Al said:
It's intrusive, even when it works. You are asked to prove the
validity of your claim to use the software you just paid money
for. If you don't make the extra effort to prove your validity, to
Microsoft's satisfaction, the software you paid for stops working.
It inhibits computer owners from upgrading their machines. They
are afraid that if they buy a new card or harddrive, suddenly
their computers will stop working, and they'll have to be phoning
Microsoft, begging to have the software they've already bought and
paid for reactivated. On their time. Microsoft doesn't care how
much inconvenience Product Activation causes their customers.
It intimidates people into buying copies of Windows that they
don't need to buy. For example, is someone with an OEM copy of
windows and no CD upgrades and trips the Product Activation
countdown, and neither Microsoft nor the company that sold them
the computer will help them get activated, they are coerced into
buying a new copy of Windows, even though they've already paid for
Windows with their computer.
Total load of bull crap.
Have had Windows XP since December 01.
Have upgraded hardware multiple times since, most recently to a 64 bit
system, doing a repair install of XP Pro in the process. I have gone though
about 4 motherboards, 3 cpu's, 2 soundcards, 3 video cards, couple hard
drivers, etc etc...
NO ONE has to phone MS to BEG for their software to work. I sure as hell
didn't. When having to phone for re-activation ( have only had to phone
twice), was very painless and quick. I didn't even have to TALK to anyone,
much less beg. Entered some numbers on my phone, got new activation id, and
off and running.
Pirates love to try and get folks to believe that, to justify their own
thievery.
Once a thief, always a thief.
