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

Re:Er..

[deathy_epl ccs]

When was the last version of Windows where your first step towards solving a truly major problem, "Reinstall Windows."

According to everything I've seen, what you just said didn't apply in the case of Vista re-install limitations because the Vista limitation was on significant hardware changes. If your hardware didn't change, then this would not crop up.

Re:Er..

[obeythefist]

Yeah they have made it just tolerable enough that buying a license for Vista doesn't seem like a waste of money, because once you're licensed, you effectively own it for life now. Which is kind of how it's supposed to be, and what people really want.

I don't want to buy a license for my computer.
I want to buy a license for me!

But the downside is that this looks like it will be effective enough to make people buy and install Vista, which in turn justifies WGA and other horrible customer-spying activities.

At the end of the day though, Sony is still a much more evil company. Never forget the rootkits!