Microsoft's quest to closely control the way Windows Vista can be used on PCs has taken a turn for the worse, as new information indicates that the company is breaking tradition when it comes to Windows Vista upgrades. With Windows Vista, users will not be able to use upgrade keys to initiate completely new installations. It is a change that will affect few users, but enthusiasts will certainly be amongst those pinched.
To view parent comment, click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:2005-07-06
Well aren't people going to be stealing whatever is easy to gain access too? For example if Microsoft created unbreakable security for Ultimate Edition, but Home and Pro editions contained no security people would pirate the lesser version.
I guess what I'm trying to say is the actions of the few are making things harder for everyone. Consumers are now going to be presented with a platform where all media and content are licensed to that device instead of content free to be used on whatever piece of hardware within the terms of "fair use."
For example if a consumer has bought Vista Ultimate (OEM?) and it's licensed to be run on that computer only and the consumer wants to upgrade his computer. His brand new brand X computer comes preloaded with Vista Home edition. He threw out his other computer, shouldn't he be entitled to use his Vista Ultimate he already purchased? Now a pirate won't be paying for the content in the first place, yet will be able to put his bootleg copy on whatever computer he wants. Legitimate consumers will be buying things twice, while pirates still get things for free.
Even with audio/video content. A user buys a song on a phone. Then they decide they want to listen to it on their Zune so they purchase it right then and there on the computer. Later they find out this download won't work on their iPod so they decide to buy the CD. The user has purchased this song 3 times, while the pirates still find ways of getting it for free. Personally I beleive DRM isn't stopping piracy, it's making it harder yes, but instead it's making consumers pay more for the same content to make up for that loss.
Also: food for thought. You know those FBI anti-piracy warnings on DVDs? It's funny that only legitimate copies show them and they're stripped from bootlegs. 
Member since:
2006-03-12
"It imposes unfair restrictions because people out there steal software."
I'm actually interesting in you explaining that. If you are stealing software. Why would you choose anything but the Ultimate edition??. Why install the crippleware editions.