Vista to Allow "One Significant" Hardware Upgrade

fiorenza writes "Ars Technica spoke with Microsoft concerning the controversial changes in Windows Vista's licensing, and they have learned that Vista will permit one 'significant' hardware change before requiring users to either appeal to Microsoft support or purchase another license. Automatic re-activation online will fail after one use. Microsoft is using a new algorithm to monitor hardware changes and enforce licensing compliance, and the company says that it is more forgiving now than it was with Windows XP."

Comments

If it looks like a sale, it is a sale, right?

[ByTor-2112]

When, oh when, will we be able to use what we paid for for what we want, within the limits of the law, without asking permission. Sheesh.

Re:If it looks like a sale, it is a sale, right?

[Anonymous Coward]

When we stop buying products that limit the ways in which we can use them.

Of course...

[oberondarksoul]

that all depends on how they choose to define 'significant'. Gamers who regularly upgrade their box are going to be unhappy at any rate; if a video card is considered 'significant', I can see storm clouds blowing. Of course, Microsoft won't care - they've got their money, and with the example of Halo 2, they can count on those purchases of Vista as given for the hardcore.

Re:New Hardware Found.....

[hotrodman]

    As a small-business owner who spends all day just configuring/fixing/testing/developing/working, I can tell you right now.....This would pound the last nail into the coffin for using MS products for me. MS obviously doesn't care about people that have to make things WORK and have little time to do so. After I have spend a few hundred hours tweaking a mail server that will have to deliver 100,000 messages per day, or a web farm that has to work FLAWLESSLY and serve hundreds of millions of hits per month, this one thing that I would not want to have to deal with, especially when I have to add/change a network interface to accomodate a SAN development or some other change where we don't have time to worry about such nonsensical shit as "Will the OS allow us to do this"

  Screw that. My shop will stay Linux anyway, but that is just BS!
  - Eric

I need to be "forgiven" to upgrade?

[Futurepower(R)]

"... the company says that it is more forgiving now than it was with Windows XP."

It's uncomfortable to be in the situation that when I want to upgrade my computer, I need to be "forgiven".

--
The best of the Bush comedy videos

windows activation

[Pompatus]

Windows activation is a joke anyway. You can keep using the same cdkey, you just have to call their 800 number. It's been awhile since I've done it, but they ask you a stupid question like "is this copy of windows installed on any other computers". I think once they asked me why I was reinstalling and I stated "reformat because of a virus". Let them argue that. If they complain you've called too much complain that their OS is too virus prone and keeps making you reformat. I don't know which is easier to do, get the anti-activation crack or call the 800 number.

Re:New Hardware Found.....

[Just Some Guy]

From now on, everyone who complains that editing Unix config files is too hard will be directed to this post. Thank you.