Prologue
Some time ago, I bought SQLServer 2000 Developer Edition, because you
never know what your business needs will be and I found it to be affordable
enough to go for it(70 euros).
Some more about me: I'm a fair and loyal customer when it comes to buying
stuff that I use business-wise. That's one of the reasons by which I upgraded to
D2005 Pro SKU, since I couldn't afford Architect.
What happened
Yesterday I realized that I couldn't find my SQLServer CDs(or are those DVDs? Not
sure about this, but I didn't mind investigating at the time) so this morning I called
Microsoft Customer UNcare for enlightment about how I could get my CDs back.
The response, summing up the discussion, looks like this:
"You have to fax us copy of the complaint filed to police officers, copy of your
paper license, serial number and a photo of the product box". Yes, they
asked for the photo of the box. They continued: "This process will lead to us
allowing you to purchase again the CDs". Yes, they cost 30 euros and you're
kindly allowed to buy them again.
Premise on the conclusions
I do not and am not planning to endorse piracy in any way but, here are my
thoughts.
My thoughts
Now, let's be honest. What could possibly stop me from buying a pirate CD and use my
legal serial number with it? I mean, I already bought it legally, I can use my legal serial
number with it. I can use the pirate CD as backup copy. If you're willing to know why
I'm more leaning towards buying it again(yes, that's what I'm going to do), it's simple:
SQLServer CDs include a few things other than the client and server themselves, like
Reporting Services, service packs and so on. And I don't want to lose on them.
Plus, I can make sure something like that(losing the CDs) won't happen ever
again with the product.
Now, on with my thoughts about Microsoft attitude.
I can understand fighting piracy, that's what those requirements boil down to, but I
strongly beleive in the concept that you're innocent before you're demonstrated
guilty. Nowadays, it looks more like that you're considered guilty unless you
prove to be innocent and that's just plain wrong in my opinion.
Anyway, this buffled me quite a bit, I never thought I'd be requested to go
through all this hassle to get CDs back.
Side note: when I lost my Delphi 6 CDs(yes... :D I'm a bit distracted :D), Borland
asked for my purchase proof(obviously) and just sent CDs back to me with no
expense on my side. Thus, kudos to Borland for that.
Andrew
3 comments:
Didn't it occure to anyone at MS that maybe the CD's you lost were in the "Box" that you have to take a photo of?
LOL!
This is a quite rational argument, but the original problem is that in fact most people just throw away the boxes if they have no room for them.
This was really the case, in my occasion.
What I find insulting in this situation is that the box was to be considered a "proof" of my legal purchase.
That's insulting, really insulting to say the least.
Cheers,
Andrew
On box's photo:
This is really easy, just browse for photo on "e-bay". MS didn't think about it.
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