Apple: Starting to Earn Their Suck Reputation
It's a first-world problem, but still. Some background info: Yes, I use Apple stuff. I like itunes. I like getting stuff in small lots, though I do feel they overprice their single downloads. That said, I am for the most part satisfied.
Not any more.
Probably do the fallout from what happened to this guy, who lost a shit-load of stuff when someone hacked his accounts, Apple seems to have donned the Oh Shit helmets of liability avoidance. Sadly, in doing so they have screwed with my life. Unacceptable.
I got a new computer. No biggie. Then I went to the store and dumped my accumulated change into the Coinstar thing, redeeming it all in itunes cash. (CS doesn't charge a percentage fee if you do that.) I deposit the new coupon to my account. All well and good.
But when I actually tried to buy something, I had to "verify" my account, only because I was using a new computer. Worse, since their verification system is, well, stupid, it won't take any of the "questions" I am supposed to remember (like my dog's name and such).
Here I have to wonder: If security from remote, unfamiliar computers is such a problem, why did it allow my podcasts to download as usual for the last few weeks? Why-and this is a big one-did they allow me to add money to my account, if they were going to deny me the right to spend it? Wouldn't an honest security measure prevent any transfer of funds, up or downstream?
I wrote them, accusing them of fraud (which is, I think, justifiable when an entity accepts money but refuses to release it for use). It's been two weeks now, and all I've gotten is a very pleasant email letting me know that "the issue is still being investigated."
How long is Apple in particular and just about every US company in general going to wake up and realize that online security must consist of more than silly passwords and questions too easily forgotten by the average human? If it comes down to money, perhaps we should graduate from the little leagues of security theater and get going on some real encryption security, something that requires actual keys, or at least something more substantial than human memory.
This really pisses me off. Anyone else get jacked by these jerks?
Not any more.
Probably do the fallout from what happened to this guy, who lost a shit-load of stuff when someone hacked his accounts, Apple seems to have donned the Oh Shit helmets of liability avoidance. Sadly, in doing so they have screwed with my life. Unacceptable.
I got a new computer. No biggie. Then I went to the store and dumped my accumulated change into the Coinstar thing, redeeming it all in itunes cash. (CS doesn't charge a percentage fee if you do that.) I deposit the new coupon to my account. All well and good.
But when I actually tried to buy something, I had to "verify" my account, only because I was using a new computer. Worse, since their verification system is, well, stupid, it won't take any of the "questions" I am supposed to remember (like my dog's name and such).
Here I have to wonder: If security from remote, unfamiliar computers is such a problem, why did it allow my podcasts to download as usual for the last few weeks? Why-and this is a big one-did they allow me to add money to my account, if they were going to deny me the right to spend it? Wouldn't an honest security measure prevent any transfer of funds, up or downstream?
I wrote them, accusing them of fraud (which is, I think, justifiable when an entity accepts money but refuses to release it for use). It's been two weeks now, and all I've gotten is a very pleasant email letting me know that "the issue is still being investigated."
How long is Apple in particular and just about every US company in general going to wake up and realize that online security must consist of more than silly passwords and questions too easily forgotten by the average human? If it comes down to money, perhaps we should graduate from the little leagues of security theater and get going on some real encryption security, something that requires actual keys, or at least something more substantial than human memory.
This really pisses me off. Anyone else get jacked by these jerks?