Loic J. Duros,
I don't know if these restrictions are there only because of
developers'/vendors' fear of competition. I see this sort of things not only
as economically motivated, but framed in a political scenery where "citizens"
have their power decreased more and more -- it happens each time a government
(or an association of governments) take (or try to take) measures to increase
its control of society.
It's just a frame of the frame, of course; but the more the individuals
reject power over their own things (their computers, for example), the more
easily will others put them away from the "power centers".
I think it's a matter of power too. License to everybody a copy of your
software, put in the license the "it's copy is not sold, only licensed for
some uses -- and we can use it too" thing, stimulate this people to say that
is "their" software, and you'll get they all lying to themselves. It's to
hypnotize a whole population. Here in Brazil, everybody I know say "my
Windows" as they say, in an affectionate manner, "my pet". They are
fascinated by the invisible duce, the dissimulated führer. It's Stalin
unnamed. It's Mao "undrugged". It's a macabre poisoned apple.
