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Office 2003 Bug Locks Owners Out

Posted by kdawson on from the file-available-but-not-to-you dept.

I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "A Microsoft Office 2003 bug is locking people out of their own files, specifically those protected with Microsoft's Rights Management Service. Microsoft has a TechNet bulletin on the issue with a fix. It looks like they screwed up and let a certificate expire. There's no information on when the replacement certificate will expire, though, or what will happen when it does."

22 of 247 comments (clear)

  1. Unbelievable by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    God I hate microsoft. I really do.

    1. Re:Unbelievable by jamesh · · Score: 2, Funny

      Sorry AC - that's what you get when you have free will

      - God

  2. I can haz? by Nabeel_co · · Score: 1, Funny

    So, it's gone from I can haz cheezeburger to I can haz stdio to I can haz accez to meh filez or I can haz certificate ?

    Really this would be solved by one simple request:

    I can haz openoffice?

    It's late, I blame the time...

  3. Unexpected error? by SpacePunk · · Score: 5, Funny

    From the article...
    "Office 2003 users receive the error, "Unexpected error occurred. Please try again later or contact your system administrator,""

    WTF? Is there anyone out there that can point me to an expected error? Can these wannabe programmer motherfuckers ever pass on real information on an error to the end user? Their error messages might as well say, "Our program fucked up, we're dipshits, we don't know what the fuck is going on. In fact, we couldn't have put together a crappier piece of software if we were drunk, or high."

    --
    Steve's Computer Service, Hobbs, NM
    1. Re:Unexpected error? by jpmorgan · · Score: 5, Funny

      You would prefer 'Expected error occurred. We could have handled with this transparently, but we'd rather pop up an annoying dialog box?'

    2. Re:Unexpected error? by Thanshin · · Score: 4, Funny

      Their error messages might as well say, "Our program fucked up, we're dipshits, we don't know what the fuck is going on. In fact, we couldn't have put together a crappier piece of software if we were drunk, or high."

      It would be funnier to get messages like: "Our program fucked up. -- Error code: ss324. Help me. I've been in a cage for the last two years. They feed me the corpses of the programmers who didn't make it through the big flood. I don't want to die. Please help! ... HH/991.DDF. For more information, contact your system administrator."

    3. Re:Unexpected error? by BrokenHalo · · Score: 5, Funny

      Is there anyone out there that can point me to an expected error?

      What's worse is that insulting little click-box that sits there jeering at you saying [OK]

      ...when as we all know, the correct response is "No, it's NOT fucking OK, you dipshit."

    4. Re:Unexpected error? by dbIII · · Score: 3, Funny

      The funny thing is I can read in stuff from the 1980s that doesn't even use ASCII and these clowns can't even keep files readable for six years.
      Proudly brought to you by the guys that stranded a ship with a divide by zero error and halted devices for a day because they forgot about leap years. They are only ready for the "Enterprise" is you have a few spare redshirts to lose.

    5. Re:Unexpected error? by TheVelvetFlamebait · · Score: 2, Funny

      I hate exceptions.

      Are there no circumstance in which their use would be acceptable? ;)

      --
      You know, there is a difference between trolling and pointing out the flaws in your reasoning. Just saying.
  4. Thats why I am NOT an early adopter by Provocateur · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now that I know that this won't affect the Isolated Basement Department, I can now safely install Office 2003...

    Receipt, check. Shrinkwrap off, check. Must keep original box...

    --
    WARNING: Smartphones have side effects--most of them undocumented.
  5. A copy protection system called RMS? by mattcsn · · Score: 5, Funny

    Obviously, someone at Microsoft has a sense of humour.

  6. Re:Locks OUT!? by Imrik · · Score: 2, Funny

    Don't worry about it, even after the certificates expire, you have Microsoft's guarantee that no one will be able to access your secure data.

  7. Re:Totally off the mark. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Or the companies could hire tech people that know how to set the default "Save-as" to automatically save as the older format in the options..

  8. Re:Locks OUT!? by deniable · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh hell no. It'd make tracking leaks too easy.

  9. Re:Any workarounds? by deniable · · Score: 3, Funny

    It sounds like RMS is a good tool for pushing free software.

  10. Re:Totally off the mark. by WegianWarrior · · Score: 3, Funny

    Same thing with women
    Ah, so you're still single then?

    --
    Everything in the world is controlled by a small, evil group to which, unfortunately, no one you know belongs.
  11. Solution by Murdoch5 · · Score: 1, Funny

    1)Remove MS Office
    2)Download OO Office
    3)Install OO Office
    4)Enjoy an excellent free office suite that's just as powerful and if say so on my own opinion more user friendly!

  12. Re:Totally off the mark. by xouumalperxe · · Score: 3, Funny

    all XML formats

    Cool. I'll send it in OOXML then.

  13. Re:Any workarounds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    It sounds like RMS is a good tool for pushing free software.

    Yes, yes he is.

  14. Re:Totally off the mark. by iMac+Were · · Score: 1, Funny

    Maybe he's queer. Sometimes, you have to think outside the box.

    Or at least, think inside a different box.

    --
    You thought my name meant what? How very dare you!
  15. Re:Locks OUT!? by Nerdfest · · Score: 2, Funny

    What's worse is when Microsoft does not exist anymore at some point in the future

    Not a huge worry. Everyone will be off enjoying the parties anyway.

  16. Re:Totally off the mark. by Red+Flayer · · Score: 3, Funny
    Emphasis mine:

    I had to do some Deep Googling to find someone hosting a copy of the PowerPoint viewer that was old enough to still support the '95 version.

    What kid of juju is that? Sounds dangerous, like you might awake some Guardian of the Deep, or even He Who Lies Dead But Dreaming.

    Sure hope your wife's employer has paid up their Catastrophic Accidental Awakening of Ancient Evil insurance policy.

    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai