I just got this interesting note from Alex Pournelle (Jerry Pournelle’s son and one of the most accomplished tech-geeks I know), to wit:
I’d say this qualifies as breaking news.
We have been attempting to install a Microsoft-provided Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) product key on a Windows XP Pro machine for the last week. We purchased the key directly from the Microsoft WGA department, and attempted to install it, without success so far.
Now, the machine in question started out as Windows XP Home, and was later updated to XP Pro. (That combination is troublesome to WGA, and we recommend NEVER trying it.) When we came on the scene (much later), it had never seen the Internet, so we of course immediately ran updates, which meant the machine ran afoul of the WGA validation.
After a week of attempting to get the WGA validation to pass, and repeated calls to Microsoft, we were told the “Server is down” and “being worked on”. As you probably remember, they had similar problems last year, which prevented a lot of people from validating their Vista installations. At the time they swore a mighty oath It Would Never Happen Again. I’m extremely disappointed.
I have the Microsoft Product Support Services staffer’s badge number, should anyone wish to follow up with Microsoft. I’m planning to check again on Monday and will advise.
Sincerely,
Alex Pournelle
Cripes, this should actually be covered by mainstream media, but you will hear or read nothing.
related link:
Jeff Atwood blog
I’ve read in a few places that MicroShaft plans a downloadable patch or Windows Update to enable reinstallations of XP after it is no longer officially supported. Now if only I could remember or find the URLs…
#37
Ah, forced obsolescence without consideration for the consumer. The same principle that U.S. carmakers used to follow that led to them lose market share and led to crappy cars.
Fortunately for you, there are some hints in the press that Windows 7 will also be available on a subscription model– one that goes beyond the subscription plan that MS makes available to large corporations today. That new model means that if you don’t pay Microsoft its annual tithe, you don’t have an OS.
For frequent upgraders and users on the cutting edge, it’s not too bad. But for budget-minded people like me, it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Software as a Service -a.k.a. rentals- shouldn’t be applied to today’s OS or at least not the only option, it’s more of a throwback to the mainframe era (and SCO Unix–of course look where they are now).
# 36 wiscados – Linux is far from being the “Saviour”. I tried it – woopee – the open source “Office” is terrible with strange formating translations to start with.
Cheers
You Microsoft users should join a club and then beat each other with it.
I’ve got a laptop with Vista, a little Asus EEE with Linux, but the main frame work horse is still running XP Pro, and likely to stay that way until about the end of the year, when I start researching the new buildup. And this time I’m building from scratch, as the last time around was more a MOBO/CPU/RAM upgrade than anything else. Operating systems? Well, the hope is that Vista will mature to the point where I can use it, as there are some MS apps that I use. I do flight sim and animated music videos, and it would be nice if Vista and FSX would learn to play together just a little bit better. Of course, in a perfect world there would be just one generic O/S that could run everything, with no twitches, and no bitches. But we are a long way from there.
#37, you can’t possibly be serious. Upstairs right now, my wife is using her Pentium 3. I’m on an Athlon 2800. We’re not paying hundreds of dollars to upgrade to Vista, or whatever comes after that. And neither are a lot of other people.
“Up to date” used to mean something in the years when PCs and the internet itself were rapidly evolving. The “need” here is all on the other side – Microsoft and the PC OEMs need to keep hitting revenue targets by selling new stuff.
#41 You Microsoft users should join a club and then beat each other with it.…and join the Apple & Linux club – no thanks! We have work to do.
Cheers
#37, Awake,
I don’t recall any portion of my OS saying it would become obsolete in X number of years.
Nor do I understand how supporting my OS stifles innovation and causing others problems. I just worked on a WIN 98 computer a friend’s mother uses. It does everything she wants or needs. Why should she upgrade? BTW, she does have the old version of Zone Alarm protecting her and a router firewall.
I personally do not know anyone who has paid $1,500 for a desktop system. Yes, yes, there are some laptops out there in that range, but most desktops cost about 1/3 – 1/2 that amount and that is around the top end of the laptop range.