Microsoft Product Activation is LOL
I recently decided to downgrade my Windows laptop from Vista to XP. I was just tired of dumb Vista and its various amounts of retardation/slowness. So anyway, I have an old XP Pro license sitting around that was unused. The problem was that the disk that it came with was actual Windows XP Pro … no SP1, SP2, updates, etc. I would rather avoid updating the machine for two days, so I used another disc that was an XP Pro SP2 install disc.
Obviously, the XP Pro key doesn’t work with the XP Pro SP2 install, so I had to use another key just to get through the install phase, after which I planned on calling Microsoft Product Activation to explain my predicament and get my version of Windows activated. So I call M$ a few minutes ago and I get someone who is, obviously, Indian. Nothing against Indians, but the call centers over there are typically horrid and this one didn’t disappoint. These support people are scripted robots, not humans. Our conversation went something like this:
Me: “Hi I need to activate my license of Windows XP. I have an unused XP Pro license, but it didn’t work with the SP2 install disc, so I had to use another key. I’m hoping to be able to switch it now so my correct key is on record.”
Her: “How many times have you installed your copy of Windows?”
Me: “I am not sure — the key that I used to install Windows isn’t actually mine. I just did it so I could get through the install and call you guys with my unused XP Pro key.”
Her: “Sir, how many times have you installed this copy of Windows?”
Me: “I have no idea, but I haven’t ever used this XP Pro key that I have sitting in front of me.”
Her: “How many times has this copy of Windows been installed?”
Me: (started to get tilted) “Don’t you understand? I have no idea how many times it has been installed. I have a valid key though.”
Her: “In that case we cannot activate your license of Windows XP as it is against the terms of Microsoft’s license agreement. Goodbye.”
Me: “Wait! That isn’t okay. I have a valid Windows license sitting in front of me.”
Her: “Sir, you must tell me how many times this copy of Windows has been installed.”
Me: “Okay, it has been installed zero times.”
Her: “Thank you sir. Please type in this number.” (she then proceeds to give me the information that I need)
I was dumbfounded after I got off the phone. I mean, is it really that simple? Microsoft is utterly retarded. There I was trying to be honest and it nearly got me kicked off the line. Then I simply lie and they let me right through. What a retarded system. It makes me wonder why I even bother jumping through their hoops? It makes me want to become a full-time Ubuntu user — which, by the way, I’ve been playing around with lately and I really like. The main thing holding me back from Ubuntu is the lack of (simple) RoboForm functionality in Firefox. I’m sure there’s some complicated way for me to do it with Wine or whatever, but it’s too goddamn complicated to bother with.
Also, for those if you wondering why I don’t use a Corporate or cracked version of Windows, it’s because a) I have a valid license already that has never been used and b) I don’t like to worry about running a pirated copy of Windows because of Windows Update problems down the line. I’d like to put SP3 on the computer along with any other updates, so running a valid copy makes for less headaches down the road.
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Comments
Daniel,
I wasn’t so concerned about poker clients. For the most part, I can actually get by without a lot of them working perfectly. I also have other machines that I can use for when I do need to get onto them.
RoboForm is the real problem for me. KeePassX is good for remembering passwords, but the reason I like RoboForm so much is the browser integration along with the Goto+Fill+Submit functionality. I can just click on passcards, be taken to the site and logged in. It’s so much easier than even something like 1Password, which I use on my Mac computers. It’s too invaluable to my daily routine for me to use a non-RoboForm solution on a regular basis… 
hey nat,
Casual reader of your blog. I’m a regular Ubuntu user, and an avid poker player/fan. While I agree Ubuntu is absolutely fucking fantastic, I just wanted to share some issues in compatibility I’ve found when using it for online poker. The latest version of wine is not compatible with the latest version of http://FTP. Its really a bummer, as it was working perfectly until they released the bet scrolling enhancements. Now it just freezes up constantly. Also, poker tracker and wine don’t get along at all. Though, I haven’t tried in months, I remember it was giving me PgSQL issues. You could probably make it work with a bunch of command line nonsense and installing PostgreSQL separately, etc, but its quite a hassle I’m sure. Pokerstars works *fine* except you can’t resize the tables manually.
As for your complaint about Roboform, I hear that KeepassX is a solid substitution.
Anyway, don’t let that sway you. Ubuntu is amazing. If you haven’t checked out the advanced desktop compiz features, I highly suggest you do. They are pretty damn neat.
- Daniel