Microsoft

[David]

Does anyone have any experience with dealing with Microsoft?

The reason I asked, with this new computer i just got, I then went and bought Microsoft Office 2010 professional via online website. When I got the product I installed it. When I tried to activate the product it informed me that the product key provided is not a valid key.

I should have known better for the price I got it for.

I ended up buying another one through a download website. It accepted the key during install but when it came to activate it claimed that the new key had been used already. (note: the instructions with the downloadable software advised that I might have to call in to Microsoft to get the product activated.)

So I called in to the Microsoft phone number listed on the activation wizard for the US and went through their process and then the product was then activated. So I did updates on Office to verify that the product is still active and good to go and it is.

My question is why when I tried to activate the last key online it stated that the key had been used already but when I went through the steps via phone activation it was successful. It causes me to think?

Any ideas? Any answers?

[EvilGrins]

Familiar, yes, but never heard of a problem like that before.

[Dragon]

Maybe there 3rd party crap.

[Hermskii]

No idea...

I know you can install it on another box and then call to activate and when it ask how many it is already on say "Zero" and it will activate it again. Pathetic.

[Dr.Flay]

In my experience, MS are very good on the phone and the people I have talked to have been knowledgeable when you ask what is going on.

I am wondering if this is how they deal with keygen keys.
Possibly your key has been used but not fully registered.
It would make sense that the first person to complete the full registration then becomes recognised as the owner.

I gave up with MS Office (Word mostly) after I found that the hand-holding and auto-correction/suggestion, was making it take several times as long to finish anything.
I tried writing the same numbered lists in Open Office Writer, and suddenly stopped having to fight with the software.
3 hours in Word, compared to a Half hour in Writer. No contest.
Writer still offers the same corrections or suggestions, but assumes I am bright enough to decide that when I say no, I mean NO ! (at least you could say no to the old paperclip)

Publisher Is the 1 bit of Office I rate, and the only one I need to keep full MS compatibility.
However I do think transplanting the clunky "Word Art" system into Publisher ruined it for me.