As a lot of people I could be considered a procrastinator and renewing my domain through Microsoft Office Live Small Business is not an exception to this rule. The only problem I have is that I had a week left when Microsoft Cancelled my domain. This was not playing fair and did not follow the rules as set forth by Microsoft. I made the commitment to finally never have to change email addresses again. I was tired of going from one email address to another. I'm sure most people can attest to having several email addresses. This is as bad as trying to keep track of passwords for logging into websites. My main reason was that when you no longer have access to an email address sometimes you can not gain access to a website when you forgot your password. For example, when they ask for your registered email address so they can send you password reset instructions.
Below is a copy of an email Microsoft Office Live Small Business sent me telling me I had 10 days left to renew my domain.
Plus, as an Office Live Small Business customer you also have access to a number of services including FREE Web hosting (up to 500 MB), FREE Web design tools, and FREE Web site reporting. If you allow your domain name to expire, visitors will no longer be able to use your custom Web address to reach your Web site. Your Web site will remain active, but will be available at a Web address such as http://yourname.web.officelive.com. All e-mail accounts on the expired domain will be discontinued, and e-mail messages will not be saved.Renew your domain name today. For more information on this pricing change, please see our Frequently Asked Questions or contact customer support.
If you have already taken steps to renew your domain, you may ignore this e-mail.
Four days later I could not login to my account or email. This was on the 7th of October. Today is the 8th of October. I am suppose to have until the 13th of October.
I began the process of trying to contact Microsoft Office Live Small Business. I thought this would be a relatively easy process, because when I signed up for Microsoft Office Live Small Business one of the main selling points when they began marketing the product was that there was phone support(but they also said that the domain was FREE FOR LIVE). Apparently Microsoft thought this was a feature that was no longer needed for its customers. The only way to contact them is through a web form where they promise to contact you at the email address you provide them when filling out the form. Unfortunately I no longer have an email address because they cancelled my domain before the expiration date. So I used my wife’s email address. At least they use to promise 4 hour email response for the service. Who knows whether that is true anymore. At one point they promised the domain for FREE FOR LIFE. They of course changed it to 14.95 for a year, which still isn’t bad, until this incident.
I then realized that there must be contact information for whomever is in charge of my domain in the internet WHOIS database where all domains are registered. A screenshot of it is seen below. Two interesting things to point out though. (1) It clearly shows that the domain expires on 2009-10-14 and today is 2009-10-8. (2) There is a contact phone number listed for Microsoft as well. Normally I would be yelling YAHOO(An expression of happiness and excitement. Not the internet search engine provider) , but this is Microsoft and I am a Microsoft Sellout, so I know better than to be yelling YAHOO.
So I called the phone number listed as a Technical Contact Phone Number (866-591-5483) for the domain. At the time of writing this article it was a valid phone number with a voice message stating that they have discontinued phone support for this service. I eventually just looked up a phone number on GOOGLE (not Bing) and got a hold of someone at Microsoft and then was transferred about 4 times, everyone claiming that I needed to be transferred to a different department. Someone eventually telling me that the service did not have phone support (As if I didn’t know that).
So I went through several days of exchanging emails every 4 hours (And believe me they send them off no sooner than they need to, it is four hours almost exactly.) Each email showing complete disregard for anything I had to say in the email and Microsoft taking no responsibility for cancelling my domain a week early. One person even told me that it stated in the email that I had to renew the domain at least 6 days before it was set to expire. As can be seen from the email shown above it states nothing even remotely close to that statement.
Well I eventually gave up with Microsoft and started trying to get possession of my domain from the registrar. Well they are in Australia with no phone number in the United States, even though the product was only available to people in the United States at the time it was started. Even I know that they could get a Skype In Number for 36 USD per year. That would really brake the bank I bet. So I found a form that I needed to fill out to gain control of the domain if I never received the final email at the email address under the domain listed as the contact. Of course I never received the DKR Number at contactme@normwinkel.com telling me that the domain was cancelled, because the domain was cancelled. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out. Well this DKR Number is required to gain control of the domain. So I FAX off the form I had to print out and then fill in by hand. Come on guys you are a Domain Registrar. A domain is the one thing needed for everyone who uses the internet to either get to a website or put one on the web. That is unless everybody wanted to use an IP address to get to Google.com. Let’s see how that would work 64.233.167.104. Try entering that the next time you want to Google something. So anyway they want you send them an FAX instead of filling out a form online or sending them an email. (Eventually they claimed they never got the FAX, which really doesn’t surprise me at the time of writing this.)
I did fill out a form on their website to have them call me instead of me calling Australia. They then contacted Microsoft to have them contact me. Microsoft wanted my name, billing address used to purchase the domain, last 4 digits of my credit card used to purchase the domain, and a contact phone number. Lets see, the domain was FREE FOR LIFE, so my billing address used to purchase the domain that I never purchased would be nothing, the last 4 digits of my credit card used to purchase the domain that I never purchased would be nothing, the contact phone number would be the same phone number I called Microsoft from when they told me they no longer have phone support for this service, but incase they ever do again they want my phone number to contact me then. So I sent them off my name, address, last 4 digits of my current credit card in my wallet and my home phone number. They then sent me the DKR Number. So much for verification of who I really am.
So now I am very thankful just to final be able to take control of the domain and renew it so I can then redirect it back to Microsoft so I can have my email address again through Microsoft. I know it sounds like asking someone to backup and run over you again if they would, but as I said I am a Microsoft Sellout. So I enter the number and get ready to renew and guess what? Ok I’ll tell you. They want 50 USD instead the 14.95 that Microsoft wanted for having the domain registered through the same Registrar. So I then paid it, NOT. BUT IF YOU ASK ME WHO EVER CANCELLED MY DOMAIN WAS INSTRUCTED TO DO SO A WEEK EARLY BY WHOMEVER AT MICROSOFT OWNS PART OF MELBOURNE IT IN AUSTRALIA. Talk about controlled insider trading if there ever was such a thing. Either way it has to be illegal. If they ever have a class action suit regarding this I want to be one of the names listed on the court case. Or I could use a half a million USD to just go away and not go away mad. Well now back to the real world. I went to GoDaddy.com to begin the transfer process of my domain for 6.99 a year instead of 50.00 a year.
Another wonderful thing to know about this process is that even though Microsoft lets you choose a New Windows Live ID to replace the one they stole from me by cancelling my domain a week early, they will never let you change it again. So if I get my domain redirected back to Microsoft for the purpose of having email through them I will always have my services and history at an account that I never use. Microsoft will be the first to tell you that you can never change your Windows Live ID. This is only partially true. They will only never let you change your Windows Live ID if your email address is through one of their domains. Such as msn.com, hotmail.com, live.com, officeliveuser.com, etc. I’m sure there are hundreds more. They will let you change your Windows Live ID all day long until you fall into their trap of choosing an email address from one of their domains. Below is a link that will take you to one of two pages with logged into your Windows Live ID. The first one is for all of you who do not have an email address from one of Microsoft’s domains as your Windows Live ID. The second one is for all of you who do have an email address from one of Microsoft’s domains as your Windows Live ID. Showing that it is possible to change your Windows Live ID, which contradicts what any Microsoft employee would tell you. What they really mean is we will only let you change it if you don’t have one of their email addresses. Wha Ha Ha Ha!!!(Evil Laugh)
https://account.live.com/ChangeId.aspx?mkt=en-us&rp=SummaryPage
I’ve heard claims that you can change your Windows Live ID through an Xbox Live account on an Xbox Game Console, but it doesn’t appear available through their website on a PC using Internet Explorer 8. Although I believe that all the option does that people are referring to is move the Gamertag Profile and history to a different Windows Live ID. I do not believe it moves contacts, calendars and other Windows Live Services Associated with the Windows Live ID. If anyone can verify this with an Xbox Game Console that would great. Or if there is someone at Microsoft that wishes to give a select few people the option to change their Windows Live ID that currently no longer have the ability that would be wonderful. Somehow I doubt this will be the case though.
And it came to pass in the Age of Insanity that the people of the land called America, having lost their morals, their initiative, and their will to defend their liberties, chose as their Supreme Leader that person known as "The One." He emerged from the vapors with a message that had no meaning, but He hypnotized the people telling them, "I am sent to save you. My lack of experience, my questionable ethics, my monstrous ego, and my association with evil doers are of no consequence. For shall save you with Hope and Change. Go, therefore, and proclaim throughout the land that he who preceded me is evil, that he has defiled the nation, and that all he has built must be destroyed." And the people rejoiced, for even though they knew not what "The One" would do, he had promised that it was good, and they believed. And "The One" said, "We live in the greatest country in the world. Help me change everything about it!" And the people said, "Hallelujah! Change is good!" Then He said, "We are going to tax the rich fat-cats." And the people said, "Sock it to them!" "And redistribute their wealth." And the people said, "Show us the money!" And then He said, "Redistribution of wealth is good for everybody." And Joe the plumber asked, "Are you kidding me? You're going to steal my money and give it to the deadbeats??" And "The One" ridiculed and taunted him and Joe's personal records were hacked and publicized. One lone reporter asked, "Isn't that Marxist policy?" And she was banished from the kingdom! Then a citizen asked, "With no foreign relations experience and having zero military experience or knowledge, how will you deal with radical terrorists?" And "The One" said, "Simple. I shall sit with them and talk with them and show them how nice we really are and they will forget that they ever wanted to kill us all!" And the people said, "Hallelujah!! We are safe at last, and we can beat our weapons into free cars for the people!" Then "The One" said, "I shall give 95% of you lower taxes." And one, lone voice said, "But 40% of us don't pay ANY taxes." So "The One" said, "Then I shall give you some of the taxes the fat-cats pay!" And the people said, "Hallelujah!! Show us the money!" Then "The One" said, "I shall tax your Capital Gains when you sell your homes!" And the people yawned and the slumping housing market collapsed. And He said, "I shall mandate employer-funded health care for EVERY worker and raise the minimum wage. And I shall give every person unlimited healthcare and medicine and transportation to the clinics." And the people said, "Give me some of that!" Then he said, "I shall penalize employers who ship jobs overseas." And the people said, "Where's my rebate check?" Then "The One" said, "I shall bankrupt the coal industry and electricity rates will skyrocket!" And the people said, "Coal is dirty, coal is evil, no more coal! But we don't care for that part about higher electric rates." So "The One" said, "Not to worry. If your rebate isn't enough to cover your expenses, we shall bail you out. Just sign up with ACORN and your troubles are over!" Then He said, "Illegal immigrants feel scorned and slighted. Let's grant them amnesty, Social Security, free education, free lunches, free medical care, bilingual signs, and guaranteed housing...." And the people said, "Hallelujah!!" And they made him King! And so it came to pass that employers, facing spiraling costs and ever-higher taxes, raised their prices and laid off workers. Others simply gave up and went out of business and the economy sank like unto a rock dropped from a cliff. The banking industry was destroyed. Manufacturing slowed to a crawl. And more of the people were without a means of support. Then "The One" said, "I am the "The One" - The Messiah - and I'm here to save you! We shall just print more money so everyone will have enough!" But our foreign trading partners said unto Him, "Wait a minute, your dollar is not worth a pile of camel dung! You will have to pay more..." And the people said, "Wait a minute. That is unfair!!" And the world said, "Neither are these other idiotic programs you have embraced. Lo, you have become a Socialist state and a second-rate power. Now you shall play by our rules!" And the people cried out, "Alas, alas!! What have we done?" But yea verily, it was too late. The people set upon "The One" and spat upon him and stoned him and his name was dung. And the once mighty nation was no more and the once proud people were without sustenance or shelter or hope. And the Change "The One" had given them was as like unto a poison that had destroyed them and like a whirlwind that consumed all that they had built. And the people beat their chests in despair and cried out in anguish, "Give us back our nation and our pride and our hope!!" But it was too late, and their homeland was no more. You may think this is a fairytale, but it's not. It's happening RIGHT NOW!!!
This is from a e-mail that was forwarded to me. I thought it was interesting.
1. Offended the Queen of England. 2. Bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia ...3. Praised the Marxist Daniel Ortega. 4. Kissed Hugo Chavez on the cheek. 5. Endorsed the Socialist Evo Morales of Bolivia . 6. Announced we would meet with Iranians with no pre-conditions. 7. Gave away billions to AIG also without pre-conditions. 8. Expanded the bailouts. 9. Insulted everyone who has ever loved a Special Olympian. 10. Doubled our national debt. 11. Announced a termination of the space defense system the day after the North Koreans launched an ICBM. 12. Despite the urgings of his own CIA director and the prior 4 CIA directors, released information on intelligence gathering. 13. Accepted without public comment the fact that five of his cabinet members cheated on their taxes and two others withdrew after they couldn't take the heat.. 14. Appointed a Homeland Security Chief who quickly identified as "dangers to the nation", groups including veterans of the military, and opponents to abortion on demand, and who ordered that the word "terrorism" no longer be used but instead referred to such acts as "man made disasters". 15. Circled the globe so he could openly apologize for America 's greatness. 16. Told the Mexican President that the violence in their country was because of us. 17. Politicized the census by moving it into the White House from its Department of Commerce origins. 18. Appointed as Attorney General the man who orchestrated the forced removal and expulsion from America to Cuba of a nine-year old whose mother died trying to bring him to a life of freedom in the United States .. 19. Salutes as heroes three Navy SEALS who took down three terrorists who threatened one American life and the next day announces members of the Bush administration will likely stand trial for "torturing" a terrorist (who had played a part in killing 3000 Americans) by pouring water up his nose. 20. Air Force One over New York City .. 21. Sent his National Defense Advisor to Europe to assure Europe that the US will no longer treat Israel in a special manner and they might be on their own with the Muslims. 22. Began the process of nationalizing the Auto Industry and the Insurance industry. 23. Announced that for intents and purposes the Health Insurance Industry will be nationalized. And he thinks he'll be re-elected???? And you know what . he probably will because "our liberal press loves him".