How To Turn Customers Into Pirates

http://torrentfreak.com/how-to-turn-customers-into-pirates-090228/

by vaksel • 17 years ago

31 13 17 years ago

tom_rath• 17 years ago

I went through similar crap when re-installing QuickBooks after a PC-Upgrade / Windows install.

The registration key wasn't accepted by their server (different hardware) and I was instructed to call their support line. After a brief time on hold, I was then subjected to about 10 minutes of up-selling and scripted 'intelligence gathering' ("[customer name] what is it your company does [customer name]?", "[customer name] what is your annual revenue?" "[customer name] we appreciate your business and would like to offer you [some crap-assed product] at a discount.")

After declining to answer all questions and (politely -- mentioning to the call centre staffer that I knew it wasn't their fault) asking for them to just give me the damn validation code for installation, I was then allowed to use the software I paid for.

It would have been easier to pirate the product, which is what I made clear to them in my (ignored) letter of complaint.

Idiocy.

kajecounterhack4• 17 years ago

Okay so this happened to me with windoze...and guess what I did? That's right, I said "screw you" and learned Linux.

Pirates created: 0, Open-Source Advocates / Linux Zealots: 1

rdrimmie• 17 years ago

I have two unused copies of XP Home sitting around unused because I could not find installation media. I was able to torrent a copy in under 30 minutes, but unfortunately the way it was hacked breaks the key authentication so I can't use it to register my legitimate key.

Several hours ago I could have been up and running with a working but hacked version. Now I am just frustrated and irritating everyone I know with calls searching for XP Home media. Turns out everyone I know has Pro.

I was already planning on dual-booting Ubuntu (the XP install is only for games because I am too lazy to play with WINE), so I guess now it's .5 and 1.5?

sho• 17 years ago

Ha. I know the feeling.

I have a HP box not 3 metres from me with an XP Professional install key on a fricking sticker on the case. I can't find the original media. The code doesn't work with any other disk I can find. I need Windows to play games (HL2, not available on my usual Macs).

What do I do? I "pirate" Windows XP, of course. Now I'm running a pirated Windows XP Pro on a machine with a Windows XP Pro key on a sticker on the case. It's surreal. The lack of respect it engenders for Microsoft and their WGA crap is palpable.

omouse• 17 years ago

This is why Free Software is much better. There is no license that needs to be bought or activated and thus none of these problems exist.

kajecounterhack4• 17 years ago

Go ahead and downmod me but seriously, no really, -- DUH.

Haha. I had to say it!

patio11• 17 years ago

If you made a single-point induction on software in my field for proprietary software versus open source, you'd probably conclude "License keys are annoying but on the other hand installers that actually function are sort of groovy."

unalone• 17 years ago

There's also no profit to be made, which discourages the talented people who are perfectionists but insist on compensation.

Everything has drawbacks.

(I'd point out that with iLife 09, Apple no longer uses serial numbers, meaning they don't attempt to prevent piracy. Payware doesn't necessarily mean Stupid.)

How To Turn Customers Into Pirates

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