MAS Origin & DeadTrain.dev
Introduction
Hi there!
My name is WindowsAddict. You might know me from Microsoft Activation Script (MAS). I started it back in 2018. The idea was simple. I wanted a script based solution, not a .exe, for activating Windows and Office, so that people could easily check the code and verify that it is clean. Also, antivirus software usually gets less aggressive with scripts compared to executables, and even if they flag it as a hacktool, it is easy to bypass by changing a few lines.
Later it became very popular, and we started getting lots of support requests for various activation issues. Most of these issues were caused by problems with the user's system, not the activation methods. Troubleshooting user systems consumed a lot of time, so eventually we started adding tons of diagnostic tests and helpful messages into the script to automate diagnostics and troubleshooting. It worked wonders.
We also started taking care of Windows and Office downloads, along with lots of useful guides. I noticed that many open source free projects often have an approach towards users like, use it or frick off, send patches, and a bit of rude support. MAS was nothing like that. We developed a very efficient, quick, and kind support system, and I am very proud of that.
Fun
We spent countless hours refining and perfecting the whole process. People often ask why I spend time on it, and I just reply, "it's fun". But fun how? Like someone collecting postage stamps kind of fun? Or fun like playing a game? Or is there more to it?
I think this kind of fun from a free open source public project can be categorized into three parts.
(A) Personal Hobby or Need
Like stamp collecting, people may enjoy writing tools, sorting docs, and organizing things around topics they care about. Very often, it exists simply because they personally needed it in the first place.
(B) Quiet Fulfillment
You provide something useful or help someone, and you get personal fulfillment without public recognition. Like anonymous donations to charity. It feels good because you helped, not because others know you helped. It boosts self esteem and fulfillment in a quiet way.
(C) Public Recognition
You provide something useful or help someone, and you get fulfillment plus public appreciation. You take pleasure in knowing that people know you did it. Like a trade. You give value and receive respect and recognition in return, which boosts self esteem and fulfillment.
There is not much difference between points B and C. Give and take exists in both. In point B, the reward is internal. In point C, you also want external validation.
People often treat the third point negatively, like caring about recognition is somehow bad. But is it really bad? No. As social animals living in society, this give and take exchange has shaped a lot of good things. Charities, donations, helping people in need, taking care of others. This is one of the fundamentals of cooperation.
Context still matters. For example, if someone needs help and you help them, but they do not say thanks or show any gratitude, would you be pissed? Most people would. You wanted point C but it did not happen. The exchange felt incomplete.
Or imagine a charity event where they usually announce donors, but one time they do not. Now nobody knows you donated a lot of money. How would that feel?
Is there any scenario when it comes to helping others that is outside points B and C? I honestly cannot imagine one.
In conclusion, if you have little substance behind point A and B but care a lot about point C in most things, then it is probably not healthy.
For me, MAS started as point A, gradually expanded into point B, and I would be lying if I said point C did not matter at all.
Anyway, I digress.
Why MAS Origin?
Over the last 7 years, things were fine at MAS / MASSGRAVE. There were some concerns over voting on how things should be done, and the team and I fully agreed on those terms. There were no other concerns left.
However, I was not able to resolve issues with one member. I conveyed my concerns about rudeness in MAS related discussions, but they were not acknowledged from the other side.
From their side, the complaint was that I do not take their suggestions. That was already resolved in the voting discussion, so I honestly do not know what else I was supposed to fix. Things continued to get worse, and eventually the chats were separated. You might be wondering what the other side of the story is, and to be honest, I do not really know. I tried to resolve things by unconditionally apologizing and asking what was bothering them so I could fix it, but nothing helped. The concerns were never told to me in a clear way that I could actually address.
The whole situation weighed on me, and to get some peace of mind, I decided to step away from the project. Initially I planned to focus on my real life more, but two weeks later, I really started to miss working on the project. It is better for me to spend my evenings improving scripts, guides, and project, and stay addicted to Windows, rather than start drinking and become addicted to that. So I started a new project, MAS Origin.
I will continue to work on it with the same enthusiasm, probably more. I will fix some issues with MAS, rewrite it in PowerShell, add some new features, add new tools, guides, and expand and better organize the Windows and Office archive.
MAS Origin is not about drama or competition. It is simply me continuing to do what I enjoy, in a space where I can work in peace.
I will see you around.
Peace.