Id like to share with you a short story...
Picture it, its Sunday afternoon, its dark, i get home from a weekend away. I fire up the pc in the loungeroom to play some Mp3's whilst the missus and I unpack and begin to tidy up.
Alas, XP, which was running fine for the last 5months, decided that "It cannot verify the activiation status" and would not let me log on... I proceeded to the re-activation page knowing that the Open License Program the company I work has, covers me for having Windows XP Pro in use at home once.. (they have 5 licenses for "senior staff to have a workstation at home")
Bzzz the MS web would not let me register... so I pickup the phone, and follow the prompts...
Bzzzz the phone system wouldn't give me a key... so Im on to the operator....
At this point, I wonderd if Microsoft actually would have anyone sitting around registering MS products on a Sunday evening...
The line goes quite, then obviously I've been transferred to MS America... and what a joy it was to be on the phone to someone not even in my own country...
For the next 10minutes, i was interigated as to why the Copy of Windows XP has been registerd 8times. I said this was because it was a 5 user license, and I originally had a laptop, but it got stolen from Work, so I got given a PC to do work at home. I also explained that another guys laptop was also stolen from work, and hence the 8 registrations of the 5 user open license...
You'd think at this point... having explained myself, when i really think i shouldn't have, id be given the bloody key... alas access was denied.
She told me that she wasn't able to give me a key, and I would have to ring MS Aus during "Sydney Australia normal business hours".
I said "No, sorry, I need to log in to my computer here tonight and do some work for tomorrow, I also need to log in to my internet banking"
She said, you can do that tomorrow, after you ring microsoft...
"So i can't use my computer until tomorrow"
She then interigates me further, declaring that I must have installed some new hardware, changed the configuration of the machine or re-installed windows...
"No, none of the above, the same pc for the last 5 months, been working fine, i need to get access to my files"
She said I would have to hold for at least 15mins to speak to her supervisor, and she assured me that the supervisor would not give me a key....
Now at what (*&#@ point did microsoft take over your pc ? I mean seriously, my boss paid $700 each license for Windows XP Pro and yet im unable to use my computer, and the license purchased for me, cause the O/S packed it in ?
Some 30mins later, i've installed Windows 2000, and restored my files from Thursday nights backup tape... some what pissed off at the whole debarcle...
Its gone to far... all the pirates can use the "winxp 2600 no activation.iso" and not have a problem, yet the only people going legit get ****ed over.
This is worse then the new gun control laws... all the law abiding citizens turned over their trusty side arms, yet all the criminal's would have buried their fire-arms for future use...
So the moral of the story is.... do the right and get the arse... do the wrong thing and live on easy street....
