This does seem reasonable, but my guess is that they really want this information so that they can keep track of how many times you need activation, and whether it is the same person activating each time. If they just wanted to a way to keep track of the support instance, they could just generate a case number and give it to you. I think what they really want to do is bust you if you try to sell your software to someone else.

So if you give a fake name/number, I'd write it down on the product package or sticker it on the computer, so that you can provide it again the next time.

EDIT: if it is true that they don't ask for your personal info when you phone the number from the Activation Wizard (I just can't remember), then I guess it pops my Big Brother from the Evil Empire theory.

My video editing suite is, for the most part, Windows-only. It is CPU-, hardware and memory intensive, and I can't imagine getting equivalent performance on a Mac running an emulator as I do on my 3 GHz P4 if, in fact, my software will run at all (a number of programs bypass the OS and make direct hardware calls, require DirectX and other Window-specific drivers, etc.). This is my hobby -- no developer is going to write code for me.

The issue isn't the specialization of software, but Microsoft's improper business tactics to ensure its near-monopoly position with respect to commercial OSs. I really believe this latest crosses the line. If my copy of XP refused to run under circumstances where either (1) I needed it urgently, or (2) I wasn't anywhere that I could contact Microsoft to handle this by phone, I wouldn't be writing this post, but would be drafting a law suit.

What difference do those two conditions make? Why not sue anyway? It's the principle, man.

The motherboard, CPU, and support chips didn't change, and those would be far more indicative of installation on another computer than a NIC, hard drives, graphics cards, or other readily- and often-upgraded components.

Absolutely wrong. They have no need to know who they are dealing with, beyond that I am a customer of Microsoft, and that is readily verified by asking me for such things as my key code and product ID, both of which are found on the original installation CDs. As for calling me back, I'll take my chances, rather than disclosing my personal home phone number to an entity that I do not trust and that may use that number for telemarketing or worse.

More to the point, and one you completely miss, is neither my license to use the software, the express warranty provided by Microsoft, nor the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, condition their enforceability on my provision of personal information such as my full name (including middle name) and home telephone number. By so requiring, Microsoft breached its license and the various warranties that I've identified here.

Maybe it's normal to you. It's not to me. I don't give out my home phone number to anyone except friends, families, doctors and others with a specific need to know. Maybe you don't mind if your telephone becomes a public sidewalk, but I do. You're also, apparently, unaware of the legal requirements of federal do-not-call list, which I take advantage of. As a matter of law, telemarketers can call you if there is a prior business relationship. I don't want Microsoft telemarketers calling me, nor do I want any of their partners, assignees, heirs, licensees or franchisees using my telephone as their free advertising portal into my home.

I don't know any company that won't. On those few instances when I need technical support, yes, I am always asked for my name, and, no, I never give it, other than my first name for the purpose of facilitating the communication. I've only had support withheld twice -- once by Microsoft (about which I've written here), and once by Sony, though only for as long as it took me to fax a demand letter to Sony USA. Of particular interest is the fact that, in both instances, I was dealing with the Indian help desk of these respective companies.

Sorry, I don't lie just for the sake of making things easier. Apparently, we have different standards about a lot of things.

As I tell my clients, "Never sue on principle." :)

I'm with you. Why continue to do business with a company that treats you like a criminal? Windows product activation isn't particularly effective in preventing piracy. It does a great job at getting in the way of legitimate users though.

That can be tracked by the Product ID and keycode.

Irrelevant. The license is transferrable by its own terms.

They could indeed.

What ScottC is losing sight of is that this was not a support call. Software that they had installed on my computer disabled it, despite the fact that I held a valid license to use the OS. Piracy protection is one thing. Breach of license is something altogether different, as is hacking a computer to install a virus.

Actually, no. As long as you remove the OS from your computer, you can sell it to someone else without violating Microsoft's express license or its policies.

To which I was transferred after calling Microsoft, speaking with someone in the US (who asked for, but didn't insist, on my name and phone number), and explaining that I needed re-activation.

I suppose you have a point... I guess it's just my "need" to always have the latest everything, software included. That, and I'm fortunate enough to only have to pay about $20 for Office (and $10 for Windows). :)

I recently purchased an Apple hardware product for my wife.

My attempt to use it in the manner illustrated in the instructions resulted in a two-week odyssey of idiocy involving calls, emails, visits to stores and US Mail letters to both Apple and Microsoft. Their respective attempts to control my use of my legally-purchased and wholly-owned hardware, software and content were incredible.

Since then I have become much more sympathetic towards the hacker community and their ethos.

Apple and Microsoft? Give me a hint? :)

iPod? Hmm... unless he's talking about Boot Camp... but Apple doesn't officially support that, do they?
Careful - nowhere did I suggest running an emulator. I suggested WINE, whose recursive acronym happens to be, "Wine Is Not an Emulator." It allows you to access Windows API while using some FreeBSD, Solaris, or - the best part - your favorite flavor of Linux. In real-world usage, as long as the program wasn't designed too shodily, there isn't much of a performance difference, assuming it runs, of course. WINE plays decently well with DirectX; with other drivers, YMMV.

In case you're interested: WINE HQ

BTW, what video editing suite are you running?

Was it an iPod by any chance?

I don't know if you've looked at this page http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...e/xpactiv.mspx , It may answer a few questions of why certain things trigger re-activation etc.

Low-tier support for a lot of companies, and in this case MS, has suffered greatly with the shifts to offshore support. I did note that you mentioned actually going through a US call center, and aside from just bad luck, I can't explain it away. You probably just got someone who just didn't know how to fix your probem as they don't see a high volume of activation problems. Since the activation wizard will direct you to call a specific phone number, those calls don't go through the general support queue.

Hopefully if you run into a similar problem in the future, you can have it resolved quicker in this way.

Just as a side note. If anyone pissed at dealing with activations in WinXP, you're going to hate Vista. Several of the licensing methods will cause it to activate frequently, not just when you make hardware changes. Known pirated keys will be decativated in a more aggressive manner than how they are handled currently.

If you like/need the OS, it's just the sort of thing you have to live with. Personally I'll use just about any OS (anyone remember BeOS, I still have it), but I actually like Windows the most.

Never, not once have I been asked for any kind of personal information when re-installing XP. Like I said earlier, I have one key here that has been activated over and over again (my test key). The only question they ever ask is whether the old machine it was installed on will not be used with that key, I tell them that the old machine has been erased and that this is the only machine the key is being used on.

Never had a single problem.