On Thu, Apr 29, 2010 at 7:58 PM, Bruce Johnson <john...@pharmacy.arizona.edu> wrote: > People buying upgrades and folks setting up a handful of DIY boxes for their > business or something run into these hassles, but frankly, these people are > small fry, and MS doesn't really give a crap about them.
Actually, I also believe not so much but from a different perspective. :-) I have limited experience with PC notebooks. In particular I don't know how Microsoft does Windows 7 notebook (re)installs. The last PC laptop I reinstalled XP on (using the media that came with it) I don't believe even bothered to ask me to authenticate. At the very least the install media appeared to just "know" that the install was to an HP notebook, hence the Windows tax had been paid, so there was no need to bother about asking for a license key. (The key was there on the sticker on the laptop if needed. But I'm pretty sure I never had to enter it). If the vast majority of Windows installs were all the PC world equivalent of reinstalling the version of OS X that came with a MacBook then I doubt MS would bother with the hoops. But Windows folk still have to dance through those hoops so I infer that MS thinks it's financially worth it to them to keep polishing them. I'll grant you that individual home user upgraders, DIY boxes, and/or small businesses are probably not as big of a concern for MS. But if you're going down authentication avenue you can't do it in pieces. Aside from special cases such as notebooks with special install media, it's all installs or nothing, no? Probably MS's main concern is preventing an entire IT installation from (re)using a pirated install key. But there's also the so-called BRICs ... Brasil, Russia, India, China and such. The thought/hope of turning even a fraction of the Windows piracy in those countries into actual revenue must be, uh, an "exciting thought" for the MS accountants. Microsoft appears to me to be obsessed with two conflicting goals: to limit Windows installs to one machine per paid license and to not annoy their customers unless said customers are from MS's perspective trying to steal from MS. It's got to be a lot of (costly?) work on their end. And I believe they wouldn't bother with it unless they thought the company benefited. Which is not the same thing as saying the company DOES benefit from it. I'm only saying I think MS has convinced itself that it's worth doing. And I think when Apple does that calculation they must be getting a different answer. -irrational john -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list