Microsoft Genuine "Pain in the" Advantage

from GalCiv2 Forums
Just wanted to post a snippet I sent to Microsoft. I have gotten spoiled by Stardock and the respectful way they treat their customers. Microsoft Genuine Advantage (DRM from Hell) just cost me a half hour's worth of time just to get a business card template. Anyway, don't know if anyone is interested in my rant aimed at Redmond, but here it is:

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To Microsoft - I am SO angry with your validation program. I have an evaluation copy of Word that came with my computer. I get a limited amount of times to run the software before the license expires. I wanted to download business card templates and Your Genuine Advantage required me to load an Active X plug-in, of course it didn't work the first time, or the second. Then when I got it to work, I had to navigate through your site to find the template because GA would not resume the download no matter how many times it validated my copy. That's an important point, the copy I have is VALID, as in NOT STOLEN! So I had to switch back to IE (I use Firefox because I like products that WORK the way I want them to) and then I finally get the $%$#@! tempate to download and GA RESTARTS Word and I lose one of my free sessions. I intended to buy the new version of Office when my trial was up (I have older versions on my existing systems and I had reservations about the Ribbon) but I am going to seriously reconsider.

I HAVE HAD IT with being treated like a criminal. I HAVE NO MORE PATIENCE for the hoops your products make me jump through to get a simple thing done. The template should have taken no more than a minute to download, and here I am 25 minutes wasted and I am FURIOUS. I wish I could convey the loathing and contempt I have for MS right now.

You need to take a look at Stardock and the DRM they use (NONE) and learn how to treat your customers with respect. If Stardock made an Operating System and Office Suite...they would have my order RIGHT NOW!!
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BTW, I was serious about that last part...so I'll keep an eye open for a Stardock OS :)
29,828 views 4 replies
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I use Firefox because I like products that WORK the way I want them to


You might end up choked by the Office ribbon, then. I'm an Office power-user from way back, and have actually written multimedia training that specifically praised and explained the former customizability of Office. Alas, the ribbon knows better than you about what information and commands you need in view for a given task.

I'd start migrating to OpenOffice.org if I could, but my work requires the latest Office suite. (Plus I'm really addicted to Word outlining features; you can't drag and drop to re-org a doc in OpenOffice.org. But the ribbon downgrades Outline view as well, so...)
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I've been a bit hesitant about OpenOffice.org, but I'm going to give it a shot after this fiasco.

You're also right about the ribbon, and office in general, the software continually tries to assert itself regardless of what we want it to do :)

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top
While I can understand your frustration to a point, it seems like you went off more like a Roman candle in your letter. If it makes you feel better then I guess that's something. I'm sure that after about one sentance of reading your letter though, your letter was tossed.