So, last year I decided it was time for a computer upgrade. I seriously – well, okay, lackadaisically I admit – considered getting a new MacBook or iMac and not bothering with a Windows desktop. I think now I probably should have done that. But a new machine was built for me, my old machine was upgraded for Marianne, and Marianne’s machine was pretty much completely rebuilt for the kids.
It wasn’t an especially smooth transition, to be honest. We decided to add Windows 7 to the new machines and, since it was available, used the official Release Candidate 1 (RC1) for this purpose. We tried the new version of Office, but rolled back to the 2003 version almost immediately because the new version of Office is a horrible amalgamation of Mac-esque features with a Windows product and, frankly, just pissed me off. When I use MS Word I want MS Word. It’s like being a blacksmith and wanting a hammer. I need to hit things – in this case words – and I know what I want to hit them with, and it doesn’t come with effing ribbons.
Anyhows, we brought in the new machines, we implemented Windows 7. I learnt to live with the annoyance of the new desktop not talking to the old MacBook and things slowly settled down. Till now. RC1, for those who don’t know, expires in March. You have to buy an official copy of Windows 7 and you’ll be right. Fine. I don’t begrudge MS their $$s for their product. It’s expensive developing software and since I have the product I’ll pay for it.
BUT. But it turns out that to upgrade from Windows 7 Release Candidate 1 to Windows 7 you have to reinstall the operating system. Not put in a license key (like any sane effing product), not run a disk in the disk drive to add a few extra files, but backup all your data, reformat the hard drive, reinstall the OS, put your data back on your machine, and then go through all of the damn customisations you spent the last few months getting just right again because these people have taken such a ridiculous attitude.
To say I am pissed off at Microsoft is an understatement. I’ll do the re-install etc (well, Gordon will) this weekend and we’ll see how it goes, but if it’s a horrorshow I’ve bought my last Windows based product. I’ve had three years running a MacBook and I’m pretty comfortable with Apple, so it’s not a major cost to move on. What a clusterfuck.