|
Vista users allowed to move house just once |
|
|
by Stan Beer
|
|
Saturday, 14 October 2006 |
|
Page 1 of 2
It appears that Microsoft wants to make sure
that its customers feel as if they are being treated with contempt -
just in case they didn't already feel that way. Customers who pay up to
US$400 for a copy of Vista Ultimate will for their investment be able
to transfer their software to another machine just once instead of as
many times as they like as is the case with XP.
Thus, if your machine packs it in, Microsoft in its benevolence will
allow you to transfer the software to another machine. However, if
after a year or so you decide to upgrade and pass your old machine on
to another family member who only needs a copy of Vista Home Edition,
it's just too bad because you'll have to fork out another US$400
because your license is no longer transferrable.
Make no mistake. This is not piracy prevention. This is pure greed.
Microsoft claims that it is has a huge piracy problem. It has to
tighten its rules with measures such as the Software Protection Program
that has the power to disable computers deemed to house pirated
software. It has to restrict users to the number of times they can
re-install their software.
However, one has to ask then how was Microsoft able to build a global monopoly
where Windows is installed on 90% or more of desktops despite this
so-called piracy?
In spite of piracy, how was Microsoft able to achieve revenues of
nearly US$25 billion and a profit of almost US$18.5 billion on its
Windows and Office products alone in the fiscal year ended
2006?
|
