How Microsoft gets richer by milking the poor
By Sieglinde W. Alexander
It
is an old, sad story. It is about monopolies like Microsoft (who dominates the
software market) making millions off little people like me from their sales,
without being held responsible for their faulty products.
People are now dependent on computers to communicate, process their work, keep
records and data. Microsoft created with Windows 95 a long lasting and self-
perpetuating dependency for the average PC-user and it feasts steadily in the
same fashion with Window XP. The average Joe and Jane Doe who purchase a PC
have automatically purchased the market-dominating Microsoft software as their
main operating tool. Naturally they have to accept what is offered since there
is nothing else readily available that compares and communicate with the
controlling marketer’s software. What the buyer doesn’t know is that at the
moment they spend their thousand or more dollars for a PC with a monitor, they
become, at this moment the cash cow, who will be perpetually milked on a daily
basis.
The
faulty Windows software requires high maintenance through constant updates,
graciously provided by the one who produced an inferior, mutually exclusive
product.
Every user of a PC must be steadily virus-proofed and purchase additional
software from other makers to protect their highly priced Microsoft product
from easily produced viruses that can destroy the operating system.
Then there are the bugs of spies who have a chance to control all your
activity on a computer, read your emails, extract addresses, download your IP
when logging in to a website. These hackers can get your passwords, social
security number and all banking information. So the user of the computer
purchased must become a skilled maintenance worker of their costly product if
they do not wish to lose what they have produced. Instead of just turning off
the computer when finished after a long day, they must begin to back-up what
they have. If they don’t, valuable material could be lost in an instant. They
may end up like I have because I got tired using additional time to back up my
extensive work after 12 hours, 7 days a week on the computer. My stockpile of
backup CD’s was getting larger every day. I had to buy more, spend an extra
hour to back up my daily work produced on produced different programs..
I am the author of a book and had written 58 pages of a new book and stored
it on the C drive. In addition, being the founder of a worldwide organization,
I have prepared over 100 articles for publication to be distributed among my
three websites. Some of my valuable information was of course phone numbers
and email addresses to communicate with people worldwide. Besides graphics
produced and text written for a new website, I had two years of research work
stored on the C drive. In addition, I had collected my answered emails (an
average of 60 per day) to people in need.
Finally, it was not a hacker or a virus that was my undoing: it was
Microsoft’s service pack 2. Performing the recommended maintenance by
downloading this large so-called update to the XP operating system effectively
caused my C drive to crash and become unmountable. Everything is gone. The
software that comes with my computer destroyed everything on it just through
maintenance. To me, it sounds like a house with a faulty roof where the rain
is pouring in, or a car that you need to replace the brake shoes on every day
to be assured of safety.
The
day came when I had to realize just how little the little people and their
work is worth, the very costumers from whom Microsoft makes millions. All I
could compare the loss of my work with was being cheated and mugged by someone
who sold me an expensive dress whose seams just went to pieces while I was
wearing it to a concert. Or to a new car whose brakes failed. I crashed
because the maker didn’t give a damn.
I
could not wait any longer my work had to go on. I finally managed on my own
and used the recovery CD, provided by Compac that gave the basic function.
After installing my Web connection I sent this letter to Microsoft assistance
online support, on Monday
7:45 PST,
with the Case number SRX040829605221, given over the phone. Until this moment
I have not received a phone call from Microsoft.
August, 30, 2004 7:45 pm PST
My computer crashed.
Sunday August 29, I followed the Microsoft automatic reminder of urgently
needed updates and downloaded the recommended XP Service Pack 2. After a long
download time I followed the instruction to restart my computer. The computer
would not start again. Many attempts failed. Finally it asked me to insert my
recovery disc. After I inserted the CD the question popped up if I would like
to select safe mode and I said Yes. Instead of working on safe mode the
computer selected automatic recovery. Now all my data is lost. I am talking
about two years of writing and research and a book I started writing. In
addition, all the programs I purchased on the internet with the passwords and
license numbers stored in files, plus a website in the making.
I
called MS-Support on Sunday. After pushing many buttons and waiting, I finally
was connected to a person. After I stated my name and phone number, the phone
connection was interrupted. I called again, went again through the same
frustrating menu until another person was online, again I stated my name and
phone number, and asked the person to call back in case we were disconnected
again. He took the information and gave me the Case number SRX040829605221 and
told me he was now connecting me to technical support. But phone connection
was again interrupted. I tried to call again, but suddenly the phone
instruction menu was changed and I had no way to contact MS by phone.
My
request is that Microsoft recovers my data, since it was a Microsoft program
that destroyed it. I would like to express my sincerity in my request because
I do believe if someone damages another person’s property, he should repair
it.
Sincerely,
Sieglinde W. Alexander
This
was the answer I received from Microsoft the same day with a second case
number SRZ040831000688 assigned
7:46 pm:
”Congratulations! Your question was successfully sent to Microsoft. Your
confirmation number is SRZ040831000688. Print this page or record this
confirmation number for future reference. A Microsoft Support Professional
will look at the issue you have submitted. You will receive a notification (by
e-mail) with a link to the response when the issue has been reviewed.”
Finally, I thought, my letter has found someone who cares in Microsoft-Tec
department. On Wednesday Sept 1,
8:35
I received a phone call from Nathan, Tech-support Microsoft. He confirmed my
letter and my request that Microsoft must recover my lost files and folders.
Nathan assured me that he would talk to his supervisor and contact me by phone
by, Friday or no later than Monday, or at least send me an email about the
progress of my request.
I
heard nothing from Nathan or Microsoft until Friday Sept. 10. At 6:15, a
Michael from Microsoft Tech-support called who began his questions to me with
what kind of computer I used. After answering patiently all his questions,
saying that I have a Compaq, the conversation changed. Michael explained my
memory was erased by the Compaq recovery disc and Microsoft is not responsible
for recovering my data.
He
further explained that Compaq makes this recovery cd to cut down on
Tech-support for their customers instead of including the original Window’s XP
which would not, according to Michael, have erased the data.
My
suggestion, that it was not Compaq who shut down my computer, that it was the
download of Window’s XP Service pack 2 who did the damage was ignored by
saying you should have called Microsoft support right a way. I reminded him of
my letter and again I indicated that I had contacted Microsoft right away. I
also ask him a rhetorical question how can some one get the Phone number from
Microsoft support when my computer is down? I had looked in the phone book and
there was no phone number. I called 411 information and received the 1800 386
5550 that asks you if you call about window XP service Pack 2. After
listening to many announcements and enduring disconnections and reconnections,
I experienced what I described earlier.
Now
I was told by Michael again that if I would have called, Microsoft Tech
support would have helped me then but now they can do nothing because it was
the recovery disc furnished by Compaq that has caused the damage. Now I know
blame-shifting was the new tactic. Again disregarding my previous statement
that I had contacted MS, he concluded that not all data is lost and I should
buy software that recovers my data.
My
question to Michael was why should I buy another software to undo the damage
caused by Microsoft, since it was a Microsoft product that has shut down my
computer. Further I asked why the update program did not warn me of eventual
difficulties or why the windows update recommendation did not detect the
possibility of a shutdown. Michael asked me if I have virus protection and I
answered that I had Norton. This was probably the cause of your shutdown, he
said. So I asked why the Microsoft update did not warn or provide instruction
to shutdown the virus protection program and went ahead with the automatic
download?
He
elaborated that these instructions were announced in the menu. What menu? The
automatic update does not show a menu with a warning, it asks if you trust
Microsoft product and I said as I had many times before during all automatic
updates “yes”.
I
mentioned briefly that all his technical explanations about what should have
being done requires more than basic knowledge about computers and software. As
far as I know, most people who buy a computer know only how to operate them to
get their work done. As he continued with his explanations they became more
and more blaming of me as the operator with too little knowledge, while
between my lines he always apologized and came with more technical
instruction. Having finally had enough of his technical blame-shifting I asked
him if he believes that people need to be a mechanic to drive a car.
My
last question to Michael was if Microsoft feels responsible for my last of two
years work, destroyed by faulty software provided by Microsoft, and he
answered: “unfortunately, no.”
At
last I stated that is the little people who pay a lot of money for a product
that can fail on them at any time without receiving punitive damages. It is
again the little people who invest a month’s paycheck and must spend more
money to keep the equipment running and prevent losses.
The
conversation ended because I was told Microsoft will do nothing to repair the
damage done to me.
Now
my question to Bill Gates and Microsoft is, have you not made enough money
from people like me who must pay more they have to operate and maintain a
faulty software? My last question to Mr. Gates is how he would feel, if I and
the many others who suffer from damages initiated by his product, would ask
you to pay each of us, one month’s worth of his salary as a reimbursement. I
strongly believe our time and work is worth just as much as his, unless he
continues seeing us as stupid cows, who can be milked dry.
The
purpose of publishing my experience with Microsoft is to bring a voice of
awareness to the little people who must helplessly endure the domination of
the dominator. The reality, that I have not the money to fight Microsoft in
court, is also the situation of many others who are hurt by the product. Bill
Gates has one less battle to fight and with it the liberty to continue making
money. The one with no money has no rights. All we are left with are the
consequences. It is the same old wheel of justice that is only available to
the ones who have money to pay for it. Microsoft knows it customers and counts
on the fact that the users of its product have not enough money to defend
their position. The moneyless must remain the cheated, who inevitably manifest
their dependency by being forced to buy more or yet another Microsoft product,
so the monopoly continues to feed. To heck with the poor who cannot buy
Justice!
On a
personal note, Mr. Gates, since I don’t have the money to fight you in court,
I hope you have a conscience in spite of the millions you have made from
people like me. If you do after all wake up in the night with the awareness
that you are not the computer-age- savior for the little people, there could
be some hope you may stop ripping them off and produce a product worthy of its
price. So far you dominate the market und leave people choiceless, dependent
on your faulty product.
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