10-09-2002, 01:00 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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You think Microsoft's Product Activation is Draconian?
http://www.infoworld.com/articles/op/xml/02/10/07/021007opgripe.xml
How would you feel about installing an OS that made you give your name, age, home address, phone number and other personal information or your device would shut down in 30 days after applying the upgrade? That is exactly what Casio is doing to BE-300 users that buy the $30 upgrade. I couldn't find anything on Casio's site stating these requirements and the person in the article says it is only on the fine print on the corner of the CD's jewel case. To make matters worse, he couldn't uninstall it.
This is crazy. Product activation? Ok. It is stopping the casual pirates and so far, I've not been bitten as an honest user. Registration requirements like this? HA! I'd sooner activate my Pocket PC with Passport, which I plan on doing right after I scrape the funge off the bottom of the hot water heater. As the author stated: "Things are seriously out of whack when, without any warning before you buy, you must give a manufacturer whatever information they demand or have your product disabled. Something needs to be activated all right, and it's our sense of outrage at the way we as consumers are being treated."
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10-09-2002, 01:00 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,023
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Eh...
Out of all things that can get me worked up, this just ain't one of them. Maybe I'm just naive, but I'm somewhat ok with being another name in a pile so big no one will ever care.
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10-09-2002, 01:00 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 574
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Have you ever heard of direct marketing or SPAM ????
The pile is big, and worth a lot of money. And databases are extemely patient and good in sending you e-mails about products you do not want to own.
Jaap
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10-09-2002, 01:00 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 102
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Don't know what the rules are in the US, but in the UK, Casio would be required to offer you the option of disabling direct mail and denying them the option of selling your information on to a third-party. I suspect the same rules apply over there.
I don't think I've ever had spam come from giving an e-mail address to a legitimate company, and Casio should technically count in that group. I used to hand out different addresses to different companies, so I could trace back addresses that were sold. Almost all of the spam I got on that old ISP came from a (defunct) address I had used in a newsgroup once.
The issue here is basically one of customer inconvenience (which makes Casio a bunch of idiots, but I've never been that impressed with them) and poor customer handling.
As regards the info they want, assuming the above controls on marketting apply here, I'm with Rirath. Worrying about it isn't worth the hassle.
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10-09-2002, 01:00 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 102
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BTW... I assume if you ordered the CD from Casio they already have your home address...
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10-09-2002, 01:00 PM
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Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
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False details are the way to go here.... .
Seriously though - the only people I give true details to are those that I buy things from - but I guess that covers this update. :evil:
Not good - I would leave as many fields blank as I could - or enter slightly altered details - so I could see if they tried to sell my detials for spam.
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10-09-2002, 01:00 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 66
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Yep, I agree with PDA Gerbil - if it's spam you're worried about, be as obstructive as you can (or give them someone else's email!) :wink:
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10-09-2002, 01:00 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,341
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You know, it's bad enough that these guys all bought an inferior device  (joking...well sort of) but it seems that over and over again the owners of the BE300 get sh*t on.
If in fact it was a typo to say that the info was required as the Casio spokesman says, then why did customer support not rectify the issue when the guy called them?
BTW, I'm disappointed I thought this article was going to be an MS Reader bashing. Darn! I was getting all warmed up (overheated) and ready to go!
Dave
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10-09-2002, 01:00 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 481
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This is what we get for not resisting when Microsoft started it. I'm not surprised at this and it will only get worse. If we'd resisted Microsoft, it might have made a difference. Casio? There's not enough weight there for anything that come of this that would deter the next company. And, of course, it's all to prep us for when we have to pay subcription fees regularly to keep our software and devices working.
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10-09-2002, 01:00 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 185
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Ed, I couldn't agree more! They must be kidding. Next stage is that we have to provide a secret service file as well... Penalizing honest customers while hackers are laughing their heads off. There is just one answer to this: don't buy these products and they will learn the lesson.
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