HAVE A WORKING PRODUCT ID numbers that comes up in her system, I should return to where i bought my product at. I told her i bought it yesterday at BEST BUY! She then said I cant see what kind of computer you have so what is it? I told her, I make all of my own PC's. can make an 8K PC with a monitor to rok for no more than 2500.00. Beat that! Then she said well since you made your OWN computer you can get support from the manufacot so go online and look up your problem OR go to BEST BUY and ask them to help you. What a bitch! She said when that happens, which is not my fault, they are no required to keep validating and therefore you just cant get any tech support over the phone. WTF ppl? This is how you treat paying customers and i get stuck with the bill??? Just think, i have 7 computers thats 6 more vistas I have to buy. WELL SCREW MICROSOFT! going to do what IBM did and go with www.xandros.com
why? they dont want vista.

FInally after hanging up on the moron who is taking american calls and cants speak the language good to understand you but good enough to send your butt into best buy to ask them to support me...... i called back again. SAME CRAP HAPPENED! and i was told it would happen every time because of the glitch that the product KEY NUMBER and the PRODUCT ID NUMBER dont like eachother and show up in a system. they treat you like if you stole the crap which she tried to say that I did. Basically in the nutshell, i am so pissed off with this cra and i am out my money but i guess there is nothing they can do. if you have suggestions, e-mail me at: danikablack@ymail.com with any resources of help you may have on this.

I am going to try and call best buy tomorrow to tell him about it and see is they can spare me another copy in exchange for this one. I cant believe a tech guy even tells me this happens up to 8 of 10 callers thanks to the corporations who ripped off microsoft who is turn is ripping off the consumers. if you are smart and have advice, email me. thanks. I am aparently unable to be GENUINE ENOUGH for my OS. But only HALF genuine and have to be subjected to their abuse time and time again. Just think, every time i call with this number, i will always have this problem. shouldnt they issue me another product key? of course not. Screw the hard working consumer. Forget upgrading to vista if you have XP.

dblack (New user):

ha~ even worse with the windows VISTA! those idiots! I called them today because i had bought vista ultimate. i needed help and they claim to give you 90 days of phone tech support free. i was mad because when i called i guess they ask you for your product ID number which is assigned to you as part of your activation when you activate windows vista (OS). basically i heard from the tech that microsoft gave HP a bunch of demos and real copies. their IT guys STOLE and copied and pasted the product keys with when recycled aparently they keys will give you a product ID number in your system but freakin microsft PRE-SCREENING SERVICE can't see this ID number when you give them the product KEY # which is supposed to pop up. so then i was tortured for 3 hours total to fix my problem that I called about. You cant go through to tech support until the indian and arabic WOMEN screen you first. they have to see if that ID will come up on their system and since HP stole the crap, it wont work. Basically it means you have only HALF of a product key working for your OS. and where is my damn refund???? Its bull, how they asked me to read them the WHOLE LABEL and the top and bottom halves of the DVD's of VISTA. total crap. asking you a billion questions, making you hold. More questions. When the stupid lady asked me since I DONT HAVE A WORKING PRODUCT ID numbers that comes up in her system, I should return to where i bought my product at. I told her i bought it yesterday at BEST BUY! She then said I cant see what kind of computer you have so what is it? I told her, I make all of my own PC's. can make an 8K PC with a monitor to rok for no more than 2500.00. Beat that! Then she said well since you made your OWN computer you can get support from the manufacot so go online and look up your problem OR go to BEST BUY and ask them to help you. What a cow! She said when that happens, which is not my fault, they are no required to keep validating and therefore you just cant get any tech support over the phone. WTF ppl? This is how you treat paying customers and i get stuck with the bill??? Just think, i have 7 computers thats 6 more vistas I have to buy. WELL SCREW MICROSOFT! going to do what IBM did and go with www.xandros.com
why? they dont want vista.

FInally after hanging up on the moron who is taking american calls and cants speak the language good to understand you but good enough to send your butt into best buy to ask them to support me...... i called back again. SAME CRAP HAPPENED! and i was told it would happen every time because of the glitch that the product KEY NUMBER and the PRODUCT ID NUMBER dont like eachother and show up in a system. they treat you like if you stole the crap which she tried to say that I did. Basically in the nutshell, i am so pissed off with this cra and i am out my money but i guess there is nothing they can do. if you have suggestions, e-mail me at: danikablack@ymail.com with any resources of help you may have on this.

I am going to try and call best buy tomorrow to tell him about it and see is they can spare me another copy in exchange for this one. I cant believe a tech guy even tells me this happens up to 8 of 10 callers thanks to the corporations who ripped off microsoft who is turn is ripping off the consumers. if you are smart and have advice, email me. thanks. I am aparently unable to be GENUINE ENOUGH for my OS. But only HALF genuine and have to be subjected to their abuse time and time again. Just think, every time i call with this number, i will always have this problem. shouldnt they issue me another product key? of course not. Screw the hard working consumer. Forget upgrading to vista if you have XP.