Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Why I hate Microsoft.

I was never a fan of Microsoft per se. I was a committed Mac user, and I still am. But in work I found lots of people were trapped by Microsoft software which wouldn't open other software. And it was a constant battle to get their documents so they would open on my system.

So about a year ago I purchased Microsoft Office for Mac, paid for it, downloaded it, and installed it. It worked fine to open the documents I needed to open. And I stupidly starting using it for my own material.

Today, Microsoft remotely claims that I have to update my software. Stupidly I did. Now they claim that the software is no longer valid and that I have to start over again and re-enter the long code number that came with the original purchase, over a year ago. I assume that is in an email on file somewhere but I can't even remember the name of the company from which it was purchased. Worse yet all the documents I have produced can't be opened. Business quotes that I have to use are now locked to me. All because I very stupidly trusted Microsoft.

When they remotely updated my software they also made it so that I can't use the software unless I find a code from a year ago.

So several hours will be spent searching through emails and trying to figure out where the information that is required might be. In the meantime my documents and files are being held hostage by Microsoft. At some point I will probably have to repurchase the software as the cost of continuing the search will be greater than the value of the product. And I will buy it because I have no choice. But you can bet that I will hate Microsoft as a result. I will only use their software in the future to open text files and then move them into other word processing programs. I won't use them for my own material. I can't risk this happening again, anytime that Microsoft wants to tamper with my computer. I really, really hate them, especially right now. They have completely screwed up an important business transaction and I will always resent that.

Screw Microsoft -- if you don't they will surely screw you.

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