Category: General

This is a summary of a real-life story about upgrading a Microsoft product :

• A client is having problems with Microsoft Money 2002. She is told upgrading to Money 2006 will solve the problem.
• She buys Money 2006 Deluxe from Amazon.com, installs it, and begins the data import wizard, which repeatedly crashes the app.
• She spends 1.5 hours on the phone with Microsoft trying to resolve the problem to no avail
• She installs Money 2003 (an OEM version which came with her computer) and imports the data successfully.
• She calls Microsoft Tech Support for help with 2003, and is told since it is an OEM version, no help is available without paying
• She patiently explains that she just bought Money 2006 Deluxe on their advice and would prefer to run that, but has no choice since it won’t import her Money 2002 data successfully.
• The support agent asks for the product key or serial number for Microsoft Money 2006.
• There is no such number anywhere on the retail box, CD case, or CD itself, nor was one required during install.
• No number = no help she is told
• There is no such number she tries to explain again and again.
• I pick up the phone and try to explain the situation, end up going postal, and get hung up on by the Indian support agent.

Conclusion :

1. Read the EULA that comes with your software slowly and carefully, you’ll be suprised!
2. Microsoft softly force people to upgrade without giving sufficient downward compatibility or support
3. The OEM-edition user isn’t entitled for Microsoft support without paying first
4. Even if you pay for the full product, doesnt mean that Microsoft Support would play nice with you

Remind me of my own experience with tech support, the lenghty one which tells me to check blinking lights, delete certain icons from my desktop and create it back. Oh sorry, there’s no winning prizes for those who can guess it right…