Monday, March 10, 2003
Software Activation Isn't the Problem. Why Don't They DEACTIVATE the Damn Stuff?
Posted by Jason Dunn in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 12:05 AM
I must be having Dennis Miller flashbacks from that eBook I read, because, baby, I'm in a ranting mood tonight! :twisted: I've spend the better part of the weekend getting my rig set up all nice and proper. I'm Type A to the extreme (just ask the poor review team when it comes to following our templates), so I like to have everything just right.
Well, it came time to install the Windows XP Plus! Digital Media Edition that I had purchased. Actually, it was purchased by a friend of mine in the US, because apparently it's just too damn hard to accept a credit card from someone in Canada...but that's a rant for another day. I had installed this software onto my laptop and my desktop, but had never really used it. So I un-installed it from both devices, then installed it on my new machine. I went through the activation process, and surprise, it wouldn't activate. Therin lies the problem with software activation: it only works if the software is DEACTIVATED when it's un-installed. If the components to control activations and serial numbers are already in place for activation, how hard can it be to have the un-install routine sent a user-authorized data stream to the server saying "Hey, I've been un-installed, so free up an install key again".
Having no other choice, I called the product activation line. I've used it before for another Microsoft product (same type of scenario), so I was expecting the process to be quick and easy. It wasn't. After going through the mind-numbing process of entering the long 42 digit code into their phone system, it didn't work, and I was transferred to a live person. The first call ended when the tech said that the install key I gave him and verified three times, was "bad". His only suggestion was for me to un-install then reinstall the software. <sigh> I did so, and called back several hours later. After rattling off the 42 digit number, the product activation woman informed me that her system was down and that I should call back later. <sigh>
I've now just gotten off the phone, for the third time today, and actually have the product activated. Wow! Only three calls and 30 minutes of my day wasted. There's nothing worse then technology that's only implemented half way - wake up Microsoft, and deactivate your products when they're deactivated! It almost makes me think that some clever VP at Microsoft said "Hey, I know...let's make people buy new software for every computer they have, even if it's no longer on that computer! Yeah, that's the ticket..." You laugh, but I've heard stranger things come from the mouths of people in the software industry... :roll:
Well, it came time to install the Windows XP Plus! Digital Media Edition that I had purchased. Actually, it was purchased by a friend of mine in the US, because apparently it's just too damn hard to accept a credit card from someone in Canada...but that's a rant for another day. I had installed this software onto my laptop and my desktop, but had never really used it. So I un-installed it from both devices, then installed it on my new machine. I went through the activation process, and surprise, it wouldn't activate. Therin lies the problem with software activation: it only works if the software is DEACTIVATED when it's un-installed. If the components to control activations and serial numbers are already in place for activation, how hard can it be to have the un-install routine sent a user-authorized data stream to the server saying "Hey, I've been un-installed, so free up an install key again".
Having no other choice, I called the product activation line. I've used it before for another Microsoft product (same type of scenario), so I was expecting the process to be quick and easy. It wasn't. After going through the mind-numbing process of entering the long 42 digit code into their phone system, it didn't work, and I was transferred to a live person. The first call ended when the tech said that the install key I gave him and verified three times, was "bad". His only suggestion was for me to un-install then reinstall the software. <sigh> I did so, and called back several hours later. After rattling off the 42 digit number, the product activation woman informed me that her system was down and that I should call back later. <sigh>
I've now just gotten off the phone, for the third time today, and actually have the product activated. Wow! Only three calls and 30 minutes of my day wasted. There's nothing worse then technology that's only implemented half way - wake up Microsoft, and deactivate your products when they're deactivated! It almost makes me think that some clever VP at Microsoft said "Hey, I know...let's make people buy new software for every computer they have, even if it's no longer on that computer! Yeah, that's the ticket..." You laugh, but I've heard stranger things come from the mouths of people in the software industry... :roll:
