Microsoft presses the stupid button

What is so very damn stupid about WGA is Microsoft has taken
unilateral action that as we've seen today labels perfectly legal
license users as having counterfeit copies of Windows and thus taken
steps without warning or cause to interupt an end user's work flow and
full use of software they have a valid license to use and have paid
for.

This is BIG. Huge! The stuff class action lawyers dream about! It's
better then winning the Lottery. A no brainer.

Why?

Microsoft presumes you're guilty. Odd stance for a corporation
chartered in the United States where the Constitution guarantees
everyone is presumed innocent until PROVEN guiltily in a court of law.

Forget the we're oh so sorry crap, the intent is to get you to buy a
"legimate copy" of Vista. The most prominent element in the WGA
Notification screen is the Buy Now button. You’re encouraged to whip
out your credit card, get "legal".

How many dopes will do exactly this, regardless they already have a
legal copy? Only time will tell.

Microsoft trying to cover their ass wrote this on one of their web
sites:

"Microsoft strives to maintain the highest standards in our business
conduct and meet our customers' expectations. We concentrated our
disclosure on the critical validation step that would occur when
validating through WGA. Not specifically including information on the
periodic check was an oversight.

What I say to that is BULLSHIT!

Microsoft that hires high paid attorneys to spend months highly
crafting fine print in the license agreement just forgot to mention
that oops, we'll be asking Vista to phone home BEHIND YOUR BACK and
never tell you about it as often as we like? Microsoft asks you to
accept this wasn't done by design, and they just "forgot" to mention
it? Sure right, I buy that. They didn't say so in the license because
they didn't want to have happen what has now happened. MILLIONS of
customers outraged at the conduct of Microsoft. I can almost smell the
law suits coming.

We believe that being transparent and up front with our customers is
very important and have updated our FAQ accordingly. We have gone to
great lengths to document any time a Microsoft product connects with
Microsoft servers and will continue to do so.

Talk about shutting the barn door AFTER it burns down.

Translation: Microsoft not only validates Vista WHEN you first install
and activate it, it BEHIND YOUR BACK repeatedly connects to Microsoft
servers to see again and again if you're still using a "legal" copy
and if not, even if due wholly to Microsoft blunder as is the case now
for "down" servers for untold millions they may elect without warning
to give you the scarlet letter and mark you as counterfeit.

I'm telling you Lawyers LOVE THIS stuff! Somebody is going the sue the
crap out of Microsoft over this. Maybe I will too. I certainly would
consider joining any class action law suit someone starts. LOL!

On Sat, 25 Aug 2007 13:57:27 -0500, Adam Albright wrote:

> What is so very damn stupid about WGA is Microsoft has taken
> unilateral action that as we've seen today labels perfectly legal
> license users as having counterfeit copies of Windows and thus taken
> steps without warning or cause to interupt an end user's work flow and
> full use of software they have a valid license to use and have paid
> for.
>
> This is BIG. Huge! The stuff class action lawyers dream about! It's
> better then winning the Lottery. A no brainer.
>
> Why?
>
> Microsoft presumes you're guilty. Odd stance for a corporation
> chartered in the United States where the Constitution guarantees
> everyone is presumed innocent until PROVEN guiltily in a court of law.
>
> Forget the we're oh so sorry crap, the intent is to get you to buy a
> "legimate copy" of Vista. The most prominent element in the WGA
> Notification screen is the Buy Now button. YouÂ’re encouraged to whip
> out your credit card, get "legal".
>
> How many dopes will do exactly this, regardless they already have a
> legal copy? Only time will tell.
>
> Microsoft trying to cover their ass wrote this on one of their web
> sites:
>
> "Microsoft strives to maintain the highest standards in our business
> conduct and meet our customers' expectations. We concentrated our
> disclosure on the critical validation step that would occur when
> validating through WGA. Not specifically including information on the
> periodic check was an oversight.
>
> What I say to that is BULLSHIT!
>
> Microsoft that hires high paid attorneys to spend months highly
> crafting fine print in the license agreement just forgot to mention
> that oops, we'll be asking Vista to phone home BEHIND YOUR BACK and
> never tell you about it as often as we like? Microsoft asks you to
> accept this wasn't done by design, and they just "forgot" to mention
> it? Sure right, I buy that. They didn't say so in the license because
> they didn't want to have happen what has now happened. MILLIONS of
> customers outraged at the conduct of Microsoft. I can almost smell the
> law suits coming.
>
> We believe that being transparent and up front with our customers is
> very important and have updated our FAQ accordingly. We have gone to
> great lengths to document any time a Microsoft product connects with
> Microsoft servers and will continue to do so.
>
> Talk about shutting the barn door AFTER it burns down.
>
> Translation: Microsoft not only validates Vista WHEN you first install
> and activate it, it BEHIND YOUR BACK repeatedly connects to Microsoft
> servers to see again and again if you're still using a "legal" copy
> and if not, even if due wholly to Microsoft blunder as is the case now
> for "down" servers for untold millions they may elect without warning
> to give you the scarlet letter and mark you as counterfeit.
>
> I'm telling you Lawyers LOVE THIS stuff! Somebody is going the sue the
> crap out of Microsoft over this. Maybe I will too. I certainly would
> consider joining any class action law suit someone starts. LOL!

The thing is Adam, law suits will do little in the end. If one comes
about, some settlement will be reached that won't even significantly
register in MS' cash flow and things will continue as before. They simply
have too much money to be intimidated by law suits, especially in a
country such as the US where lawsuits are not won by those who are right
but are won by who has the most money.

Maybe a lawsuit massive enough could be created to actually accomplish
something, I'm not going to say that's impossible, and maybe they
consumers will get lucky and the judge has a home PC with a legal but
"non-genuine reporting" Vista OS...but I think there is a far more easier
and effective way.

If consumers really want Microsoft to change things like this, there is
only one way to do it. Stop buying Microsoft products.

When you buy a PC, refuse to buy one with a MS OS.
When you buy hardware, refuse to buy it if it's made by MS.
When you buy software, refuse to buy it if it's MS Software.

Vote with your wallet. Then, and only then, will they change anything.

--
Stephan
2003 Yamaha R6

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