“As of Monday morning, Microsoft had answered about 2600 questions that poured into support forum regarding upgrades. At last count, around 1400 questions remained unanswered,” Emigh reports.
“On Microsoft’s support forum, users are complaining of receiving “unspecified errors” when unpacking Windows 7 Home Premium from the student download, and about getting [error messages]… Users began to complain about endless reboots on Friday, posting messages to the Microsoft support forums stating that the Windows 7 upgrade would hang two-thirds of the way through the upgrade,” Emigh reports. “Other angry users are saying that Windows won’t accept product keys supplied with Windows 7 upgrade disks. “
“Meanwhile, many users seem quite dissatisfied with Microsoft’s responses to other Win 7 upgrade issues. As of this morning, Microsoft support reps were still replying to users’ questions about product keys with a canned response citing ‘several reasons why a product key might not be accepted,'” Emigh reports. “Essentially, either, ‘You mistyped it. The product key you typed doesn’t match the key assigned to Windows on your computer. Microsoft has identified the product key you entered as counterfeit,’ or ‘the product key has already been used on another computer,”‘according to Microsoft.”
Emigh reports, “One person griped: ‘I Have been on the phone since 4 pm EST and I still don’t have a valid product code. Thank you Microsoft! Thank you for wasting my valuable time! Time is money and this had been a flagrant waste of it,’ wrote thatguy38.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: By SteveJack
“The combination of “Stockholm Syndrome” and “cognitive dissonance” produces a victim who firmly believes the relationship is not only acceptable, but also desperately needed for their survival,” writes Joseph M. Carver, PhD for Mental-Health-Matters.com.
Interesting, you say, but what does this have to do with the price of iMacs in China?
Well, nothing, but it does have a great deal to do with a recent issue I had with an IT department head at a company with which I was consulting recently. I won’t get into the specifics, but you know the drill, this guy hated Macs for some reason, made outright fun of Macs using all of the usual myths (too expensive, no software, no one uses them, Apple’s going out of business, etc.), but was getting pounded by his company’s workers and management as his network repeatedly failed due to viruses and patches and just plain Windows crashes.
I think I’ve figured out the answer to my own article from last November, “I really wonder what some Windows users think about Macintosh.”
These Windows users are sick. Sick, I tell you! Mentally ill. Want proof? Okay, but keep in mind that this gets eerie, proceed at your own risk:
Dr. Carver explains the history of the naming of Stockholm Syndrome, “On August 23rd, 1973 two machine-gun carrying criminals entered a bank in Stockholm, Sweden. Blasting their guns, one prison escapee named Jan-Erik Olsson announced to the terrified bank employees ‘The party has just begun!’ The two bank robbers held four hostages, three women and one man, for the next 131 hours. The hostages were strapped with dynamite and held in a bank vault until finally rescued on August 28th. After their rescue, the hostages exhibited a shocking attitude considering they were threatened, abused, and feared for their lives for over five days. In their media interviews, it was clear that they supported their captors and actually feared law enforcement personnel who came to their rescue.”
“While the psychological condition in hostage situations became known as ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ due to the publicity – the emotional ‘bonding’ with captors was a familiar story in psychology. It had been recognized many years before and was found in studies of other hostage, prisoner, or abusive situations. In the final analysis, emotionally bonding with an abuser is actually a strategy for survival for victims of abuse and intimidation,” Dr. Carver writes.
Stockholm Syndrome has certain symptoms or behaviors according to Dr. Carver. These include:
A. Positive feelings by the victim toward the abuser/controller
B. Negative feelings by the victim toward family, friends, or authorities trying to rescue/support them or win their release
C. Support of the abuser’s reasons and behaviors
D. Positive feelings by the abuser toward the victim
E. Supportive behaviors by the victim, at times helping the abuser
F. Inability to engage in behaviors that may assist in their release or detachment
Now, I shall interpret, using my IT friend as the example:
A: Even though completely locked into a failing computer system, he compliments Microsoft when speaking of Windows and Microsoft applications.
B. I was trying to explain the benefits of Mac OS X vs. Windows when it comes to usability, stability, and virus/worm security only to have him make fun of Apple and the Mac based upon myths and falsehoods.
C. His support of Microsoft’s system of patching problems as they came up, how Windows worked, etc. was strong.
D. This poor bastard loved Microsoft.
E. This guy was proud that he had been awake for 56 hours, working through two nights straight to patch hundreds of infected Windows machines.
F. He wouldn’t listen to me as I offered him an option (Mac) that did everything he needed to do (and more) without the problems of Windows.
According to Dr. Carver, four situations or conditions must be present that serve as a foundation for the development of Stockholm Syndrome:
A. The presence of a perceived threat to one’s physical or psychological survival and the belief that the abuser would carry out the threat
B. The presence of a perceived small kindness from the abuser to the victim
C. Isolation from perspectives other than those of the abuser
D. The perceived inability to escape the situation
My interpretation:
A: The perceived threat, I believe, is that my IT friend would have to “learn something new” or, to put it simply, fear of change. This is a very strong fear in some humans.
B: Microsoft had worked with him on licensing, some custom work, etc.
C. My IT friend would not hear the words Mac or Apple or anything other than Windows without immediately shutting down intellectually and resorting to making fun of the Mac and Apple users.
D. He was so deeply invested in time and money with Microsoft, that he couldn’t even consider life without Microsoft.
Dr. Carver explains that, “In abusive and controlling relationships, the victim has the sense they are always ‘walking on eggshells’ – fearful of saying or doing anything that might prompt a violent/intimidating outburst. My IT friend had long ago barred all users from installing any software on their machines, kept Windows restore discs everywhere (even in his car!), and acted like keeping his computer running was the result of hours and hours of fine-tuning (which it was).
I’m going to stop translating because it’s just not necessary any longer, just read what Dr. Carver has to say and apply it to my IT friend, Microsoft, and my attempts to offer him the Apple Macintosh solution:
“In severe cases of Stockholm Syndrome in relationships, the victim may have difficulty leaving the abuser and may actually feel the abusive situation is their fault.”
“Abusers and controllers are often given positive credit for not abusing their partner, when the partner would have normally been subjected to abuse in a certain situation.”
“In relationships with an abuser or controller, the victim has also experienced a loss of self-esteem, self-confidence, and psychological energy. The victim may feel ‘burned out’ and too depressed to leave.”
“Stockholm Syndrome produces an unhealthy bond with the controller and abuser. It is the reason many victims continue to support an abuser after the relationship is over. It’s also the reason they continue to see ‘the good side’ of an abusive [situation] and appear sympathetic to someone who has… abused them.”
Now let’s look briefly at “Cognitive Dissonance.” Dr. Carver explains, “Throughout history, people have found themselves supporting and participating in life situations that range from abusive to bizarre. One way these feelings and thoughts are developed is known as ‘cognitive dissonance.'”
“‘Cognitive Dissonance’ explains how and why people change their ideas and opinions to support situations that do not appear to be healthy, positive, or normal. In the theory, an individual seeks to reduce information or opinions that make him or her uncomfortable. Even though we might find ourselves in a foolish or difficult situation, few want to admit that fact – the more you invest (income, job, home, time, effort, etc.) the stronger your need to justify your position.”
Dr. Carver explains, “Studies tell us we are more loyal and committed to something that is difficult, uncomfortable, and even humiliating. The initiation rituals of college fraternities, Marine boot camp, and graduate school all produce loyal and committed individuals.”
Add Windows IT professionals to the list of pledges, recruits, and grad students. Emotional Investment, Dr. Carver explains, is the key, “We’ve invested so many emotions, cried so much, and worried so much that we feel we must see the relationship through to the finish.”
My poor IT friend. He’s ill. Dr. Carver writes, “The combination of ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ and ‘cognitive dissonance’ produces a victim who firmly believes the relationship is not only acceptable, but also desperately needed for their survival. The victim feels they would mentally collapse if the relationship ended. In long-term relationships, the victims have invested everything and placed ‘all their eggs in one basket.’ The relationship now decides their level of self-esteem, self-worth, and emotional health.”
I could go on, but my point has probably made many times over by now. So, how do we break the abused from the abuser? According to Dr. Carver it is a complex problem that may require counseling and professional help. In my case, I just sent along my first draft of this article anonymously. Drastic, maybe, but I don’t have an extended period of time here. That was 10 days ago. I’m not going to mention Apple or Mac to him for a while, but I’ve noticed that he’s no longer visibly recoiling at the sight of my PowerBook anymore. A small step, but it seems to be in the right direction.
The above Take is a verbatim reprint from a MacDailyNews article, published on December 20, 2003, “Defending Windows over Mac a sign of mental illness”, which just gets more blatantly true with each passing day.
SteveJack is a long-time Macintosh user, web designer, multimedia producer and a regular contributor to the MacDailyNews Opinion section.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Martin L.” for the heads up.]
So glad I switched.
It would have been named BELLEVUE SYNDROME, but they got too many complaints from Bellevue Mental Hospital.
The pulling of one’s own hair mentioned in the PC World article is a deliberate attempt by Microsoft to make users look like their leader Steve Balmer.
“I have upgraded 3 Vista installs with Windows 7 (Including one on iMac) without any issues. I would suggest most of those having a problem have failed to follow the install directions.”
Your *three* Windows 7 installs went without incident, therefore the approximately *two thousand six hundred* installs that did NOT got without incident as reported on Microsoft’s support forum must be the result of user error?
Well, then. You sure are special, aren’t you?
Just as an aside, my old PC running Windows 95 once caught a virus that made it endlessly reboot. After all these years it just warms my heart that Microsoft has built it into Windows 7 as a feature. I feel so nostalgic.
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I can only imagine – and cringe at – the horror of downgr… I mean… Upgrading from XP to Windows 7 if even the process of upgrading from Vista is this much of a crapshoot.
Now the question is if 2600 people are having trouble how many decided to upgrade? 3000? 4000? 5000? Makes a big difference on percentage of people that are having trouble.
while we are typing…
The lines must queueing up at the new MS store to for technical support…
lol…
Snow Leopard has its share of problems too. For example, you can no longer drag-and-drop in all the ways you used to be able to:
http://www.michaelcritz.com/2009/08/28/snow-leopard-breaks-drag-and-drop/
ROTFLMAO! Go ahead Microsuck fans, you deserve whatever you get! LOL!
“users are complaining of receiving “unspecified errors” when unpacking Windows 7″
They should really be complaining about their own stupidity!
Reminds me of a an old PC I used to have, use it maybe 2 times a year… the thing kept telling me I needed to update the system software… eventually I did…
turned the box into door stopping mode… ziltch.. nada, wouldnt even start up anymore… haha
Schadenfreude…
Windows is the only operating system that has as many flaws as it does. Which is especially conspicuous given its marketshare and Microsoft’s fantasy that it got where it is today because it’s the bestest OS evar, as opposed to being a fifth-rate product catapulted to #1 through abusive software licensing that was engineered to freeze out the competition.
It’s a non-sequitur to shoot back that Snow Leopard has some bugs, too. Even if it burned your house down and had sex with your wife, it wouldn’t raise the quality of Windows or absolve Microsoft from their little ethically challenged adventures.
I do hope the pompous, overblown Mr Tim Weber of the BBC is looking at these ‘teething’ troubles!
‘Metoo$haft’ sure knows how to (ahem!) ‘Botch a software launch in style’
All that money – all those programmers – that huge user base!
Get a mac!
Regarding: “…why do you have to pay for internet access at a $160 a night Hyatt when the Days Inn down the block gives it to you free with your $85 a night room?”
The Days Inn uses recycled electrons in their server’s network, whereas Hyatt only uses the finest undiverted electrons in their guest’s rooms. In the Electron Riots of 1998, the Chicago Hyatt was accused of using recycled electrons (unused packets of electrons from the internet café across the street), but they later proved that their source of electrons came directly from ComEd’s Byron Nuclear Facility 100 miles away. This had a direct effect upon a Dept. of Energy requirement that a Quality Report be made available to the public for all distribution nodes in the country, and updated annually.
I’d strongly recommend that you contact your local electric company to insure that you do not get recycled electrons. Be sure they send you a copy of the “Annual Line Quality Report” for your area. It outlines the distribution paths, and you can determine if your electrons pass through any other businesses or residences before reaching your home. If they do, be sure to insist upon the “40% Recycled ePacket Discount” in your next bill.
I believe that the reason that most Win IT admins refuse to hear/support/integrate Macs into their environments is fear of losing their job.
I once asked my company’s IT guy (he used to run the dept., and now I do and he works for me.. lol) why it is that he insists on replacing old Win machines with new ones, instead of slowly moving the company over to Macs. He told me, and quote – “..because then I wouldn’t have the support issues that I do now, and it would eventually put me out of work..”
My response to him was that instead of trying to constantly fix yesterday’s technology over and over again for the next two to three years, he could be spending his time implementing tomorrow’s technology today. He didn’t care. Most of these Win techs feel that if they lose the war to Macs that they will lose their jobs, and they are right.. they will.. unless they hop on the bandwagon now and learn the system.
Needless to say, six months after that, I converted our complete General Offices staff over to Macs, and have implemented a 8-core Mac Pro w/ SL Server for email, chat, internal web, etc., and am slowly moving lower-management over to Macs. I support the Macs, and he supports the Win machines. He is always running around like a chicken with his head cut off. My support calls are usually.. “How do I do such and such?.. oh, really?.. that’s easy! thanks”.
Boy does it suck to be a win-supporter.
MW: kind. Let’s all be KIND to the win people. Eventually, they’ll learn.
MM
Why do you think Ballmer went so bald, so early in his life?
Baaaaaa… Only 4 days before the reports started to come in. Record for Redmond!
http://www.peopleofmicrosoftstores.com
Without microsoft the IT guys have nothing to fix. A lot of them would then be unemployed.
Ballmer is unaffected. He knows nothing about technology. He’s your basic car-dealer sales manager.
@ Scott Rose
Snow Leopard has its share of problems too. For example, you can no longer drag-and-drop in all the ways you used to be able to:
Wow, yeah, that’s totally on the same level as the reported Vista 7 upgrade problems…
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?!?!? …okay, it’s official – between the weird Gates/Seinfeld ads, the flopped Windows 7 launch parties, and now their extremely public flip-flopping here, Microsoft is letting the whole world know that they have no f’ing clue whatsoever about how to market Windows 7 to anyone: Microsoft abandons Family Guy Windows 7 promo
This is why we want Psystar to fail: product activation. So long as Apple knows it gets paid when you buy mac hardware, it doesn’t have to worry about piracy of the OS, and can design it for the best possible experience for paying customers.
MS charges too much for Windows… but I do understand that they need anti-piracy because they do need to get paid.
But activation keys in Windows is almost as annoying and problem prone as all the malware.
Is having your comments removed from this site a common thing?
@painkillerjane
Never had a single one of mine removed.
Windows 7 is the anti-Midas — everthing it touches turns to sh*t.
“Is having your comments removed from this site a common thing?”
Yes. It’s done to lower some of the ‘Paid Microsoft Blogger’ post numbers.
Occasionally some real posts get wiped as well.
So… last week, I went into a store to buy some software (that looked pretty cool) ..
…..brought it home.. and it wouldn’t work on my machine…
… so I brought it back to the store .. and explained the situation to the zit-faced kid, (with the coke-bottle lenses) — behind the counter…
He looked at the side of the box and read: ” System Requirements — Windows Vista (or better) ..”
He says..”What’s the problem ?.. you DO have Windows Vista… don’t you…?”
So…. (and you know this is coming) ..
I said: … “…. No… I have BETTER … I have the Mac OS !”…
Sorry… old joke… I kno… but .. *somehow* .. it seems a little appropriate, here !
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