First they make it difficult to contact them, and one can see why. I clearly outlined the issue and got my first stupid response yapping about how to tell if software is legitimate. I had established that fact as everyone knows there is a lot of bootleg product out there. So I hit reply and asked for the actual question to be answered. That one resulted in a response to call their support and the 800 number was provided.

Calling that number resulted in Microsoft shuttling me off to HP. When I called HP (and yes, I'll be filing on them as well), the SOBs wanted me to pay them pretending this was a "warranty" issue. It's not. The computer is not "broken." I can't tell with all this finger pointing by MS and HP WHO is reponsible--did I get a defective copy of Windows? What? So who is to blame. These idiots actually think that though I paid full freight for their products I should pay more because they have NO clue how to write clearly. They claim they have all these bells and whistles, but if you want help, they've got their hands in your wallet again.

My brother has an old computer with problems. When he's done pulling some important files off of it, he is giving it to me. I have had enough of the BS that MS pulls constantly. I'm going LINUX and we'll see if greed is not the dominant concern if it's possible to get computers to do things for affordable prices.

The more MS insists on spitting on customers and overcharging for things that cost them little because they're comfortable being the 800 pound gorilla, the more smart people are going to search for superior alternatives. MS may think it's king of the world, but let's think of the number of gigantic corporations that have lost market share or even tanked and there is one thing that unites ALL of them: lack of customer service.

MS your days are numbered unless you start doing your job: customer service first and hire some folks at all levels who can read, write, and think. This constant boiler plate knee-jerk nonsense wastes the valuable time of your customers and can easily turn them into former customers.