Microsoft Sells it (Today) and Will NOT Support its Installation (Errors)?!?!

Today, I clicked a link that brought me to Microsoft’s DreamSpark (“DreamSpark is simple: It’s about giving students Microsoft professional tools at no charge.”)

I am a student and wanted to try a few products. During my visit, I saw a link to “AutoCollage” and went there. It’s a nifty little tool that creates a collage from digital photos. I used it, liked it and wanted to produce some without the “Microsoft Research” watermark across the bottom of the collage. So, I decided to purchase the application, downloaded it and
attempted to install it. Four times on two different PCs!

Same error message each time: “A network error has occurred while attempting to read from the file … ‘MicrosoftAutoCollageSetup.msi’”

Get that? The same error message each time. I  even downloaded it a second time and attempted the install from the newer download to no avail. Same error message each time.

I made the purchase @ the Microsoft Store (online) and clicked the “Chat” button only to have that representative tell me she could provide no assistance and that I would need to contact Technical Support. She even provided a phone number!

The rep who answered the 800# told me, 15 minutes into the conversation, that he was Customer Service and not Technical Support. Moreover, he indicated that Microsoft no longer supports that AutoCollage. (Still sell it and NOT support it? I don’t think so!!). He referred me to a web site (community.research.microsoft.com) Which posts this cute little message: “This site is being retired on Dec. 31, 2011. On June 30, 2011. the site will be set to read-only, with no new posts allowed.”

I thanked him for his (not) help, returned to the Microsoft store web site and found a “Technical Support” phone number. The agent who answered that phone said he was in “Customer Support” not “Technical Support” (Are you getting this, the published phone number lists as Technical Support and the rep answering the phone says “not”! However, this rep indicates that there is a Professional Products Support group and that he can connect me. He does!

The rep @ Professional Products Support doesn’t recognize the product (AutoCollage). She researches it and informs me that it is not supported!

I don’t want help using the damn thing. I want help installing it!

“Sorry, we don’t provide support for that product. Here’s a link to a community support group…”

Thanks. I have that already.

So, am I too confused about corporate responsibility?
Microsoft is allowed to sell a product without providing even installation support?!

Corporate responsibility. Hey Bill, do you know what that IS? Corporate responsibility? You been in business long enough and seem to have most of the angles worked out. How is that your company can sell a product it refuses to support and instead refer customers to a web site that is being retired in December  2011 and has stopped all new posts as of June 2011?

I wonder if l can get a refund from Microsoft on a “no longer supported product” I bought from Microsoft today?