Vista Licensing

Wendy has a nice article on how Windows licensing disserves the user. Apparently Microsoft doesn't realize that users actually should matter, instead of extra money.

2. Vanishing functionality through invalidation. "The software will from time to time validate the software, update or require download of the validation feature of the software. … [if validation fails] you may not be able to use or continue to use some of the features of the software." Again, your computer must make periodic (period unspecified) contact with the Microsoft mothership if you want to continue to enjoy what you thought you paid for. Microsoft, of course, disclaims any liability for the consequences if their servers fail or mistakenly deny you validation.

I forsee the next six months as very interesting. Either one of a couple of things will happen:

• The licensing / DRM / functionality issues will be overblown and everyone will continue as they do now with XP, some pirating, some buying legally.
  
• More and more people will rebel and go to other OSs.
  
• Apple will come out with an ace in the hole with native windows application execution or something like that and suddenly desktops will move over to the Mac side of the world.
  
• Hackers will fight with MS by releasing patches to un-DRM/WGA/etc Vista. MS will of course release security updates to counter these, hackers will respond, etc.
  
• Microsoft will relent and realize they are squeezing too hard, either through their new and improved "interact with the users" attitude, or through floods of phone calls to the call centers complaining, and remove the restrictions (I believe apple did this with itunes at some point).
  

That's just my opinion though.