M
Mark
Maintaining software on multiple Windows computers is expensive
The cost of maintaining software on multiple Windows computer is rather
costly due to annual expenses to keep those software up-to-date or the
newer version for new features, enhancements, and security. Some newer
software products, such as Symantec's Norton AntiVirus 2004, uses
Microsoft's product activation that allows you to install the software
only one Windows computer. Thus you must purchase additional licenses
for the additional Windows computers.
In the past two years dealing with Microsoft's Windows Product
Activation in Windows XP, I had to purchase two additional Windows XP
software licenses due to activation issues. These were mostly from
hardware upgrades where I changed the CPU, motherboard, memory, or
network card due to various problems. After purchasing an OEM
computer, the Sony Windows XP computer uses the SLP Product Activation.
The Windows XP SLP Production Activation that OEM uses ties to the
computer's BIOS rather than various computer components that may change
in your system. Retail and OEM Windows XP versions may ties itself to
your local computer's hard drive(s), network card, video card, or other
common components that may change due to hardware failure or you just
want to upgrade that particular component.
I purchased the retail version of Microsoft Office 2003 Student and
Teachers Edition that allows the licensed user to install this product
version on or up to three Windows computers. However, each time you
upgrade a hardware component in the operating system, the Office 2003
Product Activation may break and requires a new activation. Thus this
decrements your licensed number of installs because Microsoft's product
activation recognizes this is a new system rather than its the same
system with an upgraded component. I experienced several hardware
failure on a system where I had to change the motherboard twice,
network card, and video card along with installing an upgraded hard
drive (a larger sized hard drive). This hardware failure and upgrade
scenario used all the licensed number of activations in the Microsoft
Office 2003 Student and Teachers Edition. The purchase price of $149
went quick as this occurred within three months time. If I would have
purchased a retail Microsoft Office 2003 version, I would have only one
install (or activation). Thus I would have been out much more money.
I contacted Microsoft Office 2003 Product Activation about reactivating
Office 2003 after correcting another computer problem. I explained the
situation to the Microsoft rep and he recommended that I need to buy
another software license. I told him that I should not be penalized
for hardware issues beyond my control and for Microsoft trying to hurt
the economy from users buying newer components for their computers.
After discussing the product activation issue again with another
Microsoft Product Activation rep, he informed me that software piracy
is illegal and there are legal consequences for using illegal software.
I told them that this is not right for an end user that experiences
some hardware problems to lose their software license. Microsoft's
activation here is basically promoting piracy and making software much
more expensive for the end users.
I contacted Microsoft Office 2003 Product Activation team again later
in the week to see if I could get Office 2003 activation again on the
same computer and Microsoft indirectly accused of software piracy.
They provided me the software piracy toll-free number to get a product
activation. I did not like this at all when I am trying to reactivate
the licensed Office 2003 version that I barely used due to hardware
problems.
Since I do not require or need to use Microsoft Office 2003, I now use
OpenOffice suite. OpenOffice (http://openoffice.org/) is open-source
and free for use and does not require product activation.
Due to Microsoft's Windows XP operating system vulnerability to
viruses, worms, trojans, and spyware infections that causes Windows
many problems, older to not so updated anti-virus software needs to get
updated or upgraded as well. Symantec and McAfee are the biggest two
anti-virus software companies that Windows users seem to use. I prefer
Symantec anti-virus based on the past and history of usage on this
product. However, Symantec (and McAfee) now have annual licenses fees
where its almost better to upgrade to the newer anti-virus product
version when its released. Why renew your annual anti-virus
subscription when you may need better anti-virus protection due to the
ongoing flawed Windows operating system problems.
Symantec's Norton AntiVirus 2004 product uses Microsoft's Product
Activation mechanism. Thus I hesitate to use any product that uses
Microsoft's product activation based on the history this activation
mechanism endures on legit software licensed end users. This may be
why many Windows/Internet users may not want to upgrade to the newest
version of various products. There have been plenty of Windows users
reporting they had to purchase Symantec's AntiVirus 2004 product again
and again because of hardware or Windows related problems. Some
Windows viruses requires you to reinstall the operating system and
all other programs. Due to this regular occurring problem among
Windows users, these software products will be used less over time.
If you own two or three Windows computers, where Windows XP has been
pre-installed on the computer, you still have to a purchase software
license per product for each computer that you use. The end user cost
for software has dramatically increased including if each computer
experienced a problem causing the product activation to break, you may
need to purchase another new software license for the product and
possibly for per computer.
Here are some prices for Symantec AntiVirus 2004 where the price starts
to add up quickly when you need to purchase more than one software
license:
buy.com: Norton AntiVirus 2004 ($45.69)
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=20355451&loc=101&spf=1&sp=1
bestbuy.com: Norton AntiVirus 2004 ($49.99)
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1060002782784&skuId=5870774&type=product&cmp=++
CNET Shopper - Norton AntiVirus 2004
http://shopper.cnet.com/Norton_Anti...9-30521466.html?tag=ob_50&orderby=50&sort=asc
The problem with many software products is that the manufacturer and
some times the store offers rebates. Those manufacturer rebates
require previous product proof to get the rebate. I, and many others,
do not keep manuals (which are mostly useless), misplace or lose the
original CD(s), and discard the original package box after opening the
product. Thus discarding the box eliminates using the UPC symbol for
the rebate or proof of previous purchase.
I also browse TechBargains to see if there are any good deals on
software buys:
TechBargains
http://www.techbargains.com/
but the cost is still there.
When you maintain more than one Windows computer with the software
enforcements of Microsoft's Product Activation, this may hinder Windows
users from purchasing additional computers, extra hardware, etc.
because they know that product activation may make them endure more
cost. This will eventually or may has already started to have an
affect on computer sales along with users holding on to their computer
longer to avoid these product activation problems and hassles.
This is why is open-source software is good to use if the product is
suitable for your and it will run on a Windows computer. If Microsoft
would ever make Windows secure, which this is seriously doubtful that
this will ever occur, there may be a day where we do not need to use
anti-virus scanners, hardware or software based firewall systems, and
constantly run spyware, adaware, and malware scanners in Windows.
Windows computers are not just computers, they are high maintenance
based computers. I rather spend time and money on other items. No
wonder the bigger software companies show high profits while we end
users struggle to pay for the flawed and insecure operating system and
extraneous software to try to protect the computer.
This madness has to stop somewhere. Majority of Windows users are
probably immune and desensitized to the fact they are wasting money,
time, and effort using Windows and paying for extraneous software
products rather than using their computer for entertainment,
productivity tasks, and other intended purposes.
Writer: Mark Knipfer
E-mail: mknipfer-at-fuse.net
The cost of maintaining software on multiple Windows computer is rather
costly due to annual expenses to keep those software up-to-date or the
newer version for new features, enhancements, and security. Some newer
software products, such as Symantec's Norton AntiVirus 2004, uses
Microsoft's product activation that allows you to install the software
only one Windows computer. Thus you must purchase additional licenses
for the additional Windows computers.
In the past two years dealing with Microsoft's Windows Product
Activation in Windows XP, I had to purchase two additional Windows XP
software licenses due to activation issues. These were mostly from
hardware upgrades where I changed the CPU, motherboard, memory, or
network card due to various problems. After purchasing an OEM
computer, the Sony Windows XP computer uses the SLP Product Activation.
The Windows XP SLP Production Activation that OEM uses ties to the
computer's BIOS rather than various computer components that may change
in your system. Retail and OEM Windows XP versions may ties itself to
your local computer's hard drive(s), network card, video card, or other
common components that may change due to hardware failure or you just
want to upgrade that particular component.
I purchased the retail version of Microsoft Office 2003 Student and
Teachers Edition that allows the licensed user to install this product
version on or up to three Windows computers. However, each time you
upgrade a hardware component in the operating system, the Office 2003
Product Activation may break and requires a new activation. Thus this
decrements your licensed number of installs because Microsoft's product
activation recognizes this is a new system rather than its the same
system with an upgraded component. I experienced several hardware
failure on a system where I had to change the motherboard twice,
network card, and video card along with installing an upgraded hard
drive (a larger sized hard drive). This hardware failure and upgrade
scenario used all the licensed number of activations in the Microsoft
Office 2003 Student and Teachers Edition. The purchase price of $149
went quick as this occurred within three months time. If I would have
purchased a retail Microsoft Office 2003 version, I would have only one
install (or activation). Thus I would have been out much more money.
I contacted Microsoft Office 2003 Product Activation about reactivating
Office 2003 after correcting another computer problem. I explained the
situation to the Microsoft rep and he recommended that I need to buy
another software license. I told him that I should not be penalized
for hardware issues beyond my control and for Microsoft trying to hurt
the economy from users buying newer components for their computers.
After discussing the product activation issue again with another
Microsoft Product Activation rep, he informed me that software piracy
is illegal and there are legal consequences for using illegal software.
I told them that this is not right for an end user that experiences
some hardware problems to lose their software license. Microsoft's
activation here is basically promoting piracy and making software much
more expensive for the end users.
I contacted Microsoft Office 2003 Product Activation team again later
in the week to see if I could get Office 2003 activation again on the
same computer and Microsoft indirectly accused of software piracy.
They provided me the software piracy toll-free number to get a product
activation. I did not like this at all when I am trying to reactivate
the licensed Office 2003 version that I barely used due to hardware
problems.
Since I do not require or need to use Microsoft Office 2003, I now use
OpenOffice suite. OpenOffice (http://openoffice.org/) is open-source
and free for use and does not require product activation.
Due to Microsoft's Windows XP operating system vulnerability to
viruses, worms, trojans, and spyware infections that causes Windows
many problems, older to not so updated anti-virus software needs to get
updated or upgraded as well. Symantec and McAfee are the biggest two
anti-virus software companies that Windows users seem to use. I prefer
Symantec anti-virus based on the past and history of usage on this
product. However, Symantec (and McAfee) now have annual licenses fees
where its almost better to upgrade to the newer anti-virus product
version when its released. Why renew your annual anti-virus
subscription when you may need better anti-virus protection due to the
ongoing flawed Windows operating system problems.
Symantec's Norton AntiVirus 2004 product uses Microsoft's Product
Activation mechanism. Thus I hesitate to use any product that uses
Microsoft's product activation based on the history this activation
mechanism endures on legit software licensed end users. This may be
why many Windows/Internet users may not want to upgrade to the newest
version of various products. There have been plenty of Windows users
reporting they had to purchase Symantec's AntiVirus 2004 product again
and again because of hardware or Windows related problems. Some
Windows viruses requires you to reinstall the operating system and
all other programs. Due to this regular occurring problem among
Windows users, these software products will be used less over time.
If you own two or three Windows computers, where Windows XP has been
pre-installed on the computer, you still have to a purchase software
license per product for each computer that you use. The end user cost
for software has dramatically increased including if each computer
experienced a problem causing the product activation to break, you may
need to purchase another new software license for the product and
possibly for per computer.
Here are some prices for Symantec AntiVirus 2004 where the price starts
to add up quickly when you need to purchase more than one software
license:
buy.com: Norton AntiVirus 2004 ($45.69)
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=20355451&loc=101&spf=1&sp=1
bestbuy.com: Norton AntiVirus 2004 ($49.99)
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1060002782784&skuId=5870774&type=product&cmp=++
CNET Shopper - Norton AntiVirus 2004
http://shopper.cnet.com/Norton_Anti...9-30521466.html?tag=ob_50&orderby=50&sort=asc
The problem with many software products is that the manufacturer and
some times the store offers rebates. Those manufacturer rebates
require previous product proof to get the rebate. I, and many others,
do not keep manuals (which are mostly useless), misplace or lose the
original CD(s), and discard the original package box after opening the
product. Thus discarding the box eliminates using the UPC symbol for
the rebate or proof of previous purchase.
I also browse TechBargains to see if there are any good deals on
software buys:
TechBargains
http://www.techbargains.com/
but the cost is still there.
When you maintain more than one Windows computer with the software
enforcements of Microsoft's Product Activation, this may hinder Windows
users from purchasing additional computers, extra hardware, etc.
because they know that product activation may make them endure more
cost. This will eventually or may has already started to have an
affect on computer sales along with users holding on to their computer
longer to avoid these product activation problems and hassles.
This is why is open-source software is good to use if the product is
suitable for your and it will run on a Windows computer. If Microsoft
would ever make Windows secure, which this is seriously doubtful that
this will ever occur, there may be a day where we do not need to use
anti-virus scanners, hardware or software based firewall systems, and
constantly run spyware, adaware, and malware scanners in Windows.
Windows computers are not just computers, they are high maintenance
based computers. I rather spend time and money on other items. No
wonder the bigger software companies show high profits while we end
users struggle to pay for the flawed and insecure operating system and
extraneous software to try to protect the computer.
This madness has to stop somewhere. Majority of Windows users are
probably immune and desensitized to the fact they are wasting money,
time, and effort using Windows and paying for extraneous software
products rather than using their computer for entertainment,
productivity tasks, and other intended purposes.
Writer: Mark Knipfer
E-mail: mknipfer-at-fuse.net