Windows Genuine Annoyance

I have a pretty generic Windows XP install on an IBM Thinkpad x31 (IBM). On a regular basis I accept that I'm about to waste a half hour or more allowing XP to install whatever updates of the week Microsoft (MSFT) has deemed worthy of annoying customers with.

I don't particularly like Microsoft, but I use XP and the various Office products pretty much because I have to.

XP came preloaded on my system. I bought Office as well as the update to Office. So, while I didn't pay separately for XP, I've paid over $1500 for other Microsoft products over the past couple of years (not including a separate MSDN subscription which I let lapse after getting totally confused about what option to select to renew).

So, as a paying customer of Microsoft, may I register this complaint out here in the wilderness: HOW MANY GODDAMN TIMES DO I HAVE TO INSTALL WINDOWS GENUINE ADVANTAGE®?

Today I got the annoying windows update notice and decided, hey, I have nothing better todo today, sure, go ahead and install. And it's Windows Genuine Advantage. Again. This has to be the third, or fourth time I've installed this since Microsoft started punishing customers with this.

I'm not a business guy, I'm a techie. I understand business concerns, I understand concerns about piracy. I don't necessarily blame Microsoft for trying to protect its software. But I have to say, as a customer, I find it surprising that Microsoft has determined it's worth the cost to its paying customers, that it's worth the risk that they'll move to some other solution, to continue to annoy us like this.

Posted in Problems