Microsoft is Screwing Us Again

by **NightCrawler** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:15 pm

The controversy du jour regards a particularly abhorrent clause that Ed Bott noticed in Microsoft’s end-user license agreement for Vista. Most software EULAs are documents filled with nasty lists of things that you can’t do with the software you purchased, but the clause Microsoft snuck in unannounced is especially evil. It’s titled “Reassign to another device.”

Here’s the exact text: “The first user of the software may reassign the license to another device one time.” That means that if you purchase a copy of Vista at retail—be it the $200 Home Basic or the $400 Vista Ultimate package—you have the right to install that OS on one machine. When you retire that machine, you can install the OS on a second PC, but that’s it. Unlike the Windows XP EULA, which permits you to continue transferring the OS indefinitely (as long as you remove it from the previous machine), Vista’s EULA restricts each copy of the OS to two computers.

Naturally, the new policy will be enforced using Product Activation. Upgrade too much hardware, too many times and Microsoft will disable your legally purchased version of Windows Vista. Frighteningly, none of the Microsoft representatives I’ve spoken with can specify what determines the difference between a hardware upgrade and a new machine; all they’ll say is that it’s a complicated algorithm.

This makes Vista very, very unattractive for anyone who builds his or her own rigs. Vista will force people who frequently build new machines or do regular major upgrades—like you and me—to pay Microsoft a couple hundred bucks a year for the privilege of running Vista. I’ve had a few problems with the new OS, but I’m ready to drop WinXP. But it will be a cold day in hell before I pay multiple times for the same piece of software for the same PC. That’s highway robbery.

Why is Microsoft doing this? Because it can. There will be relatively few people affected by this license change, as the vast majority of Vista builds will end up in OEM machines purchased by people who don’t upgrade. Indeed, even if everyone who’s affected by this clause decides to boycott Vista, it won’t make a measureable impact on sales.

I’ve never been more conflicted about a product before. If the EULA remains as-is, I’ll be unable to recommend Vista to the Maximum PC elite. The hitch is DirectX 10, which only works with Vista. I just saw the first batch of games written for DirectX 10, and they make “next-gen” console titles look like bantha fodder. Every hardcore gamer will be forced to make a Hobson’s choice.

I’ve sent a letter saying the same thing to the higher-ups at Microsoft, but I don’t really expect to hear anything good. I’d be really interested to hear what you guys think about this mess, so feel free to join the discussion in our forums.

This is a dark day for PC enthusiasts.

Source: MaximumPC Article

by **]DP[Nuckle** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:34 pm

All the more reason to pirate a copy. Just think I use to be that way and have tried to be legit but screw them.

Nuck

by **Darknut** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 3:56 pm

...So when are they going to make games for Linux?

by **JimmyTango** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:28 pm

Don't like it, don't buy it, simple as that.

Also, that goes with the two bottom versions of Vista, the two top ones(business versions) supposedly do not state it. You also can not VM with the two bottom ones.

by **gowhitesox99** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:03 pm

a friend got an advanced copy, 180 day version, said it is a HUGE install..... said he didnt like it and went back to XP

by **max zorin** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:22 pm

curious if your friend had beta 2 or rc1.

Beta 2 was horrible both from a useability perspective and overall performance.

RC1, however is much better. Been running rc1 for about 1 month now and works fine.

Battlefield 2 runs good on RC1.

by **gowhitesox99** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:38 pm

hmmm not sure, if I see him i'll ask.....

by **cavalierlwt** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:06 pm

At some point, games will start coming out in DirectX-10, which AFAIK will only run on Vista. I like to upgrade a lot, so I plan on buying a copy and then pirating later on when it becomes necessary.

by **ferret963** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:31 pm

Probably by the time Vista is getting into full swing i'll be a teacher

Nice that a teacher has to have what they use at school ya know...that and autocad 2007 hehe all part of the job

by **Lord ZOG** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:32 am

Reversing a licensing change announced two weeks ago, Microsoft said on Thursday that it will not limit the number of times that retail customers can transfer their Windows Vista license to a different computer.

http://news.com.com/Microsoft+backtracks+on+Vista+transfer+limits/2100-1016_3-6131900.html

by **A.M. Foxtrot** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 1:41 am

that's cool

by **cavalierlwt** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 2:49 am

Very smart move from Microsoft.

by **Lord ZOG** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 8:46 am

What I don't think is cool is the planned five different versions of Vista.

Most moron end users don't even know if they have XP Home or XP Pro, let alone Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Home Basic or Windows Vista Ultimate.

Can you imagine the tech support horrors trying to decipher how to get the end user to simply get their IP address using the different versions?

Maybe they should have a Windows Drooling Moron version.

by **Darknut** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 4:23 pm

Eh, I only see more confusion when trying to remember which version lacks or has what features and keeping that in mind when providing support. For the most part, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

by **cavalierlwt** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:20 pm

Pretty much just a sly trick to kill two birds with one stone: get the government off their back by offering the OS with and without various features, makes it seem more fair to competitors who sell programs with those features.

The other thing is to get people to buy one version, find it lacking and upgrade to another version. Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money!!

Microsoft is Screwing Us Again

Microsoft is Screwing Us Again

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