I am SO SICK AND TIRED of calling Microsoft on the telephone to
reactivate every goddamn time I change my motherboard!!!

They are the *only* software company I know of which requires hardware
enthusiasts who change hardware regularly to constantly call them and
read off strings of numbers whenever there is a significant hardware
change. It is *SO* *FREAKING* *ARROGANT*!! I own hundreds of software
titles - they are the *only one* that makes me do this.

What makes it so bad is that installing new hardware can sometimes be
a *very* frustrating experience, especially if you get a bad board or
RAM. Once you get to this screen, you may have been pulling your hair
out for hours, and you just want to scream when you see you have to
call them.

To add insult to injury, their automated system was all screwed up
today, and the automated voice kept dropping out and wouldnt respond
to input, so I had to get forwarded to a human.

I have no problem whatsoever with them incorporating antipiracy, but I
have *lots* of software with antipiracy techniques, and NONE of them
are this obnoxious.

What really annoys me is that all I have to do is tell them that I am
installing a new motherboard and I dont have it on multiple computers
- and they are like 'ok!'.

If thats OK, then how about just putting a radio button thats says 'I
installed some new hardware and am only running this on one computer -
leave me alone!' and save us both a lot of trouble!!!

GAAHHH!@!!
</rant>

>-----Original Message-----
>I am SO SICK AND TIRED of calling Microsoft on the
telephone to
>reactivate every goddamn time I change my motherboard!!!
>
>They are the *only* software company I know of which
requires hardware
>enthusiasts who change hardware regularly to constantly
call them and
>read off strings of numbers whenever there is a
significant hardware
>change. It is *SO* *FREAKING* *ARROGANT*!! I own hundreds
of software
>titles - they are the *only one* that makes me do this.
>
>What makes it so bad is that installing new hardware can
sometimes be
>a *very* frustrating experience, especially if you get a
bad board or
>RAM. Once you get to this screen, you may have been
pulling your hair
>out for hours, and you just want to scream when you see
you have to
>call them.
>
>To add insult to injury, their automated system was all
screwed up
>today, and the automated voice kept dropping out and
wouldnt respond
>to input, so I had to get forwarded to a human.
>
>I have no problem whatsoever with them incorporating
antipiracy, but I
>have *lots* of software with antipiracy techniques, and
NONE of them
>are this obnoxious.
>
>What really annoys me is that all I have to do is tell
them that I am
>installing a new motherboard and I dont have it on
multiple computers
>- and they are like 'ok!'.
>
>If thats OK, then how about just putting a radio button
thats says 'I
>installed some new hardware and am only running this on
one computer -
>leave me alone!' and save us both a lot of trouble!!!
>
>GAAHHH!@!!
></rant>
>.

"Hardware enthusiasts"?? You sure make it sound like a
lovely and relaxing avocation. You need to understand that
your frustration is a result of your neurosis, and not
the fault of a large corporation that's out to get you.
Yes, activation is a PITA, and it serves mainly to obstruct
honest users, but you need to get a grip and stop looking
for trouble. Why not try knitting?

well thats not right you should not have to do this if the
screen come up again to call microsoft try control alt
delete and stop the program.they have no legal right to
know whats on your computer other than windows,thats why
motherboard makers provide microsoft with drivers etc...
>-----Original Message-----
>I am SO SICK AND TIRED of calling Microsoft on the
telephone to
>reactivate every goddamn time I change my motherboard!!!
>
>They are the *only* software company I know of which
requires hardware
>enthusiasts who change hardware regularly to constantly
call them and
>read off strings of numbers whenever there is a
significant hardware
>change. It is *SO* *FREAKING* *ARROGANT*!! I own hundreds
of software
>titles - they are the *only one* that makes me do this.
>
>What makes it so bad is that installing new hardware can
sometimes be
>a *very* frustrating experience, especially if you get a
bad board or
>RAM. Once you get to this screen, you may have been
pulling your hair
>out for hours, and you just want to scream when you see
you have to
>call them.
>
>To add insult to injury, their automated system was all
screwed up
>today, and the automated voice kept dropping out and
wouldnt respond
>to input, so I had to get forwarded to a human.
>
>I have no problem whatsoever with them incorporating
antipiracy, but I
>have *lots* of software with antipiracy techniques, and
NONE of them
>are this obnoxious.
>
>What really annoys me is that all I have to do is tell
them that I am
>installing a new motherboard and I dont have it on
multiple computers
>- and they are like 'ok!'.
>
>If thats OK, then how about just putting a radio button
thats says 'I
>installed some new hardware and am only running this on
one computer -
>leave me alone!' and save us both a lot of trouble!!!
>
>GAAHHH!@!!
></rant>
>.
>

That has absolutely nothing to do with why drivers are provided to
Microsoft.
Drivers are provided to Microsoft by the manufacturers if the
manufacturer desires to have their driver certified.
There is no requirement for certification.

Microsoft does not know or care about your hardware specifications.
Stopping activation as you suggest does nothing more than prevent
Windows from being used.
You should read this to get your facts straight about activation:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/


"dave" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:0ef701c47b29$fa948710$(E-Mail Removed)...
> well thats not right you should not have to do this if the
> screen come up again to call microsoft try control alt
> delete and stop the program.they have no legal right to
> know whats on your computer other than windows,thats why
> motherboard makers provide microsoft with drivers etc...
> >-----Original Message-----
> >I am SO SICK AND TIRED of calling Microsoft on the
> telephone to
> >reactivate every goddamn time I change my motherboard!!!
> >
> >They are the *only* software company I know of which
> requires hardware
> >enthusiasts who change hardware regularly to constantly
> call them and
> >read off strings of numbers whenever there is a
> significant hardware
> >change. It is *SO* *FREAKING* *ARROGANT*!! I own hundreds
> of software
> >titles - they are the *only one* that makes me do this.
> >
> >What makes it so bad is that installing new hardware can
> sometimes be
> >a *very* frustrating experience, especially if you get a
> bad board or
> >RAM. Once you get to this screen, you may have been
> pulling your hair
> >out for hours, and you just want to scream when you see
> you have to
> >call them.
> >
> >To add insult to injury, their automated system was all
> screwed up
> >today, and the automated voice kept dropping out and
> wouldnt respond
> >to input, so I had to get forwarded to a human.
> >
> >I have no problem whatsoever with them incorporating
> antipiracy, but I
> >have *lots* of software with antipiracy techniques, and
> NONE of them
> >are this obnoxious.
> >
> >What really annoys me is that all I have to do is tell
> them that I am
> >installing a new motherboard and I dont have it on
> multiple computers
> >- and they are like 'ok!'.
> >
> >If thats OK, then how about just putting a radio button
> thats says 'I
> >installed some new hardware and am only running this on
> one computer -
> >leave me alone!' and save us both a lot of trouble!!!
> >
> >GAAHHH!@!!
> ></rant>
> >.
> >

Greetings --

Replacing a non-defective motherboard more frequently than every 4
months is not "hardware enthusiasm." It's just plain silly.
Particularly since you know in advance that activation will be
requires - you're just deliberately asking for trouble and looking for
an excuse to whine. I've no sympathy. Perhaps you'd prefer one of
these other common means of software copy-protection:

1) The hardware dongles that must be attached to the parallel port to
enable an application to work?

2) Faxing a document signed by a company officer certifying the
number of installations before being sent a code to enable the
software?

3) Performing the application installations at bizarre hours of the
night because you have to call another time-zone during the
installation in order to obtain the necessary registration code from a
company representative?


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH


"Seth Brundle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I am SO SICK AND TIRED of calling Microsoft on the telephone to
> reactivate every goddamn time I change my motherboard!!!
>
> They are the *only* software company I know of which requires
hardware
> enthusiasts who change hardware regularly to constantly call them
and
> read off strings of numbers whenever there is a significant hardware
> change. It is *SO* *FREAKING* *ARROGANT*!! I own hundreds of
software
> titles - they are the *only one* that makes me do this.
>
> What makes it so bad is that installing new hardware can sometimes
be
> a *very* frustrating experience, especially if you get a bad board
or
> RAM. Once you get to this screen, you may have been pulling your
hair
> out for hours, and you just want to scream when you see you have to
> call them.
>
> To add insult to injury, their automated system was all screwed up
> today, and the automated voice kept dropping out and wouldnt respond
> to input, so I had to get forwarded to a human.
>
> I have no problem whatsoever with them incorporating antipiracy, but
I
> have *lots* of software with antipiracy techniques, and NONE of them
> are this obnoxious.
>
> What really annoys me is that all I have to do is tell them that I
am
> installing a new motherboard and I dont have it on multiple
computers
> - and they are like 'ok!'.
>
> If thats OK, then how about just putting a radio button thats says
'I
> installed some new hardware and am only running this on one
computer -
> leave me alone!' and save us both a lot of trouble!!!
>
> GAAHHH!@!!
> </rant>

I'm afraid I don't believe this rant. I think it's just another Microsoft
basherlooking for an excuse to bash, but one who obviously has not really
done what he claims he's done.

I just upgraded my daughter's computer (took the poor kid out of the Bronze
Age and into the Hot Sh*t Age) It required the motherboard, processor, and a
gig of new memory. I read up on the horror story that I expected to go
through, which is how her computer would now fail the 'voting' procedure that
decides whether the machine is a completely different one. And that I'd be
given a fifty character number which I would have to recite to Microsoft over
the phone. I wasn't looking forward to it, but I'm an honest person and I
understand why it's neccessary.

Lo and Behold, I never read the most important part...you only have to do
that if you buy a computer with XP pre-loaded, and you have THEIR disk and
not the XP disk. We have three computers in our house, and we each have our
own XP Home Full disk. After I rebuilt her computer, I reformated her
primary hard drive, reinstalled XP, and reactivated it over the net in about
fifteen seconds. I was quite a happy camper.

Since I've actually done what I claimed, I know what I'm talking about,
which is why I seriously doubt that this guy does.

Steve

"Seth Brundle" wrote:

> I am SO SICK AND TIRED of calling Microsoft on the telephone to
> reactivate every goddamn time I change my motherboard!!!
>
> They are the *only* software company I know of which requires hardware
> enthusiasts who change hardware regularly to constantly call them and
> read off strings of numbers whenever there is a significant hardware
> change. It is *SO* *FREAKING* *ARROGANT*!! I own hundreds of software
> titles - they are the *only one* that makes me do this.
>
> What makes it so bad is that installing new hardware can sometimes be
> a *very* frustrating experience, especially if you get a bad board or
> RAM. Once you get to this screen, you may have been pulling your hair
> out for hours, and you just want to scream when you see you have to
> call them.
>
> To add insult to injury, their automated system was all screwed up
> today, and the automated voice kept dropping out and wouldnt respond
> to input, so I had to get forwarded to a human.
>
> I have no problem whatsoever with them incorporating antipiracy, but I
> have *lots* of software with antipiracy techniques, and NONE of them
> are this obnoxious.
>
> What really annoys me is that all I have to do is tell them that I am
> installing a new motherboard and I dont have it on multiple computers
> - and they are like 'ok!'.
>
> If thats OK, then how about just putting a radio button thats says 'I
> installed some new hardware and am only running this on one computer -
> leave me alone!' and save us both a lot of trouble!!!
>
> GAAHHH!@!!
> </rant>
>

> Replacing a non-defective motherboard more frequently than every 4
> months is not "hardware enthusiasm." It's just plain silly.

Thats your opinion. I can do whatever I want to do with my computers,
and I choose to upgrade frequently - no one gets to tell me what is
'silly'. Recently I upgraded my dual-boot system to AMD64 because Suse
can run 64-bit software, which I required to port my Linux software
projects so my users with AMD64 can compile and make use of the
extensions, but I dont need an excuse that good to upgrade any time I
choose. Thats my business, not M$'s

> Particularly since you know in advance that activation will be
> requires - you're just deliberately asking for trouble and looking for
> an excuse to whine. I've no sympathy.

No, its just that if I have decided I want new hardware, Im not going
to let Microsoft stop me from doing it just because its the one piece
of software on 16 of my workstations and servers which makes me call
them, like a friggin parent, to get their permission.

Let me ask you this - how would you like it if *every* piece of
software you own worked exactly like WPA? Doesnt scale very well, does
it? I would have been on the phone with over 25 companies every time I
make a significant hardware change. What is so special about Microsoft
that they get to do this?

Perhaps you'd prefer one of
> these other common means of software copy-protection:
(snip)

I dont own one single piece of software that requires any of those
methods, so I dont know what youre talking about.

Of the hundreds of titles I do own, Microsoft Windows and Office 2003
are the *only* ones that insist on getting involved when I change
hardware. Period.

Although even as a Linux developer I would be the last one to ever say
that Linux can replace Windows at this point, I *cant wait* until it
can. Even commercial Linux distros dont make me go through M$'s happy
horseshit.

What is really funny is that the only company which requires me to
take such invasive and bothersome steps to prevent piracy is also the
most profitable software company in the world - and was long before
WPA.

Want a litte cheese with that?

Seth Brundle wrote:

>> Replacing a non-defective motherboard more frequently than every 4
>>months is not "hardware enthusiasm." It's just plain silly.
>>
>
> Thats your opinion. I can do whatever I want to do with my computers,

<snip rest of pointless rant>

Seth;
Unfortunately you are in an extreme minority.
Microsoft thought long and hard before implementing WPA.
Microsoft came up with a plan which is a compromise between user
convenience and protection of their property.
The majority of users have little inconvenience.
I do understand the frustration of constantly calling in for
activation.
Unfortunately I have no practical suggestion.

If you want to get away from phone activation, the only thing I can
think of is another Windows XP license.
Then you could rotate them and reduce the chance for having to call.
Not a good solution at all but if you want to constantly change
hardware and avoid the phone, that may be the only solution.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/


"Seth Brundle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message > Thats
your opinion. I can do whatever I want to do with my computers,
> and I choose to upgrade frequently - no one gets to tell me what is
> 'silly'. Recently I upgraded my dual-boot system to AMD64 because
Suse
> can run 64-bit software, which I required to port my Linux software
> projects so my users with AMD64 can compile and make use of the
> extensions, but I dont need an excuse that good to upgrade any time
I
> choose. Thats my business, not M$'s
>
> No, its just that if I have decided I want new hardware, Im not
going
> to let Microsoft stop me from doing it just because its the one
piece
> of software on 16 of my workstations and servers which makes me call
> them, like a friggin parent, to get their permission.
>
> Let me ask you this - how would you like it if *every* piece of
> software you own worked exactly like WPA? Doesnt scale very well,
does
> it? I would have been on the phone with over 25 companies every time
I
> make a significant hardware change. What is so special about
Microsoft
> that they get to do this?
>
> Perhaps you'd prefer one of
> > these other common means of software copy-protection:
> (snip)
>
> I dont own one single piece of software that requires any of those
> methods, so I dont know what youre talking about.
>
> Of the hundreds of titles I do own, Microsoft Windows and Office
2003
> are the *only* ones that insist on getting involved when I change
> hardware. Period.
>
> Although even as a Linux developer I would be the last one to ever
say
> that Linux can replace Windows at this point, I *cant wait* until it
> can. Even commercial Linux distros dont make me go through M$'s
happy
> horseshit.
>
> What is really funny is that the only company which requires me to
> take such invasive and bothersome steps to prevent piracy is also
the
> most profitable software company in the world - and was long before
> WPA.

Right. Note the OP posted anonymously - also an indicator
"Steve" <(E-Mail Removed).(nospam)> wrote in message
news:F666E8A9-24C0-4D09-927F-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm afraid I don't believe this rant. I think it's just another Microsoft
> basherlooking for an excuse to bash, but one who obviously has not really
> done what he claims he's done.
>
> I just upgraded my daughter's computer (took the poor kid out of the
Bronze
> Age and into the Hot Sh*t Age) It required the motherboard, processor,
and a
> gig of new memory. I read up on the horror story that I expected to go
> through, which is how her computer would now fail the 'voting' procedure
that
> decides whether the machine is a completely different one. And that I'd
be
> given a fifty character number which I would have to recite to Microsoft
over
> the phone. I wasn't looking forward to it, but I'm an honest person and I
> understand why it's neccessary.
>
> Lo and Behold, I never read the most important part...you only have to do
> that if you buy a computer with XP pre-loaded, and you have THEIR disk and
> not the XP disk. We have three computers in our house, and we each have
our
> own XP Home Full disk. After I rebuilt her computer, I reformated her
> primary hard drive, reinstalled XP, and reactivated it over the net in
about
> fifteen seconds. I was quite a happy camper.
>
> Since I've actually done what I claimed, I know what I'm talking about,
> which is why I seriously doubt that this guy does.
>
> Steve
>
> "Seth Brundle" wrote:
>
> > I am SO SICK AND TIRED of calling Microsoft on the telephone to
> > reactivate every goddamn time I change my motherboard!!!
> >
> > They are the *only* software company I know of which requires hardware
> > enthusiasts who change hardware regularly to constantly call them and
> > read off strings of numbers whenever there is a significant hardware
> > change. It is *SO* *FREAKING* *ARROGANT*!! I own hundreds of software
> > titles - they are the *only one* that makes me do this.
> >
> > What makes it so bad is that installing new hardware can sometimes be
> > a *very* frustrating experience, especially if you get a bad board or
> > RAM. Once you get to this screen, you may have been pulling your hair
> > out for hours, and you just want to scream when you see you have to
> > call them.
> >
> > To add insult to injury, their automated system was all screwed up
> > today, and the automated voice kept dropping out and wouldnt respond
> > to input, so I had to get forwarded to a human.
> >
> > I have no problem whatsoever with them incorporating antipiracy, but I
> > have *lots* of software with antipiracy techniques, and NONE of them
> > are this obnoxious.
> >
> > What really annoys me is that all I have to do is tell them that I am
> > installing a new motherboard and I dont have it on multiple computers
> > - and they are like 'ok!'.
> >
> > If thats OK, then how about just putting a radio button thats says 'I
> > installed some new hardware and am only running this on one computer -
> > leave me alone!' and save us both a lot of trouble!!!
> >
> > GAAHHH!@!!
> > </rant>
> >