----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, May 07, 2002 7:39 AM
Subject: [LUG] Licences preventing the
user from using other OSes?
More of the
same
from my other os
group
That raises a question: when can it be called the same PC
it was pre-installed
on? Is it
>the same PC when I change the video
card? In XP terms I guess it is another
PC after
>changing three
components, because then you have to beg Microsoft for a new
XP
>license (I heard).
>
Yeah, just don't flash the bios. XP
will wig out. Manufactures of PC's are
complaining that something as
inoccuous as a new lot of the same model hard
drive requires a new image
to be made, as XP will pitch a bitch about the
hardware being wrong.
Stepping changes in a chip on the MB will do the same
thing. Even
with a same model motherboard, one chip with a later stepping
revision
will throw XP into a tizzy. Corporations got a break from this, as
that
particular feature has been disabled. But everyone using XP is
now on the
"subcription license plan" By that you are licensed for a
period of time. After
that, you are no longer permitted to use the
software. We should start seeing
complaints about Office XP expiring
later this year and Windows XP early next
year. Should be
interesting. I can see it now. I'm sorry teacher, I don't have
my midterm report to hand in because my license for Office XP expired and
I
couldn't get a new license because MS is closed on the weekends.
Think the
teacher will still give the kid an "F" or at the very least
deduct some major points
for the paper being late? Or how about
this. I'm sorry IRS, I can't file my taxes
because everything is in
Quickbooks and my Windows XP expired and I can't
get access to my files
without a new license and Microsoft is refusing to send
me
one.
