I'm a huge cynic. Ask anybody who knows me and they'll tell you it's true. And my cynicism makes a warm fluffy bed in the topics of politics and business in our "free market" society. It's there, after all, that it feels most comfortable.
Nothing surprises me, especially when it comes to Business as Usual in this country. Greed rules, and the Golden Rule (the people with the gold make the rules) is the only truth when it comes to our society. Like I said: cynic.
But every now and then, something gets under my skin and I get so disgusted by the way corporations and politicians are allowed to act that it makes me want to scream.
Like today, for instance. My son got his Xbox console banned from Xbox Live. He claims innocence, admitting to no wrong-doing on his part. Of course, being the father of two teens, I always take that sort of positioning with a huge dose of skepticism. I've learned my lesson well over the years.
So he got banned, I think. He probably did something to deserve it, and if so I won't defend him.
But here's the first fun part: Microsoft/Xbox Live refuses to tell him why he was banned, so no one in my household can even address the allegations that resulted in the action. Whuh-huh? I get the whole privacy thing, but what's the point in keeping it secret from the primary person involved???
Then comes the next insult: not only is he not allowed access to Xbox Live, but he doesn't get reimbursed for the amount of time he has left on his subscription. I know I'm supposed to be cynical and jaded, but (excuse the forthcoming curse): what the fuck?!
In what universe did it become legal for a business to take payment for services, then cancel those services without offering the customer at least a prorated reimbursement of their payment? Last I knew, a business that failed to provide a paid-for service was breaking the law. Were this my local newspaper, I'd have had them in court and gotten my money back by now. So where does Microsoft get off?
Microsoft claims that he agreed to this arrangement when accepting the terms of service, but that's just utter bullshit. If he'd also agreed in the ToS to forfeiting his right index finger, would it be legal for them to lop it off? Uh... no. Just because your contract says you can do something doesn't make that thing legal, Mr. Shylock. Er, I mean Gates.
What's worse, when threatened with legal action, the Microsoft customer service folks do the audible equivalent of shrugging their shoulders and quite literally say: "So what?"
So, my cynicism showed its limitations today. I'm sitting here bemused and bewildered, wondering why no one's doing a damn thing about a company that takes payments for services, then cancels said services without reimbursement or proof of the violation(s) that caused said cancellation. It's a great scam. But if you or I tried to do that, we'd be in jail for fraud.
C'mon people. It's time stop putting up with this crap. Our corporate masters have had the yokes on us long enough, don't you think? I remember the days when people used to do something when they got fed up with stuff. Days when people in this country acted like their spirits hadn't been ground into the dirt. I swear, our forefathers threw tea in a harbor for less than we tolerate on a daily basis. Where have those Americans gone?
Let's try something a little fresher in our memories: Remember disco? I'm sure you do. Remember the huge "Disco Sucks" rally? It still gets covered on cable TV, despite being a one-off happening 30 years ago. So here's what I say we do: anybody who's got a beef with Microsoft, gather up your Windows discs, banned Xbox-es, Zunes, or whatever piece of M$ dreck you wish to dispose of and let's all get together and toss them into a huge bonfire under a banner proclaiming "Microsoft Sucks!"
Hell, if the fire gets big enough, maybe even old Shylock of Redmond will feel a tremor in the Force...
Friday, September 9, 2011
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
12 comments:
There was something on the Escapist just the other day about xbox bans. Coincidence?
Sorry I don't have a link handy, but recently a court ruled that those TOS windows that are on software and online services that no one reads aren't legally valid because no one reads them.
But being equally cynical about the way the system works, I doubt this would help, and I doubt any non-class action legal efforts would come to anything.
You paid by credit card presumably? Ask your credit card company to issue a chargeback - you paid for services that the vendor failed to deliver.
I'm with you on this. Tossed the family PS3 in the trash last year after a change in the Sony ToS required us to subscribe to the PSN network in order to play games. Submitting to ads was bad enough, Letting them Gimp my PS3, and allowing Sony to statistically track game play and usage, providing personal information and being required to maintain at least one credit card number on file that could be charged at any time without prior notification (Yes, I actually read the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, all 41 pages).
No. Way.
It's too bad too, My kids really liked Little Big Planet it was probably one of the best games made in the last decade. They only make it for Sony & PS3 though.
Been watching events unfold at Sony over the last few months with some amusement, and am very glad we did not provide personal information and CC numbers to the retards at Sony.
Our household boycott includes all Sony multi-media services, so they lost out big-time. Movies as well. We don't go to watch Sony Picture movies at the Theater. We don't buy Sony CD's or DVD's either, Electronics... Forget about it...
They can change, or they can go bankrupt. Until then, we'll make our own games, and watch movies made by other entertainment companies.
Microsoft does other negative things too, such as requiring you to sit through a 30 minute 'questionaire' designed to prevent you from quitting if you want to terminate gold service, and autoresubscribing you with no notice if you purchase anything from their store before your account expires.
The problem with this post is that you have provided no action. If there isn't a class action lawsuit, or a petition for people to sign about bad business practices, you continue to allow them to say 'so what'.
They expect you to do, just what you did. Complain on the internet. And like all argumentation on the internet, it's about as useful. Nothing will change until action is taken.
Well, Xbox is out then too.
You know you can make your own web-based and PC games using the Unity game engine from http://www.unity3d.com, right?
Earlier this year I had someone hack my account and make purchases that were then immediately transferred elsewhere. The customer service rep was kind of helpful but it took Microsoft about 6 weeks to resolve everything, during which I lost the Xbox for that time.
However, when they finished their investigation, they gave me a full 12-month subscription even though I already was 5 months into my current annual subscription. They'll do the right thing, but you need to give them time. They have millions of teens, timmys and hackers trying to scam the system and their internal controls remove any flexibility they had for resolving issues quickly.
definitely was @thedoomed.. says. contest via your credit card? good luck.
Rebellious america (yes, it no longer deserves a capital letter) is dead.
We can't even agree on deciding and implementing measures to help each other in this country before arguing partisan diatribe. We'd rather hurt each other for the sake of being "right" even if it cuts our own jugular vein. You t5hink we can take on big business?
Your son probably did violate the terms of service, A company shouldn't have to reimburse you for the rest of a contract that was violated.
The only point I agree with is that they should make the offense clear to you.
But, hey, this is america baby. What do you expect?
Hey, this is probably moot at this point, but if your son was under 18 at the time he agreed to Microsoft's terms, those terms are null and void, as no one under 18 years of age can legally sign a contract, regardless of the contents of that contract. (And there's a little thing called misrepresentation
Good luck with getting your money back. It's stories like this which solidify my desire to stick with table top games.
Have to agree with your gut. Your son probably did something he won't tell you. And no, it's not against the law to not "deliver" on a service that you paid for. And contracts in many cases supersede laws because they are protected by the constitution, though in practice less so.
But for a contract to be held valid, I think you have to be at least 18 years old, i.e. old enough to know what terms being accepted (by knowledge or imputed knowledge). Good legal question about the finger being lopped off, but a person who signs a a contract, in ordinary circumstances, are responsible for every term of it.
Just an update for those who are interested (and those whose opinion was that he broke the rules and should shut up and suck it up):
My son received an email from Xbox Live, apologizing profusely for THEIR error. His access was reinstated and he was given a crapload of free points.
So, even though I still believe huge corporations are soulless leeches feeding on our society, at least I'm no longer considering building that effigy of Bill Gates for imminent immolation... not at the moment, anyway. :P
Post a Comment