I'm all for activation codes, but this is ridiculous



  • This one's from everybody's favourite Corporate Archvillain's latest foray into the world of word processing.

    How long is that activation code?!

    Obviously, I've changed the code itself.  It was a jumble of apparently pseudo-random numbers.



  •  <title>403 Forbidden</title>

    Forbidden

    You don't have permission to access /images/microsoft_office_activation_wizard.png on this server.


    Apache/2.2.0 (Fedora) Server at www.illarane.co.uk Port 80


  • Whoops!  Hotlinking protection fail.



  • @Illarane said:

    How long is that activation code?!

     

    Lucky us, when we answer to your post, we can actualy see what you are talking about... 



  • Pwn3d by htaccess.



  • yeah, had the same problem 1 month ago. and the registration came by SMS, it's not working by internet...

    you can imagine copying 54 from the handy... a real treat...

    I guess it's just another of those s***y microzoft full proof anti piracy schemas..

    hip hip hurray for another idiotic idea, straight from the mz labs :D:D:D I think by now a considerable amount of workers at mz should just admit that... they fail miserably... 

     



  • @korsuas said:

    yeah, had the same problem 1 month ago. and the registration came by SMS, it's not working by internet...

    you can imagine copying 54 from the handy... a real treat...

    I guess it's just another of those s***y microzoft full proof anti piracy schemas..

    hip hip hurray for another idiotic idea, straight from the mz labs :D:D:D I think by now a considerable amount of workers at mz should just admit that... they fail miserably... 

     

    I once had to go through the phone activation process, keying the whole giant key ... just to end up with a "maximum installs exceeded" recording, then transfered to an Argentinian call center. She eventually reset the "install" counter, and proceeded to ask me the entire key once again. So I spent a lot of time keying in the number, then saying it aloud twice to this girl, when the call center system could've just forwarded on the already-keyed number.



  • @korsuas said:

    I guess it's just another of those s***y microzoft
     

    @korsuas said:

    hip hip hurray for another idiotic idea, straight from the mz labs
     

    Is "microzoft" and "mz" the new, cool, trendy way for hard-core hackers to write "micro$oft" and "m$" ?  Just checking to be sure so I can update my notes.



  • @Jeff S said:

    Is "microzoft" and "mz" the new, cool, trendy way for hard-core hackers to write "micro$oft" and "m$" ?  Just checking to be sure so I can update my notes.

    No, it's for people who are too poor to afford a $ key. 



  • nice one morbiuswilters :))

    I actually forgot to use the $. it's been sooo long since I've flamed on the mz... I mean m$ :D



  • What a coincidence, I just blogged about this this morning (but not Office, Windows XP):

    http://www.raccoonfink.com/2008/08/microsoft-why-do-you-treat-me-like-a-pirate.html



  • Only once I've had a problem with phone activation. I had to convince an Indian guy named "Phillip" that I really wasn't a pirate and that I really was only reactivating a machine that had suffered hardware failure. He asked me several times if I was absolutely sure that I wasn't using the same key on more than one machine. I told him I was using the XP code that was stuck to the side of the Dell box, and I didn't use that same code on any other machines. He let me activate XP, but then he told me I should call Dell for future problems with that machine rather than call Microsoft. I'm not sure if that was a WTF or if I'm really supposed to call Dell when I can't activate a Dell box?!



  • @RangerRick said:


    What a coincidence, I just blogged about this this morning (but not Office, Windows XP):

    http://www.raccoonfink.com/2008/08/microsoft-why-do-you-treat-me-like-a-pirate.html

    There's a reason why I tend to pirate Microsoft products rather than buy them: the pirates offer a higher-value product.



  • @PileOfMush said:

    Only once I've had a problem with phone activation. I had to convince an Indian guy named "Phillip"

    While I despise Spanish software versions (especially those that insist in using the Spaniard travesty IT terms), one thing I really like about this is that calling the Support lines will give me someone in this continent, and who I can actually understand. Even the funny Argentinian accent is more bearable than the usual Indian support guy!


  • @danixdefcon5 said:

    I once had to go through the phone activation process, keying the whole giant key ... just to end up with a "maximum installs exceeded" recording, then transfered to an Argentinian call center. She eventually reset the "install" counter, and proceeded to ask me the entire key once again. So I spent a lot of time keying in the number, then saying it aloud twice to this girl, when the call center system could've just forwarded on the already-keyed number

     

    You've obviously never done any work for a call center before.  They are generally pretty cheap bastards that have no intention of spending a dime unless they absolutely have to.



  • @Carnildo said:

    @RangerRick said:

    What a coincidence, I just blogged about this this morning (but not Office, Windows XP):

    http://www.raccoonfink.com/2008/08/microsoft-why-do-you-treat-me-like-a-pirate.html

    There's a reason why I tend to pirate Microsoft products rather than buy them: the pirates offer a higher-value product.

     

    Why don't you just use the activation cracks? I for one wouldn't consider "cracking" a legitimately-bought product morally wrong, and in most places it's not even illegal.

    I nocd-crack most of the games I buy. Does that make me a pirate? Of course not. It means that I prefer not to go CD-hunting every time I want to play a game.

    I also find it stupid that a game installs multiple GBs of data to my HDD, then requires that I insert a CD or DVD that contains the same data (usually not even compressed) for it to run. I know that loading times may be an issue, but consoles have acceptable loading times from optical media, so why not PCs?



  • Now imagine doing that for fifteen Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP virtual machines.

    Over the telephone because the codes we have don't work with over-the-web activation.

    Now imagine repeating that for each different course you teach (I teach about fifteen courses, ranging from 1 to 15 virtual machines each).

    Now imagine that the nice people at the call centre that does activations don't know about MCT codes and always try to tell you that you are stealing software.

     

    Welcome to the world of the Microsoft Certified Trainer. :-(

     

    B



  • @havokk said:

    Now imagine doing that for fifteen Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP virtual machines.
    God I hope you have a headset.  Most of my meetings are telecons and if I didn't have a headset, I'd end up throwing my phone across the room every day.



  • @danixdefcon5 said:

    I once had to go through the phone activation process, keying the whole giant key ... just to end up with a "maximum installs exceeded" recording, then transfered to an Argentinian call center. She eventually reset the "install" counter, and proceeded to ask me the entire key once again. So I spent a lot of time keying in the number, then saying it aloud twice to this girl, when the call center system could've just forwarded on the already-keyed number.
    At least you have the autoresponder available. When you activate over the phone here, you talk to a live person - which wouldn't be too much of a problem, if they didn't have 8:00 - 16:00 weekdays working hours until recently (now they work 8:00 - 20:00 weekdays, which is just a bit better). Of course, my XP install decided that something was wrong on Friday afternoon, so I ended up calling the UK support number to be able to use my machine over the weekend.



  • @ender said:

    ...if they didn't have 8:00 - 16:00 weekdays working hours until recently (now they work 8:00 - 20:00 weekdays, which is just a bit better)...

    16:00?  20:00??  Hmm.. it looks like the drunk Slovenian (I know, redundant..) who built your country's only clock may have put some extra hours on there.  In my country clocks only have 12 hours, but then again I don't live in a third-world country full of miserable alcoholics who are so poor they only have dirt to eat.



  • @mallard said:

    @Carnildo said:

    @RangerRick said:

    What a coincidence, I just blogged about this this morning (but not Office, Windows XP):

    http://www.raccoonfink.com/2008/08/microsoft-why-do-you-treat-me-like-a-pirate.html

    There's a reason why I tend to pirate Microsoft products rather than buy them: the pirates offer a higher-value product.

     

    Why don't you just use the activation cracks? I for one wouldn't consider "cracking" a legitimately-bought product morally wrong, and in most places it's not even illegal.

     Much agreed.  

     

    @mallard said:

    I nocd-crack most of the games I buy. Does that make me a pirate? Of
    course not. It means that I prefer not to go CD-hunting every time I
    want to play a game.

    I also find it stupid that a game installs
    multiple GBs of data to my HDD, then requires that I insert a CD or DVD
    that contains the same data (usually not even compressed) for it to
    run. I know that loading times may be an issue, but consoles have
    acceptable loading times from optical media, so why not PCs?

     TRWTF there is that 90% of the games that did that (past tense because I haven't seen one do it for years now) would only make sure that the disc was in fact in the drive and then read all the real data off of your harddrive anyway.  Either that or there would be some 2MB cutscene left on the CD they couldn't possibly have fit with the other 700MB they insisted on cluttering your filesystem with.

     



  • @morbiuswilters said:

    16:00?  20:00??  Hmm.. it looks like the drunk Slovenian (I know, redundant..) who built your country's only clock may have put some extra hours on there.  In my country clocks only have 12 hours, but then again I don't live in a third-world country full of miserable alcoholics who are so poor they only have dirt to eat.
     

    Hey let me ask you a question. Is ignorance really bliss? Because seriously, if anyone has to have the anser to that question you must be it.



  • @Kermos said:

    @morbiuswilters said:

    16:00?  20:00??  Hmm.. it looks like the drunk Slovenian (I know, redundant..) who built your country's only clock may have put some extra hours on there.  In my country clocks only have 12 hours, but then again I don't live in a third-world country full of miserable alcoholics who are so poor they only have dirt to eat.
     

    Hey let me ask you a question. Is ignorance really bliss? Because seriously, if anyone has to have the anser to that question you must be it.


    @morbiuswilters said:
    Filed under: Lousy Smarch weather!, It's a joke...

    Might wanna check a mirror, chief.



  • Just claiming something is a "joke" doesn't mean you are not responsible if it is distasteful or offensive; consider someone making racist comments (which morbius's stuff bordered on) and then saying "hey everyone, no big deal, I was joking, it's ok!"  

    Come on, morbius, you're better than that.  You've shown you can be funny without resorting to "jokes" like that. 

    Ender -- please don't bother replying his comments in this thread, but definitely report posts like this if it becomes a consistent problem.





  • @Jeff S said:

    Just claiming something is a "joke" doesn't mean you are not responsible if it is distasteful or offensive; consider someone making racist comments (which morbius's stuff bordered on) and then saying "hey everyone, no big deal, I was joking, it's ok!"  

    Come on, morbius, you're better than that.  You've shown you can be funny without resorting to "jokes" like that. 

    Ender -- please don't bother replying his comments in this thread, but definitely report posts like this if it becomes a consistent problem.

    Wow dude chill out.  Did the post actually get reported or something?



  • @belgariontheking said:

    @Jeff S said:

    Just claiming something is a "joke" doesn't mean you are not responsible if it is distasteful or offensive; consider someone making racist comments (which morbius's stuff bordered on) and then saying "hey everyone, no big deal, I was joking, it's ok!"  

    Come on, morbius, you're better than that.  You've shown you can be funny without resorting to "jokes" like that. 

    Ender -- please don't bother replying his comments in this thread, but definitely report posts like this if it becomes a consistent problem.

    Wow dude chill out.  Did the post actually get reported or something?

     

     

    No, that's just Jeff S.



  • @belgariontheking said:

    Wow dude chill out.  Did the post actually get reported or something?

     

    Morb is just jealous of our superior UK dirt.



  • @upsidedowncreature said:

    Morb is just jealous of our superior UK dirt.

    You'd do well to silence that damn tongue of yours, lest ye be made to bleed like a Whitechapel tart.



  •  @Doctor Steel said:

    No, that's just Jeff S.

    You forgot "fascist" in your tag; try to do better next time. 

    (By the way -- very clever and original usage of the tags!  How and where did you come up with those?  Impressive work!)

    OK -- Back to your scheduled programming!




  • @morbiuswilters said:

    @ender said:

    ...if they didn't have 8:00 - 16:00 weekdays working hours until recently (now they work 8:00 - 20:00 weekdays, which is just a bit better)...

    16:00?  20:00??  Hmm.. it looks like the drunk Slovenian (I know, redundant..) who built your country's only clock may have put some extra hours on there.  In my country clocks only have 12 hours, but then again I don't live in a third-world country full of miserable alcoholics who are so poor they only have dirt to eat.

     

     

    I will assume your not aware that under federal law emergency services* (you know, the guys who come when you dial 911) , as well as all branches of the US military use 24-hour time notation vs. 12? There are plenty of businesses and various government agencies which use 24hour time over 12.

    Guess the United States is now "a third-world country full of miserable alcoholics who are so poor they only have dirt to eat."

     

    * - Under the National Incident Management System (http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/press_release_0367.shtm) requires all agencies adopt specifc proceeduces and response plans for handling emergencies across the board. That being said, I'm not aware of a single agency that used 12 hour time even before NIMS come into affect.



  • @Michael Casadevall said:

    I will assume your not aware that under federal law emergency services* (you know, the guys who come when you dial 911) , as well as all branches of the US military use 24-hour time notation vs. 12? There are plenty of businesses and various government agencies which use 24hour time over 12.
    "Side Bar" WTF: Because more things make us ask WTF than just code... like our moderators, for example. Is there a fund to which we can contribute in order to buy you guys a functioning sense of humor?
    @Michael Casadevall said:


    Guess the United States is now "a third-world country full of miserable alcoholics who are so poor they only have dirt to eat."

    To be fair, morbiuswilters is a miserable alcoholic. But he doesn't normally eat dirt unless he has just spilled beer on it or he's in the mood for a Bud Light.



  • @bstorer said:

    "Side Bar" WTF: Because more things make us ask WTF than just code... like our moderators, for example. Is there a fund to which we can contribute in order to buy you guys a functioning sense of humor?

     < yet another "retard" joke, removed by moderator >

    @bstorer said:

    To be fair, morbiuswilters is a miserable alcoholic.

    But I'm not poor or Slovenian and I know what numbers are supposed to be on a clock!

     

    @bstorer said:

    But he doesn't normally eat dirt unless he has just spilled beer on it or he's in the mood for a Bud Light.

    It would have to be really good dirt or I would have to be really drunk.  So, yeah, it happens...



  • @morbiuswilters said:

    But I'm not poor or Slovenian and I know what numbers are supposed to be on a clock!
     

    Now you've gone and done it, the [url="http://www.klockit.com/products/dept-157__sku-BBBII.html"]"European/Military time clock"[/url] is pictured in a Freedom-loving edition, no doubt exclusively for Slovenian expats in the US.



  • @sootzoo said:

    Now you've gone and done it, the "European/Military time clock" is pictured in a Freedom-loving edition...

    It's a Photoshop.

     

    @sootzoo said:

    ...Slovenian expats in the US.

    We just shorten it to "wino".  Saves a lot of valuable syllables. 



  •  ... And another topic completely derailed by a troll.  Congrats, Morbius, well done.

    Feel free to continue on your conversation elsewhere.

     



  • @Jeff S said:

    And another topic completely derailed by a troll.

    I didn't realize that mocking Slovenia would have the effect of preventing anyone else from discussing the exciting world of activation codes.  Especially since there is so much more that needs to be said about them.

     

    @Jeff S said:

    Congrats, Morbius, well done.

    *takes bow*

     

    @Jeff S said:

    Feel free to continue on your conversation elsewhere.

    I've been banned from all of the Anti-Slovenian messageboards for being too extreme in my hatred.  My only remaining option is to come here and spread my vitriol.



  • @morbiuswilters said:

    the effect of preventing anyone else from discussing the exciting world of activation codes.  Especially since there is so much more that needs to be said about them.
     

    I do agree with you there.  But if the OP and others want to discuss the topic, then let them have at it, right?  Surely you have more important things going on in your life than worrying about that.

    At least I learned the new, hip lingo the kids are using to "flame" microsoft microzoft. Don't want to be any more uncool than I already am.



  • @Jeff S said:

    At least I learned the new, hip lingo the kids are using to "flame" microsoft microzoft. Don't want to be any more uncool than I already am.

    <dr_strangelove>

    Microzoft eez how ve pronounce it.

    </dr_strangelove>



  • @Jeff S said:

    I do agree with you there.  But if the OP and others want to discuss the topic, then let them have at it, right?
    Seeing as it was so easily derailed off topic, couldn't it be just as easily derailed back on topic?



  •  @belgariontheking said:

    Seeing as it was so easily derailed off topic, couldn't it be just as easily derailed back on topic?

    Not if the trolls don't allow it.

    Anyway, again, enough about this. Feel free to PM me if you want to complain/discuss further.



  • @belgariontheking said:

    @Jeff S said:

    I do agree with you there.  But if the OP and others want to discuss the topic, then let them have at it, right?
    Seeing as it was so easily derailed off topic, couldn't it be just as easily derailed back on topic?

    Sure.

    Anyway ... anyone remember how CD keys used to be much, much shorter??? I still remember my Office 97 key to be something like

    362-349029 or something like that. Whats with the zillion numbers? It certainly isn't stopping piracy, that's for sure.

    Even Starcraft had shorter numbers: 1234-56789-0123

    BTW, that "CD Key" actually works when installing Starcraft, if you lost your CD key and aren't really going to use battle.net, that's an easy way to get it running.



  • @danixdefcon5 said:

    BTW, that "CD Key" actually works when installing Starcraft, if you lost your CD key and aren't really going to use battle.net, that's an easy way to get it running.
    Heh, that sounds like the 040-1234567 and 0401-1111111 Windows 95 and Office 97 keys.



  • @ender said:

    @danixdefcon5 said:
    BTW, that "CD Key" actually works when installing Starcraft, if you lost your CD key and aren't really going to use battle.net, that's an easy way to get it running.
    Heh, that sounds like the 040-1234567 and 0401-1111111 Windows 95 and Office 97 keys.
    Did I miss something?  is this theserials.com or seriall.com now?

    BTW, those sites NSFW.



  • @ender said:

    @danixdefcon5 said:
    BTW, that "CD Key" actually works when installing Starcraft, if you lost your CD key and aren't really going to use battle.net, that's an easy way to get it running.
    Heh, that sounds like the 040-1234567 and 0401-1111111 Windows 95 and Office 97 keys.
     

    Excellent!  I'll always have fond memories of 017-34515 for VB5.  Happy days, just jamming it. 



  • @danixdefcon5 said:

    Even Starcraft had shorter numbers: 1234-56789-0123

    3333-33333-3333 and 0000-00010-0000 are easier to type.



  •  Windows NT 4.0 worked with all ones, or twos... basically you picked a digit and kept hitting it.



  • @belgariontheking said:

    ...couldn't it be just as easily derailed back on topic?
    I belive the word you want is 'rerailed'.



  • @belgariontheking said:

    Did I miss something?  is this theserials.com or seriall.com now?

    Agreed.  This is absolutely retarded. 


Log in to reply