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Corporations Suffer Microsoft Activation Bug

Posted by michael on from the under-the-yoke dept.

Uncle Bob writes "Trustworthy Computing, eat your heart out! As of the 2003-04-14 update, people are reporting that Office 2000 SR1a is now asking to be "registered" again. And again, and again. Very little information has been posted on the traditional news sites (the only link I could find was The Register. Note - The Register's story is not quite accurate, but the registration bug is real. Our company with approx 80,000 PCs has been hit...."

14 of 596 comments (clear)

  1. Sweet. by grub · · Score: 5, Funny


    "You have successfully activated Microsoft Office 2000.
    Your computer will resume crashing.

    --
    Trolling is a art,
  2. Cracking down on Piracy? by jamesjw · · Score: 5, Funny


    I think Microsoft have gone a little overboard this time.. maybe they got the licence code crossed with the auto save..

    "It has been fifteen minutes since you last entered your licence number, would you like to enter it again now? [Yes] [Yes] or [YES!]" :)

    -- Jim.

    --
    -- If at first you don't succeed, lie!
    1. Re:Cracking down on Piracy? by NickFitz · · Score: 2, Funny

      maybe they got the licence code crossed with the auto save

      Or the Office Assho^H^Histant...

      It looks like you're a dirty stinking software pirate. Do you want some help erasing your hard drive?

      --
      Using HTML in email is like putting sound effects on your phone calls. Just say <strong>no</strong>.
  3. This is only the beginning. by Chocolate+Teapot · · Score: 4, Funny
    Within a couple of years you will not even be able to log into windows without standing with your hand on your heart, pledging allegiance to the gilded image of Chairman Gates and singing the anthem. All together now...

    "Developers, developers, developers, developers.."

    --
    Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise. - William Shakespeare
  4. Did you say..... Oh. by gosand · · Score: 4, Funny
    Within a couple of years you will not even be able to log into windows without standing with your hand on your heart, pledging allegiance to the gilded image of Chairman Gates and singing the anthem.

    Dang, I thought you said gelded .

    --

    My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.

  5. We don't have this problem where I work... by Znonymous+Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    but then again, we aren't idoits.

    --

    Karma: The shiznight, mostly because I am the Drizzle.

  6. Secure Computing by rf0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well least it gets round the problem of any pirated software. No one can run anything now :)

    rus

    --
    Cheap UK and US VPS
  7. Nobody ever been fired for buying Microsoft... by WetCat · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think that will happen soon...

  8. How to fix... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    search the net for a crack.
    That's how.
    I bet you M$ will issue a clone of that crack to fix the problem. Instead of saying "Warez R us", it will say "Microsoft, please register this fix, in order to continu in using it".

  9. Once again... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's been proven time and time again but greedy software corps just don't get it. I've seen this time and time again since the old CP/M and Apple II days.

    Repeat after me:
    "Copy protection does NOT prevent piracy enough to make up for the inconvenience suffered by and resulting ill will of legitimate customers. Never has, never will."

  10. Re:Its not a "bug", its a "feature" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Get to know MS Service personnel. Your favorite dating line.

  11. Wouldn't it be more effective if the paperclip... by CharonX · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wouldn't it be more effective if the paperclip would only go away after you have registered?
    That would give them product registrations AND extended exposure for their mascot.
    And as an additional bonus, users could be driven insane by the clip - less work for the tech hotlines (ohhh... blue and white colours... shiny...) and increased sales on M$ products (sure, give me more, *giggle* Word, Powerpoint, gotta catch them all *drool*) ;)

    --
    +++ MELON MELON MELON +++ Out of Cheese Error +++ redo from start +++
  12. Not a bug.. by lionchild · · Score: 2, Funny

    Remember, it's not really a bug in the software, it's a liscensing feature!

    --
    Awk! Pieces of eight. Pieces of eight. Pieces of seven... ERROR: General Protection Fault. [Paroty Error.]
  13. Re:Oh bloody hell. by realdpk · · Score: 2, Funny

    You forgot to describe the Test process. In this case it would include:

    * Advance clock by 1 month - run program
    * Advance clock by 2 months - run program
    * Advance clock by 3 months - run program
    * so on up to 5 years

    Do you know of any testing methodologies which include something like this, other than for say.. a clock program? What do you do if the problem only happens on certain weeks? Certainly possible given that this is time based. Do you test for every week? Every day?