Microsoft Will Allow Vista Reinstalls

Claus Valca writes "I just spotted over on the Windows Vista Team Blog the news that the Windows Vista retail licensing terms are being revised. Looks like PC home-brew system builders have been let back into the Vista party!" From the article: "Our intention behind the original terms was genuinely geared toward combating piracy; however, it's become clear to us that those original terms were perceived as adversely affecting an important group of customers: PC and hardware enthusiasts. You who comprise the enthusiast market are vital to us for several reasons, not least of all because of the support you've provided us throughout the development of Windows Vista. We respect the time and expense you go to in customizing, building and rebuilding your hardware and we heard you that the previous terms were seen as an impediment to that — it's for that reason we've made this change."

Comments

Great PR

[elrous0]

Wow, it's pretty arrogant to claim that backtracking on a obviously bonehead move is some sort of love offering to the consumers.

-Eric

Re:Er..

[MrAnnoyanceToYou]

They're just covering their tails. When was the last version of Windows where your first step towards solving a truly major problem, "Reinstall Windows."

Every single hardware enthusiast that has ever built their own machine does this before checking their hardware. Why? First point of failure, well, um..... Gee. Wonder where it generally is. This has nothing to do with 'noticing an important market segment.' It just keeps in place the first solution everyone ever uses - reformat; reimage or reinstall.

Re:Great!

[Firehed]

Bill Gates has always been incredibly opposed to piracy, probably more so than most could imagine. It's just that the availability of internet access (not to mention it effectively being required to use a computer nowadays) makes it a hell of a lot easier for him to check in with you from time to time and make sure you're still legit. If it would have been possible at the time, Windows 3.11 would have had WGA, and totally locked up if it wasn't a legit copy. Of course if that were the case, they'd either have a WGA that works properly now or have gone out of business years ago.

Not to mention he's not stepping down for another two years, and even still will remain highly placed in the company (just not CEO).

I agree - piracy definitely can help your company grow. When you're not a worldwide monopoly, that is. They have all the market share they'll ever need, and the little bit of piracy taking place in... oh, say, China... isn't leading to any extra sales. Chances are that if China (et al) couldn't get their hands on massively pirated versions, they wouldn't pay anyways, just like how it works with most "lost" CD and DVD sales. Sure, it would mean a bit less market share, but if you have 90% of the market and 20% of the market is running pirated copy, that really doesn't (or, at least, shouldn't) look any better than having 70% of the market that's totally legit. As far as legality goes, it would probably be better for them, since the monopoly wouldn't look as bad.