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Disabling "copy and paste" is a trap, and MS put it there.
You can't blame the OEM for that. And what possible explanation could there be for doing it, other than to make it as hard as possible to salvage any document created with the trial product, and so "persuade" the user to buy the full version? Please remember that it is only the program which had expired. I quite understand that a trial version will cease to operate, but I am deeply troubled that it would try and take any *text* document it had created with it! This would certainly be contrary to any trial program I have used in the past. For example, a trial version of Delphi still left me with all my Pascal source intact when it expired.

It is the deliberate obstacles preventing the salvaging of the trial version's documents that is one of the central points in this article, or hadn't you noticed? That, and the ability of a proprietary format to hold a user's data hostage.

If your family knows you are the "geek" in the house, they should have already known to call you for assistance with a new computer.

This is your comment that prompted my second point about "ease of use". You are complaining that the family should have called Jeremy immediately after the purchase of the new computer, correct? And should not have waited until the trial program expired 30 days later? I see no other interpretation. However, AFAICT, it's only after the 30 days that the family realized it needed help. And the data salvage problem was extra.
Posted by: Zogg   Posted on: 05/14/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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IG you had any sense  No_Ax_to_Grind | 05/14/07
*If*,,,, (nt)  No_Ax_to_Grind | 05/14/07
Yes, because  Henaway | 05/14/07
RE: Yes, because  joe6pack_z | 05/15/07
But that's just the point...  linux for me | 05/14/07
OpenOffice is much more bloated than MS Office  PB_z | 05/14/07
This is the way Windows users think  Chad_z | 05/14/07
Yes I did....  linux for me | 05/14/07
more bloated - who cares  ucf1985 | 05/14/07
RE: OpenOffice is much more bloated than MS Office  joe6pack_z | 05/15/07
Thank you, oh Microsoft marketing slave!  B.O.F.H. | 05/14/07
Did you not read the article? Money was one of the issues! (nt)  CobraA1 | 05/14/07
Message has been deleted.  code_Warrior | 05/14/07
True, he is full of it...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 05/14/07
you should know  gtdavies33@... | 05/14/07
What dream did that happen in?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 05/14/07
Numerous times  gtdavies33@... | 05/14/07
Linux? For a young child?  ucf1985 | 05/14/07
Linux? For a young child?  tracy anne | 05/15/07
Misreading things again. Don't you get tired of  Update victim | 05/15/07
RE: Linux? For a young child?  GreyGeek | 05/16/07
MEPIS?  handydan918 | 05/16/07
Yawn  kozmcrae | 05/15/07
What?  shis-ka-bob | 05/14/07
Says who?  Chad_z | 05/14/07
Then converters should be easy to come by, right?  enduser_z | 05/14/07
code_Warrior Needs To Take His Helmet Off  dumptux | 05/14/07
dumptux needs to get his head examined  code_Warrior | 05/15/07
What?  beaner1111@... | 05/15/07
It's not an "industry standard" unless the industry has standardised on it!  Resuna | 05/15/07
And do these readers function on  Update victim | 05/15/07
I thought Novell == wicked?  techboy_z | 05/14/07
What a load of crap...  GeiselS@... | 05/14/07
I agree, sorta...  cwgmpls | 05/14/07
So after all your little girls learn NBM Office...  Logics | 05/14/07
She'll Be In Good Company  dumptux | 05/14/07
RE: load of crap  GreyGeek | 05/16/07
the easy answer  Herbie Headhunters | 05/14/07
Jerry - thanks for your honesty.  not of this world | 05/14/07
IF you like Mandriva you'll LOVE ...  GreyGeek | 05/16/07
Old Versions Still Work You Know  brian.smith@... | 05/14/07
this seems off-topic  shis-ka-bob | 05/14/07
Sorry Jeremy ...  Confused by religion | 05/14/07
MS sets a trap for the unwary, but it's the users' fault for stumbling in?  Zogg | 05/14/07
Microsoft set no traps...  Confused by religion | 05/14/07
Disabling "copy and paste" is a trap, and MS put it there.  Zogg | 05/14/07
I don't know why I bother...  Confused by religion | 05/14/07
Maybe she was using it because "It was there!"??  Zogg | 05/14/07
height / width and number of obstacles  shantanuo@... | 05/14/07
It says it right on the back of the CD sleeve  John Zern | 05/15/07
Does the CD list all the features that will be revoked after 30 days?  Zogg | 05/15/07
No boobie trap....  magpie_z | 05/15/07
Of course disabling "copy and paste" is a boobie-trap.  Zogg | 05/16/07
Indeed....  magpie_z | 05/17/07
"Key functions" is not explicit.  Zogg | 05/17/07
Key functiions are Explained  magpie_z | 05/18/07
Your list does NOT cover "copy and paste"  Zogg | 05/18/07
Not my list...  magpie_z | 05/19/07
Sophistry.  Zogg | 05/20/07
reason Jeremy had to load Windows & windows apps on the kids computer  zzz1234567890 | 05/14/07
So you buy a Mac  ITGuy04 | 05/14/07
RE: So you buy a mac  yyuko@... | 05/14/07
It didn't. It had to do with the post. (NT)  Logics | 05/14/07
One regular in these forums...  Logics | 05/14/07
Crushed by the Wheels of Industry  Loverock Davidson | 05/14/07
a compulsive liar called Jeremey  zzz1234567890 | 05/14/07
At least you have some morales...?  handydan918 | 05/16/07
Why OpenOffice and M$ Office cannot share a standard...  jrussel21 | 05/14/07
Support REAL open standards, not sham standards  mark@... | 05/14/07
Invited to the party  Yagotta B. Kidding | 05/14/07
Excellent thoughts. (nt)  No_Ax_to_Grind | 05/14/07
how many posts per year do you make  shis-ka-bob | 05/14/07
That depends  Yagotta B. Kidding | 05/14/07
Either way is OK  shis-ka-bob | 05/14/07
Install converter for Office XP  DavidConrad | 05/14/07
print to text file  ostroff | 05/14/07
Workaround  Yagotta B. Kidding | 05/14/07
Save To Power Point Format  mighetto | 05/14/07
I fully support MS's right  Michael Kelly | 05/14/07
An excellent point  Tony Agudo | 05/14/07
Microsoft has no rights.  wmlundine | 06/07/07
Whoa, dude,....  magpie_z | 06/12/07
How stupid are you?  ckirk@... | 05/14/07
Sorry, Jeremy  Yagotta B. Kidding | 05/14/07
A retrospective and current look  jurgen.manycolored@... | 05/14/07
Hmm...  Tony Agudo | 05/14/07
Alternative approach to recovering text  ucf1985 | 05/14/07
Virtually any scripting language does the trick  Tony Agudo | 05/14/07
CTRL+C and CTRL+V don't work?  osreinstall | 05/14/07
That won't work  Tony Agudo | 05/15/07
Maybe or maybe not.  osreinstall | 05/15/07
Forget doc or docx try pub  interele | 05/15/07
Why not pdf it?  claes4@... | 05/15/07
There's a free compatibility kit and a shell converter  georgeou | 05/15/07
Darn it George....  magpie_z | 06/12/07
COPY AND PASTE WERE DISABLED?  Resuna | 05/15/07
quick solution?  bluefox83 | 05/15/07
Not cat... but on the right track.  D-cat | 05/16/07
That REALLY wouldn't work  Tony Agudo | 05/16/07
Huh? Negative.  D-cat | 05/18/07
PDF is a printer output on some freeware one trick ponies.  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 05/18/07
print to pdf then copy/paste from pdf  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 05/16/07
Postscript to this story  zdnet.medberry.net | 05/17/07
Oh great another one.....  magpie_z | 06/12/07
No Cut & Paste?!? No Save AS is one thing, but SHAME on Microsoft!  Jeff Hayes | 06/07/07

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