M
MICHAEL
http://j-walkblog.com/index.php?/weblog/posts/genuine_advantage_for_office/
Office 2007 has many great new features. And one that really sucks: Microsoft Office Genuine
Advantage. If you're looking for a good reason to justify not upgrading, this could be it.
I'm using Excel 2007 Beta2TR, and I want to use a template that's available at Microsoft's
site. The templates are easy to access using the Excel UI. I click on a template and I get
this:
<graphic>
Yes, their bogus software concludes that my copy of Office XP (not Office 2007) is not genuine.
When I click the button in order to get genuine, I go to a Web site that tells me Office 2007
isn't activated (which is not true). I eventually find a page that will tell me more details --
but it doesn't work with Firefox, so I have to download a program. Eventually, I find out the
reason why I can't download an Office 2007 template:
Microsoft Office XP Professional with FrontPage: Validation Failed.
The product key used to install Office has been blocked by Microsoft.
Apparently, it checks every version of Office on your system. If any of them is suspect, you're
locked out with no apparent way to resolve the problem -- short of buying a new copy or
uninstalling the product. At no time does it ever suggest that the problem could be with their
software.
continued......
http://j-walkblog.com/index.php?/weblog/posts/genuine_advantage_for_office/
http://j-walk.com/ss/about/
Biographical
John Walkenbach
J-Walk & Associates, Inc. is a small (very small) consulting firm based in Tucson, Arizona. I
won't try to fool you. J-Walk & Associates consists of a single person -- me (John Walkenbach).
I earn most of my income by writing spreadsheet books and magazine articles. In addition to
about 30 books, I've written approximately 300 articles and reviews for magazines such as
InfoWorld, PC World, PC/Computing, Windows, and several others that no longer exist. For about
three years, I wrote the monthly spreadsheet column for PC World.
I also developed several popular Excel add-in products, including Power Utility Pak, Enhanced
Data Form, and Sound-Proof. When time permits, I do some consulting -- usually
spreadsheet-related.
I did my undergraduate study at the University of Missouri (major in psychology, minor in
computer science) and then earned a Masters and Ph.D. in experimental psychology at the
University of Montana (geography played a major role in my decision to attend that university).
After graduation, I spent a brief period of time doing work that was actually related to my
coursework. I soon lost interest in psychology. More specifically, I lost interest in doing
what it takes to get funding for psychology. Next, I began my second career in the banking
industry, purely by accident (it was the only job I could find). I worked for a financial
services data processing supplier in Oregon, a large credit union in Los Angeles, and
eventually landed a job as V.P. of market research for HomeFed Bank in San Diego (which has the
distinction of being the largest S&L to fail). When HomeFed failed, I decided to try
self-employment -- and I've never looked back. Currently, my third career lets me work out of
my home, and I never have to wear a tie -- or shoes, for that matter. In the summer of 2004, we
abandoned California and moved to the desert.
In 2000, I was named a Microsoft MVP. The primary advantage is an annual MVP Summit conference,
which allows me to interact with other Excel MVPs.
Besides computers and spreadsheets, I'm also interested in music, especially blues and jazz. I
have a growing collection of guitars, and a very decent two-channel stereo rig. Lately, I've
been keeping myself amused by creating digital images with a variety of digital cameras. And
for those who are really bored, you can peruse my Web Log.
Office 2007 has many great new features. And one that really sucks: Microsoft Office Genuine
Advantage. If you're looking for a good reason to justify not upgrading, this could be it.
I'm using Excel 2007 Beta2TR, and I want to use a template that's available at Microsoft's
site. The templates are easy to access using the Excel UI. I click on a template and I get
this:
<graphic>
Yes, their bogus software concludes that my copy of Office XP (not Office 2007) is not genuine.
When I click the button in order to get genuine, I go to a Web site that tells me Office 2007
isn't activated (which is not true). I eventually find a page that will tell me more details --
but it doesn't work with Firefox, so I have to download a program. Eventually, I find out the
reason why I can't download an Office 2007 template:
Microsoft Office XP Professional with FrontPage: Validation Failed.
The product key used to install Office has been blocked by Microsoft.
Apparently, it checks every version of Office on your system. If any of them is suspect, you're
locked out with no apparent way to resolve the problem -- short of buying a new copy or
uninstalling the product. At no time does it ever suggest that the problem could be with their
software.
continued......
http://j-walkblog.com/index.php?/weblog/posts/genuine_advantage_for_office/
http://j-walk.com/ss/about/
Biographical
John Walkenbach
J-Walk & Associates, Inc. is a small (very small) consulting firm based in Tucson, Arizona. I
won't try to fool you. J-Walk & Associates consists of a single person -- me (John Walkenbach).
I earn most of my income by writing spreadsheet books and magazine articles. In addition to
about 30 books, I've written approximately 300 articles and reviews for magazines such as
InfoWorld, PC World, PC/Computing, Windows, and several others that no longer exist. For about
three years, I wrote the monthly spreadsheet column for PC World.
I also developed several popular Excel add-in products, including Power Utility Pak, Enhanced
Data Form, and Sound-Proof. When time permits, I do some consulting -- usually
spreadsheet-related.
I did my undergraduate study at the University of Missouri (major in psychology, minor in
computer science) and then earned a Masters and Ph.D. in experimental psychology at the
University of Montana (geography played a major role in my decision to attend that university).
After graduation, I spent a brief period of time doing work that was actually related to my
coursework. I soon lost interest in psychology. More specifically, I lost interest in doing
what it takes to get funding for psychology. Next, I began my second career in the banking
industry, purely by accident (it was the only job I could find). I worked for a financial
services data processing supplier in Oregon, a large credit union in Los Angeles, and
eventually landed a job as V.P. of market research for HomeFed Bank in San Diego (which has the
distinction of being the largest S&L to fail). When HomeFed failed, I decided to try
self-employment -- and I've never looked back. Currently, my third career lets me work out of
my home, and I never have to wear a tie -- or shoes, for that matter. In the summer of 2004, we
abandoned California and moved to the desert.
In 2000, I was named a Microsoft MVP. The primary advantage is an annual MVP Summit conference,
which allows me to interact with other Excel MVPs.
Besides computers and spreadsheets, I'm also interested in music, especially blues and jazz. I
have a growing collection of guitars, and a very decent two-channel stereo rig. Lately, I've
been keeping myself amused by creating digital images with a variety of digital cameras. And
for those who are really bored, you can peruse my Web Log.