Vista license to only allow one computer transfer
By Cyrus Farivar 
posted Oct 13th 2006 3:21PM
posted Oct 13th 2006 3:21PM
As if crippling your PC when you're running an unlicensed copy of Vista wasn't enough, Microsoft has now taken to limiting the number of times you can transfer your license legitimately to other computers. Unlike Windows XP, which previously allowed for unlimited license transfers between computers, Vista limits this transfer to a single time. As TechWeb reports, quoting the license for Windows Vista Home Basic (and other versions as well): "The first user of the software may reassign the license to another device one time. If you reassign the license, that other device becomes the 'licensed device.'" Still, as we noted last time, it's almost certainly a safe bet that the most determined folks will figure out a way around this, à la PlaysForSure.
Sooo let's see.... If you upgrade or buy a new computer, you can transfer your Vista licence but if you do it again you're SOL and have to buy another copy? Riiiiiight. Let me get right on that. Oh well so much for actually PAYING for this OS. I'll just enjoy my cracked copy thanks.
So is this a one time transfer and activiation to a seperate machine. Is that forever, or can I call up MS-India and have them give me an activiation key like I do now when I've upgraded/rebuilt my computer that the license is attributed to?
Yikes. This little tidbit only strengthens my resolve to keep XP, and switch to Linux and Mac OX at my earliest convenience. This might be one of the most blatently anti-consumer moves this company has managed to foist upon us, and I am well aware of and seriously pissed at this activation garbage I have to go through every time I install/re-install this garbage OS.
Wow, you guys clearly have a different definition of "Third Party" than I do.
please, for the love of god, disgregard me. I haven't had my coffee today, and clearly, am retarded for it.
It's not much of a party when you can only invite yourself...
...that's if you're dumb enough to pay for Vista.
So what happens when my hard drive crashes - twice?
they could've taken the apple approach and given you at least 5 transfers.
That's wrong-as long as you uninstall it off the old mac, the same license applies to the new one and its perfectly ok with the eula. you're thinking of the family pack which is licensed to 5 macs to run it at once. and a hellova lot cheaper than vista (and dont get me started on the crippleware home editions...)
How does this liense differ, IF at all, from the current license for say XP Pro?
I doubt it's any change at all, sowhy the sudden fuss?
More important is how will MS and Vista react to upgrades on a single PC. I've change HD and several cards on my current PC and had no issues with XP Pro. I would not like MS to argue the toss with me just for a hardware upgrade of a current PC.
Overall some people in thew media seem intent on another "See MS is the BAD empire" hype, when likely nothing much has changed.
Right so is this pretty much the same system as XP just with fewer tranfers? E.G. My Media Center Addition CD let me activiate it over the internet on three different reloads. Ever since then, every time I upgrade or reload, I have to call a phone # and talk to someone in India who gives me a code and all is well. It's probably the same thing.
Of course you could just get your machine how you like it and Ghost it. Screw everyone and re-load it whenever you want with no hassle.
The current XP license places no limit on the number of times it can be transferred, so you can transfer it as many times as you like. The Vista license explicitly states only one transfer is allowed. We have yet to see if this part of the license will be enforced with "Software Activation", but it's a safe bet. Depending on how it's enforced, drive changes, motherboard changes, or other hardware modifications may trigger the transfer code and force the one-time re-activation on the "new" device.
LPD, what you consider "not that much" must vary greatly from mine, especially when you consider the new pricing. Even $250 is too much in my mind (especially for a crippled "home" version), nevermind $450 for the full-featured "ultimate" version.
Couple of things.
First...before you start saying the media just has it out for MS, do the legwork to answer your own questions.
The XP license does not place a one transfer limit on it. In the exact same section of the XP license it just simply says you can transfer it to a new device so long as you remove the product from the old device once the transfer is complete.
Second.
Ghosting will not work because the way XP determines your "device" is by hashing your hardware configuration. So lets say you upgrade the motherboard in your PC and re-ghost. Well, lets assume you got an amost identical motherboard, different manufacturer but same chipset, no fewer or greater features etc. etc. (otherwise your ghost image isn't going to be worth a damn because all the core components will be different). It's still going to see a different motherboard and go "ooops, new device, sorry!"
I can tell you as a matter of fact that this means if I go with the version I want to go with (well, wanted to) I will end up paying $400 or so every 4-5 months JUST for the OS.
And before you say "so what, you don't mind spending $400 on a video card every 6 months" let me put it to you this way. If I have to spend $800 every 6 months JUST to get a new $400 video card, its not going to happen.
And when I spend $400 every 6 months on a new video card I get a DRASTIC improvement in capabilities. So unless 6 months from now I re-buy vista and it has a fuckton of new features, I don't see how you can compare the two.
This is so sad. Microsoft is just making it harder for normal consumers. Stuff like this make me wanna say "go to hell with Vista" :/
This is horseshit. Brilliant move, Microsoft, targeting, um, PC ENTHUSIASTS. Who else needs to install their legal license of Windows more than 2 times? Only those who frequently change their hardware configuration and build their own boxes.
Its not going to work. DIYers are going to switch to Linux, Lindows, even Apple (who needs to tweak the thing when it doesn't break?). MS is going to lose the chunk of market that they are attempting to BILK.
What's the big deal. For all that it does it doesn't cost that much. Hell, if you paid $30 for WinZip, that only zips files. We are talking an entire OS here. You already get free updates for years and hardly any other software company does that! Considering people steal $billions from Microsoft every year its about time they enforce their IP. This whole "evil Microsoft" attitude is getting old. Its business, grow up.
i hate to break it to ya, but you dont have to pay for winzip. if you forego the $30, all you get is a reminder to pay everytime you open it.
It sound like you work for ms.
Kevin, Apple actually doesn't require serial numbers or activation when installing Mac OS X. They do sell a "family pack" license for installation on 5 different computers, but it's no different that the single license. If you're referring to music, Apple allow tracks to be played on up to 5 different computers (and any number of iPods), and you can clear out your list of activated computers once a year. Burning tracks to CD removes the DRM altogether.
I re-install windows probably once every 2-3 months, family gets on the computer and something inevitably gets screwed up. Looks like I will wait for a "drastic" price drop, maybe around the FREE mark before I upgrade.
Ok , this means that ill buy a Mac Pro and then run a pirated copy of Vista now and then , Vista will be hacked and will be pirated , and i will make that dream come true.
This is an untennable situation. Let me offer you these VALID reasons for migrating the OS Software.
1. PC ENTHUSIASTS ( As Jake was so astute to point out. ) For those of us who like to build and re-build PC's just for the sheer fun of it. This just became an expensive hobby.
2. CORPORATE PC's Hard drives stay put, new computer comes in. I would hope the Volume Licence keys that corporations use wont have this limitation, but if they do, corporations MOST ASSUREDLY will not buy Vista then.
3. ACTS OF (insert favorite diety or disgruntled entity) Lightning, Power Spike, Glass of water, 2 year olds, vindictive spouse/shorty, angry roommate, or pets. All of these could do something to fry a CPU/motherboard but usually the hard drive could or might survive. 2x replacements and not only do you have an insurance deductable to pay so they will pay for your new hardware. You get to buy Vista again now.
4. UNRULY PCI-X/E CARD There is always some card that acts poorly in "White box" units (yes Creative Labs... we are talking about YOU!) This unruly card could wreak havok on your system causing you to licence too many times.
5. CHIPSET DRIVERS So were never supposed to update these ever again? Yeah right.
I could go on with more mundane but still valid reasons. But I think these are the SHOWSTOPPERS.
Kind of sucks, but makes sense.
Farris - hate to break it to _you_ but the most recent version does stop working after the trial period is over. The "Continue Evaluation" button is grayed out and you either have to buy it or it closes.
LPD sorry but SQUARES arent allowed on engadget.com
Chances are, Microsoft has taken into account the whole Hardware change thing, although I haven't tested Vista so I am not sure. But I have a feeling that things like minor hardware changes, (like HDD for that matter) will be significantly easier to track as far as machine level activation since the somputer must transfer information to MS servers, surely that would include part serial number and such to match the machine which the only discrepancy being the HDD, which isn't a new computer. With a new mobo/processor, they should be able to have the OS scan itself to determine if other parts remained the same.
Anyway, like I said, as advanced as this thing is, surely it would be able to allow for hardware upgrades without a format. I mean, other OS's can do it, why not Windows? There is certainly enough coding taken up on the HDD for it to be there somewhere.
So this is like screw you hardcore gamers?
When i was in colege was not unheard of for me to have a new rig every 3 months. I'd sell off the componentes to those looking for them. Out of colege a bit harder to get a turn around on parts but i still do major upgrades every year and i never sell the box whole... I'm not paying em again to use something i own.
The irony (too obvious for M$ to see) is that if their bull$hit software was stable, there would not be any need to reinstall it in the first place.
Well, M$ has thrown down the gauntlet. It's gonna be fun to see how well that works for them.
Sigh
And most people thought Microsoft would get friendlier when Bill Gates left.
Hahahahaha. FOOLS!
Did someone say Lindows? Oh, I mean Lin-, I mean Linspire... yeah, thats it. :)
this isn't all that much different from the current licensing scheme. whether you've read the EULA or not, OEM licensing (the ones that come preinstalled on machines) is not transferable at all. not legally anyway. Boxed product is more liberal and in some cases even allowing multiple installs. corporate licensing is different all together allowing any number of moves from device to device depending on which of the 4 major licensing agreements the companies make.
i doubt this will have any real effect on consumers, and if it does then it will only be the few that actually would change to a box that doesn't come with an OS AND ALSO want to be completely legal about it all.
(i sell this stuff and field these questions very frequently)
Yaaawn, this is just people reading the license on an OS that's not available for purchase and assuming they know the facts without checking to be sure. Oh, and what do you know, the whole thing originated on slashdot, no way that crowd could be wrong... heh.
Hey, everyone, quit your bitchin.
Vista is still gonna kick XP's ass, if you haven't looked at it yet.
Besides, who has problems with 2 or more hard drive crashes? Just be a computer made this decade and stop your whining
"Vista is still gonna kick XP's ass, if you haven't looked at it yet."
*sigh*
Pray tell, exactly what technical benefits is Vista bringing to the table? A new interface? Sorry, but no, the tricks Aero uses have been available to Windows users for quite some time thanks to Windowblinds (and frankly some of the better WB themes look much, much better than Vista). Improved security? Maybe, god I hope so, but past history (and the comments of people much more experienced than I am in the security industry) suggest otherwise. New file system based on SQL Server? Postponed until such time as it actually works. Virtual folders? Moved from new harvard graduate to red-headed stepchild status. Big-ass sidebars for common components to allow users to access them via remote ala media centre? Uh, no. User Account Protection, requiring the user to stick in the admin password for modifying system settings and parts beyond? YES! Uh, but the last report I heard was that it turned out to be more annoying than an office assistant without an off switch owing to the VAST number of dialogue boxes that ensue.
Don't get me wrong here, I was really hoping that MS would put out a trully great OS this time. XP and 2000 were big jumps forward, even with all their security issues, and I wanted something new and interesting to loose my inner geek upon. I still hope they manage it, the last thing I want is another Windows ME as I know who'll be supporting my friends and family when they install it. But right now I see no reason to consider it for home use until at LEAST a year from now and as for business use... Well let me put it this way, by a strange quirk of fate my evaluation MacBook turned up today and, if all goes well, we're considering slowly phasing out 2k from the business in favour of OSX. Why? Because we'd have to upgrade 90% of our hardware anyway to run Vista if performance doesn't improve between now and release and for the money involved we'd be fools not to at least consider the competition.
The fact is Vista SHOULD kick XP's arse, it's been in development for well over five years after all. Unfortunatley a) it's not looking like a huge jump forward, b) there's enough new functionality in security critical areas to make people nervous and c) Vista must also compete with Linux and OSX, especially now that virtualisation software is available and actually working which removes one of the major hurdles to migrating organisations to new platforms. As for the home user, I would say, hand-on-heart, I could have given my mum the Macbook and she'd have had it up and running within the hour WITHOUT MY HELP. And twenty minutes of that hour would have been staring in wonder at the packaging and comparing it to the brown box her friend got from Dell a week ago.
jesus, people, do you really think that microsoft has overlooked something that it took you all of 30 seconds to think up? they may not be perfect, but they aren't a bunch of monkeys picking their butts. wait until you actually know what the hell you're talking about before shitting your pants or you'll spend more on pants than you will on vista.
ryan,
I work with Microsoft developers and debuggers (people AND software) EVERY DAY.
Yes I expect them to over look the PC Enthusiasts.
-I work for an IHV.
I always thought the problem with XP was its lax installation protection scheme.
Vista, sign me up!
We are engineers and may find this hard during testing but for the average user, its more than enough tho it WILL make motherboard upgrades hard
We are engineers and may find this hard during testing but for the average user, its more than enough tho it WILL make motherboard upgrades hard
You can still call up and get your Vista working on the 3rd transfer
I have to call every time for XP now because it's been on so many different itterations of what I call my home PC
It sounds like page 2 of the comments is filled with Microsoft employees.
Just one more reason I'm glad I permanently switched to Apple!
Swapping components is not an easy thing to track fairly. Each individual swap (hard drive, mobo, ram, vid card etc.) might be something that you would reasonably expect them to allow under the terms of the license, but bundle together enough of them and you can swap your whole machine out multiple times. How many machine transfers does it count as if you've swapped mobo & hard drive? How about if you just swap one of those but do it ten times?
As for this:
"What's the big deal. For all that it does it doesn't cost that much."
Maybe not, but for most people it's not just a matter of how much it costs versus what it does; what's more important is how much it costs versus what it does *that the OS they've already paid for and own doesn't do*
Sorry MS apologists, here are the FACTS:
"The first user of the software may reassign the license to another device one time. If you reassign the license, that other device becomes the "licensed device," reads the license for Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, Ultimate, and Business. In other words, once a retail copy of Vista is installed on a PC, it can be moved to another system only once.
The new policy is narrower than Windows XP's. In the same section, the license for Windows XP Home states: "You may move the Software to a different Workstation Computer. After the transfer, you must completely remove the Software from the former Workstation Computer." There is no limit to the number of times users can make this move. Windows XP Professional's license is identical."
http://www.techweb.com/wire/software/193300234
Yet one more legitimate reason to pirate this updated version of XP rather than spend a penny on it.
And also one more example of why Ballmer should be fired from Microsoft.
Chappy,
Who do you know who is going to pay full list non-upgrade price for Vista? Either you have a PC running XP so you get an upgrade price, or you buy a new PC with an OEM version which is about the price of an upgrade. Again, unless you build your own PC I don't see you needing to by anything but an upgrade.
As for those that say they reinstall every 2 to 3 months, the license is UNLIMITED on the same PC, you just can't install it on second PC more than once.
o0adam0o,
who uses "SQUARE" anymore, have you been watching Westside Story again? Any besides the whole comment is such a EngadgetNazi thing to say, lighten up.
"Kind of sucks, but makes sense."
Yes, it does make sense. Dell and HP are the customers Microsoft cares about. We are just the lemmings that keep putting with Microsoft's crap.
Come back Microsoft Bob; all is forgiven!!
Basically you may transfer you license 0 times. By the time you install Vista on your computer you will realize you need to upgrade in order to run it.
OMG!
ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME MICROSOFT IS TRYING TO MAKE MONEY OFF US FOR SOMETHING *THEY* MADE?!
*gasp*
OMG, Microsoft is absolutely DARING you to switch to Apple.
WTF are they thinking? The XP system worked OK. Too much activity on one activation code and you had to make a phone call. Problem solved.
I swap hardware all the time but I only run one copy because I like to keep it legit. So basically I'm the type of PC user they don't care about.
I'm so tempted to buy a PS3 for gaming and an Apple PC and be done with MS. While I'm at it, I'll dump PocketPC.
This is sad. Something elligal has to be made to excuse this!
There's really not much changing. Paul Thurrott sums this up nicely here http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_licensing.asp
As Paul Thurrot points out, this is actually no different to windows XP. http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_licensing.asp
Someone earlier pointed out how this move is fairly hostile to the PC enthusiast community. I agree, but I would also turn that around, and point out that the vast majority of users will not be affected. When their computer breaks, they are likely to buy a new one from a major vendor, with Vista pre-installed.
Plus, don't we have to admit that Microsoft really does have a problem with software piracy? Remind me again why they are not allowed to protect their property?
In summary, this just doesn't seem deserving of the gnashing of teeth in many of the other posts.
Are you working for Microcrash?
Although I don't agree with this, Microsoft do have the right to enforce their IP. Also, I don't think this will apply to a hard-disk failure or reformat? ie. a transfer means physically being installed on a different machine (different motherboard), though I'm not sure about this.
But, yes, 2 transfers is not a lot. Having said that, I'm sure 'PC Enthusiasts' will find a way to circumvent this. Where there's a will, there's a way. I don't think their going to switch away from Windows because of this.
Norton Ghost, Acronis True Image, your comments please ?
The only thing Microsoft is getting at is to people working harder and finding even more ways of cracking Vista. In my next PC I'll be installing linux and XGL with no thinking if Microsoft keeps with that attitude, specially wince their OS is so unstable and insecure that I have to reinstall it once and again, something linux hasn't make me do since I installed months ago.
Oh, man. I should purchase 10+ copies of Academy edition of Vista just in case.
I remember that when XP just came out, there was same issue like this one. So, don't worry guys. We are gonna get through the situation.
By the way, I'm really considering to move to Linux.
This Sucks. I work in computer retail where I do a lot of upgrades in a week. You can just imagine peoples faces when I have to tell them they also have to buy a new Windows to go with their new parts. This will kill my job/business. Anyone know how much people in call centers make? I can see a new (forced) career for me soon.
A couple of people have mentioned it, but it bears repeating...
OEM copies are already wedded to the first PC they are installed on, they are not ever transferrable. And I'll bet a lot of commenters are running the OEM version, so this does not affect them..
Several points:
1. This really will have almost no practical impact on anyone. Most people are running OEM Windows licenses, which already have similar restrictions.
2. I have installed an OEM license on a machine that has only the most superficial similarity to the OEM PC it came with, e.g. a cable in common, all other components different.
3. Does the new license define what constitutes a new PC, e.g. "upgrade" everything (case, motherboard, etc.) but a SATA cable. Is this a new PC or an upgraded version of an old one?
4. Unless MS has reason to believe that the OS is being pirated it is likely they will continue their policy of authorizing almost all reinstallations after a phone call.
How about just adding more memory? If you want a new license key go ahead and do it.
There is a program for XP called "RockXP." Run it and it can give you your key and serial number for any XP product. You can also save a file on a seperate disc so that you do not have to reactivate Windows if you format your HDD/reload XP. Someone will hopefully be able to come up something like this for Vista, right?
okey so i am not a linux fan or a microsoft hater, but at one hand we have canonical begging us to rip them off, on the other hand we have people begging microsoft to rip them off! i mean for goodness sake, dont DRM us it to stone age!
https://shipit.ubuntu.com/
http://www.ubuntu.com/support/faq#head-7eef2db63e0a75424cdd663ee6f7b8eedcf19607
Mmm, now tell me again, why do you people use Microsoft stuff?
And this is one reason why Mac users are so smug: we are smug.
waddo
http://www.waddo.net/
Linux here I come!
Most of you idiots trying to switch to linux have no idea how much of a pain in the ass it is to maintain. Want to play your favorite game? Hope you're happy with it running like shit. While I'm using ubuntu right now, don't kid yourself, there are a lot of shortcomings in linux that aren't in windows. Half the people in this thread don't even know what sudo means and will try to switch to linux only to switch back when they have to access the terminal to install and configure things. It's not as easy as clicking on an exe and automating the process. Expect to do a fair amount of typing and looking to install a feature you need like wireless. Expect to contribute more time maintaining your computer than using it in the long run.
whoever is in charge of such decisions at MS should be boiled in his own stupidity. ALL this will do is hurt legit nontechicaly inclined regular users. This will do NOTHING to stop people from pirating their product or using a cracked version. and is going to be more of a pain in the backside than its worth for ALOT of people.
does not conform with German law, so let's see what happens...
I run a legal copy of XP and can't authenticate to update my software now without a bypass. This same computer runs everything I use on my Linux partition except the games. And you know what, Microsoft is making me so mad with their paranoia that I am about to give up XP and DirectX games. This is how strongly I feel about not using Vista. I am from Seattle, everyone. I had friends that worked there. Microsoft compromises our privacy and now our right to install our legal copy on as many new computers as we want. I buy a new computer every year. I say no to Vista and I will actively campaign against MS in favor of Linux.
Syndication - You are so right. If all you want to do is use a browser, send email, write some notes and listen to music, Linux is fine. And for many people that is all they really do, but once you have to start installing things and finding files, it's so different from Windows it's not even funny. I'm not saying it can't be learned, of course it can. but you are right, unless you are willing to make a complete change to Linux, most people are going to find it too confusing and time consuming and will switch back just to get their task done and move on to something else.
Pardon my blurb but for those of you who decide that this one time allowance will keep you from going Vista. Here's a site not Windows Update, but will do like Windows Update,no authentication. Must use s browser other that IE to download updates, but you can view the site with IE.
http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/
Umm..Most people dont pirate windows. Very few acctually just in some markets they do it like in nigeria. Why Mess up everybody?
Microsoft's share price will collapse during the first release cycle of Vista (before SP2 or before the next incremental release).
Microsoft doesn't even follow their own policy on number of XP installs PER YEAR.
According to Microsoft you will not have to call in if you meet their policy.
Bull crap, you can fall well within their policy, be forced to call in, and still get hassled.
Now with Vista not only can you be stuck with a broken computer, Vista in essence is worthless if you have more than one major hardware failure.
I upgrade my computer twice a year, motherboard, and all major upgrades. Also I live in Florida so computer failure is much more common.
With this situation instead of buying 4 licenses like I usually do I will buy ONLY ONE. There is too much to lose. $100-$450 a pop X4 - I DON'T THINK SO.
I tried Vista and it was the first OS in my opinion that Microsoft did a pretty good job with. But now I will advise people if they have to get it buy the basic and only buy one license.
So what good is a 4 year warranty on a computer if it breaks the first year you have it and the second year you do major upgrades to it (or breaks again)?
Your warranty just went out the window, who wants a computer without the OS that came with it.
This is the worst mistake Microsoft will ever make in my opinion. It is going to cost them dearly. Talk about screwing yourself. The guy/gal who created this new policy must love Unix, be a spy, and an expert at Sabotage.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I build/rebuild these PCs on a regular basis. This will suck for those Dell/Gateway/IBM PCs that need rebuilt due to poor quality parts. I've replaced hard drives & mobos in the same PCs over & over. So there goes that idea. Furthermore, some of my users are retarded and continue to download/install viruses/spyware & crippling the OS to the point needing a reload. One or two reloads isn't enough for these people - they screw up more than that! On top of that, I've replaced optical drives on XP machines and was made to reactivate... How's that gonna work out!?
More Situations
1 hardcore users, hard programers, user off heavy software working with audio video, they need format frequently for clean the system with a fresh install
2 Hardcore gamers, new socket every or new DDR or new video bus every months, all this = new mother board overclockers, new HD, who want to have alway the last tecnologi, they need formar frequently for new hardware upgrade
Now I can see 3 way only, stay with my PC without changes for a long time like OFICE USERS or buy 2 Vista licences per year or stay with Windows XP missing all new software coming for Vista.
Lol I have original windows but now I will wait for the hack if they do not change the license
@Ian Jardine: XP Pro: yes, as often as you need; Vi$ta: only once after you screw up the machine it came on. That's what they said; ignoring it won't make it go away.
@LPD - I am hoping you are planning to publish your checking account information on-line; since you think re-purchasing the operating system on your computer every other time there is a hardware "oopsie", you must be rich enough to provide us poor working stiffs with a similar point-of-view.
@Javaflash - M$ isn't going anywhere my young Padawan. They know they've got 95+% of the market tied up and addicted to Office and IE. They know they can twist the arms of anyone they like (even the Feds were powerless before them). MTFBWY.
@Jman888 - Yes, only the rest of the world pirates M$ ... so why does Uncle Bill punish we, the paying customers? Doh! Because he can. You think he built the 40,000 sq ft techno-wonder mansion in Medina by being a nice guy? (ref. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gates'_house)
@Rkillcrazy - frankly, if I was in the biz (and that may be my next career option as my job has been outsourced to Europe of all places), I would be getting into Linux and how to set it up for casual users (ie, John Q Public) for email, surfing, games and the occassional Office doc. The power users will have their computers set up and maintained by the corporate IT toadie so you won't have to deal them anyhow.
So. Anyone see the latest wrinkle in M$ policy in Africa and few other non-US spots? Yep. The subscription model (ie, pay by the month) is alive and well; M$ is considering adding Office to the model. If things work out, in the next few years, we'll all be converted to the subscription model. Hmmm. Phone bill. Gas & electric bill. Tax bill. Water bill. M$ bill. Yep, just another Bill all right. His progeny can't live long enough to spend the new money, eh?
This may be worth a read, as your facts seem to be wrong:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=158
I did install a legitimate copy of Vista, that I obtained FROM MICROSOFT. I registered, I was the good little girl and did all that I was told. I did NOT try to install it on a new PC. And guess what, it's now telling me that my copy is not "genuine" and has crippled my machine. I have been using PC's since the DOS days, but I am so furious right now that I will absolutely buy a Mac the next time around. Microsoft f****d the consumer.
Here is an very interesting aspect of Windows Vista and the activation ripoff. You don't have to transfer your operating system to be forced to purchase another license key. In the free USA (I don't understand why some are freer than others) all you have to do is upgrade your memory. I upgraded from 2GB to 4GB on a Vista Business 64Bit version and was asked to reactivate my? operating system. After I tried this the server came back stating that this number is already in use and Vista will stop working after 30 Day. So be it, I am not going to purchase another key since this is pure ripoff.
I believe that Microcrash has outdone them self and they overstepped their bounds. In the past the Windows Operating System stopped working many, many times for no apparent reason. In older versions the only way for John Doe to get it working again was to re-install the operating system. This will not be any different from the Vista Version since there are only a few power surges needed to screw it up. If a large amount of people thinks the same way as I do, Linux has a very good chance to boot Mircocrash off the surface of the earth.
With Regards,
Norbert Seibert
Doesn't it get a little old, u know, the whole, "screw M$, I am switching to Linux, or Apple" song and dance. Just go ahead and switch already and stop the friggin whining!