Unlimited long distance $24.99/mo
October 16, 2006 3:19 PM PDT
Microsoft limits Vista transfers
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Under changes to Microsoft's licensing terms, buyers of retail copies of Vista will be able to transfer their software to a new machine only once. If they want to move their software a second time, they will have to buy a new copy of the operating system.
In the past, those who bought a retail copy of Windows needed to uninstall it from any machine before moving it to another machine, but there was no limit to how many times this could be done.
"It was something that had been abused from a piracy perspective before," said Shanen Boettcher, a general manager in Microsoft's Windows Vista unit. "We're just being clear it's one move from machine to machine that you are licensed for."
The software company will use its antipiracy programs, including its recently announced Software Protection Platform, to enforce the new changes, Boettcher said.
Separate rules apply for the versions of Windows installed on new PCs, which is how most people get their copy of the software, Boettcher said. In most cases, copies of Windows purchased on a new PC cannot legally be transferred.
The license changes also apply to virtualization, in which a computer runs multiple operating systems, or multiple copies of the same operating system, at the same time. Customers can only transfer the copy of Windows once, including a transfer from one physical machine to a virtual machine, or from a virtual machine on one PC to a virtual machine on another PC.
"Virtualization is a new technology," Boettcher said. "We are going to learn more about the use cases as we move forward."
People who have specific questions can call customer support, he said.
Microsoft is also making some other changes as far as virtualization goes. Although any Windows version can serve as the primary, or host, operating system, only the Business and Ultimate versions of Vista can run as guest operating systems in virtualization. In Windows XP, each virtual instance of the OS required a separate license, but there were no restrictions on which versions could act as guests.
Large businesses that obtain Windows Vista Enterprise edition through a volume-licensing contract can run up to four instances of Vista on the same machine with a single license. Developers in Microsoft's MSDN program can also use more copies of the operating system for testing purposes, Boettcher said.
The change is significant for technology enthusiasts, as well as for Mac users running software, such as Parallels Workstation, that allows Windows to run at the same time as the Mac OS.
The rule change would not have an impact on Apple Computer's Boot Camp software, which installs Windows in a separate partition and allows users to run the Mac OS and Windows, but not at the same time.
Also as part of the changes, Microsoft extended the warranty for Windows. Buyers of retail copies of Vista will get a one-year warranty, which is typical of most Microsoft software, as opposed to the 90-day warranty that comes with XP.
Boettcher said that Microsoft has heard some concerns regarding virtual machine issues, but doesn't think the license changes represent a threat to Vista sales. "It hasn't come up as any kind of a blocker for adoption," he said.
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BEST WAY TO REDUCE PIRACY = LOWER YOUR PRICE MS!!!
and/or Linux.
last drop of cash from Vista that it can.
These restrictions make one question the very integrity of a
company. It will only get MORE EXPENSIVE to use Windows. I'm
sure this new policy approach will be attached to other software
from Microsoft as well.
Microsoft has its monopoly, and it's going to use it to draw every
last penny out of your pocket.
After all, you should feel lucky to have the privilege to run
Microsoft products. Now pay up!
It is precisely because of actions like these that Microsoft products will be hacked more than ever.
Nobody in thier right mind would buy a used Windows Vista PC because, under this licensing, they can never get rid of it. If they cannot transfer the OS to a 3rd party, nobody will buy it from them (except for pocket change).
If I buy a license, I should be able to do damn well what I please with the license. When that license restricts what I can and can't do with it, I have essentially purchased nothing.
With this licensing scheme, Microsoft is pursuing it's stated goal of software-as-a-service without calling it that.
Microsoft is crooked and rotten to its very core. But, it's not Balmer's fault, or Gate's fault...it's just how public corporations are run in the US.
US corporations typically rape the customer for all that they can while firing them and outsourcing thier jobs, because this quarters' profits are all that matter to them. To them, customers are cattle and long term profitability and brand loyalty are not even on the radar.
To celebrate this article, I will build my first dedicated Linux server this weekend and start on the road to building online apps that everyone can use - independent of parasitic corporations like Microsoft.
I think I'll try my hand at Bindows first. It looks like you can make no-install apps that look like desktop apps and run in IE or Firefox using Bindows. Some big players are already using it, so why not me?
I'm thinking my next computer will be a mac. At the very least a mini mac.
news.com's account differ's from Paul Therrott's account, both quote similar sources.
Can you transfer more than once to a machine. as in, can I remove from machineA, place on machineB, remove from MachineB, place on machineC?
We need a Microsoft page that clarifies this, or this OS is not being considered by our organization.
with Vista? If you need a stable Microsoft OS stick with Windows
2003 and even XP for desktops. If you want the best of both world
go with Mac OS X on Apple hardware. It works better than anything
out of Microsoft and you can run Office if you have to. I'm really
surprised Microsoft is still doing business the way they're going.
aggravation?
When I buy a computer, I typically look at long term upgradability. What threshold by Microsoft dictates a new system? (IE replacing CPU, motherboard, adding a new video card/hardrive...) Besides upgrades, a component failure could go as one strike against you for transfering with Vista.
I would love to see a grass roots effort letting consumers know the extreme limitations that Microsoft is trying to cram down our throats.
Perhaps if enough IT departments, and general consumers decided to boycott upgrading to Vista until the EULA is fixed... That might send a message to Microsoft. I would suggest folks who absolutly need a Windows box to buy a few copies of XP while we can. It will definitly be the last Microsoft product I purchase.
upgrade their PC to Vista and end up having to recover it down the
road because of all the junk Windows has built up? They can't
reinstall Vista after doing so? Talk about POINTLESS!! I have never
been able to keep a PC running for more than a year than needing
to recover it, why should Vista be any different???! I guess I'll just
keep XP on my HP but thanks anyway Microsoft!
Time to buy an Apple.
1. A monopoly OS platform that therefore SHOULD be flexible and reasonably priced
2. A niche app that is expensive, restrictive, and targetted at a specific wealthy market group who has little choice in alternatives.
Unfortunately, they want to be #1 while abusing their customers as if Vista were #2.
I suppose if you are MS, you see this as best of both worlds. If you are a non-business customer, you see this as abusive more from an abusive monopoly. Keep XP until Linux matures a bit more, then move away from MS. Clearly they don't give a crap about any of us.
where he does a very careful breakdown of the new EULA. The story is a bit of a rable rouser.
I constantly upgrade my pc. In one upgrade, I can change the main board, RAM, CPU and video card. This makes it a new computer as far as the OS is concerned. They're going to tell me after upgrading my computer twice, I have to purchase their software again? I really don't understand who they think they are! I just don't get it. I know they are a monopolistic, money grubbing lame excuse for a company but this goes too far! If I purchase a piece of software, I expect to be able to run it on any PC I own, as long as it's only installed on one machine at a time.
I wonder what company will be making money from us former Microsoft customers? Apple? A Linux company? I'll make due with what I have til something else comes along or Microsoft changes their tune.
Despite Microsofts (and its perennial "defenders", or should I say "shills") claims, Microsofts, "EULAs" (End User License Agreements) CANNOT "...trump the law". MOST "legal experts" (and quite a few Attorney-Generals) seem to agree, quite conclusively, on this point.
Simply put, ...denying a consumer the use of THEIR-OWN PROPERTY, after they have purchased it, ...OR trying to control its application, is a DIRECT VIOLATION of the LAW. PERIOD...
No, IFs... ANDs... or, BUTs...
Frankly, MOST of the claims in "Microsofts" "EULAs", regarding "Microsofts products" are, complete, LEGAL-HOGWASH. And their EVER-EXPANSIVE, claims of continued "ownership" and control, of the "products" they sell, are COMPLETE LEGAL-GIBBERISH (it has only been leant an air of familiarity, ...by Microsofts endlessly-repeating these LIES for decades).
Our company has already adopted an official determination to tell our customers to avoid "Vista", at almost any cost, (due to the high cost of "upgrading", PERPETUAL "product authentication", "mandatory driver signing", extreme "DRM" restrictions, and ridiculously-complicated "Licensing", etc, etc, etc...).
In fact, as a company, we are currently engaged in acquiring more extensive "Linux" expertise, as quickly as possible, ...because, frankly, we are expecting "Vista" to be the last-straw that finally topples Microsofts... HOUSE OF CARDS.
Some are looking forward to the impending-spectacle of LAWSUITS, LITIGATION, COUNTER-SUITS, (and more than likely... some hastily-crafted legislation obviously-designed, primarily, to protect Americas largest software company). But, the seemingly-unavoidable collapse of such a POWERFUL (and obscenely-corrupt), multi-billion dollar company ...is going to be a nightmare to work-through.
Too bad its looking more, and more, inevitable, every day...
- Virtualization
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by MrHandle
October 16, 2006 6:47 PM PDT
- It seems to me that with the coming of virtualization, consumers will have choices of multiple operating systems to run. I would think this would open up the door for newcomers (perhaps even Google) to slip in and create some new and interesting OS. It's my view that people will need to rely on MS much less as this begins to happen, and their policies will just start eroding their user base. This is just my opinion, and I certainely can be wrong, but I think my hunch is pretty solid.
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