Activation gone wrong
This post from Ed Foster explains why I've always opposed schemes for product activation - they make an assumption that the end user is a thief, and force him to prove otherwise. That's not a good way to start a relationship with a customer:
"I purchased Adobe Acrobat Pro 7 last month," a reader recently wrote. "Several times since installing the software I am prompted to reactivate the product. After three successful Internet activations, I was directed to call Adobe. The person who answered the call accused me of installing the product on several PCs. I assured him that I had not done so. After reviewing my PC configuration he told me that activation does not work on RAID disk arrays. I had to install a non-RAID drive to allow Acrobat to activate properly."
Try as he might, the reader couldn't find anyone at Adobe who would offer a better solution. "I was forwarded to tech support who determined there was no workaround for this problem," the reader wrote. "Tech support's only suggestion was to purchase a volume license disk, since it does not have the activation 'feature.' They forwarded me to sales. The sales department would sell me a volume license CD, but I would have to pay a full volume license fee even though I only want one working copy. I asked for a supervisor and, after discussing the problem, he stated that I was not the first person to have this issue. He escalated the issue to 'upper management.' Two days later I was informed there was no solution for this issue. How frustrating."
That's a lost customer. The assumption made here is that activation prevents fraudulent use, thereby bringing in money. But does it? The customer in question had a normal setup (RAID is only going to get more common), and was given stupid responses (just pay us more money to make the problem go away). Look at what the end result of this is for Adobe:
- This customer was lost (read the whole article)
- They got bad publicity - Ed Foster, this post, additional word of mouth on it
- What did they gain?
When someone from management approaches you and asks for product activation, or cripples, or timebombs, ask yourself just how much negativity that will bring back - then try to argue against the scheme. It's not worth it.
Comments
Activation gone wrong
[ Mike Brazinski] March 8, 2005 10:06:27.083
Comment by Mike Brazinski
Tell me where you aren't thought to be a thief or worse these days. If you go to CompUSA or Best Buy, some flunkie needs to inspect your bag and validate it against your receipt. Try to take a flight and now you're thought to be a terrorist. "Take your shoes and belt off." Am I trying to take a flight or am I being locked in a holding cell? Heck, somedays you can't even drive up to BWI without random vehicle inspections. (Is there still a fourth amendment?)
Software activation and third degree interrogations from the call center flunkies is just another example on how trust has been almost entirely lost today. Yes, it has been lost because there are real terrorists, thiefs and pirates out there and I really don't have a better solution. It's just sad and depressing.
Welcome to the creeping tyranny...
[XCheck] March 8, 2005 11:48:06.382
...of Communism.
[Adam Vandenberg] March 8, 2005 14:11:19.628
XCheck: It's not The State asserting ownership of IP, it's private companies doing it in blecherous ways. Uncompetitive, but not communist.
[XCheck] March 8, 2005 15:42:45.093
Adam: This is probably not a place to discuss politics... but anyway:
I was referring more to Mike Brazinski's post (seems to me the state has a free ticket these days).
Aside from the things that are obviously wrong with Communism, and that don't need to be repeated here, there was (is) another, more subtle and far more reaching damage to human civilization that has roots in the principle of collectivity (collective responsibility, collective guilt, collective suspicion).
Regardless whether it's a private company or the state, the principle that you are suspect (or guilty) until proven otherwise is what made communism the most horrible of all political systems. That even North America is succumbing to this philosophy is sad, depressing, and frightening at the same time.
As a last point - unless you spent part of your life under a communist rule, you probably don't understand what communism is about. It's perfectly possible for a private company to display the traits of a communist (i.e., totalitarian) system - all that while using 'capitalist' or 'democratic' rhetoric.