From: "Geo." 

Ok good, go with that quote. I was talking about (in the case of MS) vista
and in the case of other vendors the mention of an app that was tying
itself to a HD serial number.

The whole thing is being motivated by the desire of the software and
content industries to have more and more restrictive options for copy
protection and licensing use. In the end this is going to hurt Microsoft
because it will lead to buying new software when you buy a new computer.
This is microsoft's current goal with vista and other vendors aren't going
to be able to resist it either. It means more money for them, how could
they possibly not do it?

The end result is throw your OS and apps away with your computer, this
should be a huge concern for MS because it will result in no motivation to
stick with an OS in order to not have to buy apps all over again. That was
my point, you are free to claim it's not happening and since it's just at
the beginning I'll agree that is arguable, make the assumption that it is
happening and then tell me I'm wrong about where it will lead. That's
really the discussion I was trying to have with you, I see it as
unavoidable unless software moves to a service model which I don't think is
a workable model.

Geo.

"Rich"  wrote in message news:45bcdd4c{at}w3.nls.net...
   I removed too much.  You're quote isn't relevant.  The one that is that
triggered the discussion is

    You know, tying apps to the hardware could be a huge negative for MS. I
  mean
    suddenly it's not an issue of being able to keep your old software so
you
    aren't anchored to a platform or OS anymore. Kinda makes investment in
    applications a non-factor when considering a hardware upgrade.

It seems you are trying to change the discussion from this to the
independent topic of licensing which for Microsoft and other vendors often
limits the number of computers on which the software may be simultaneously
installed.  In the case of Office System 2007 that may be two for a normal
copy.  I checked my Outlook license which contains

  2.  INSTALLATION AND USE RIGHTS.  Before you use the software under a
license, you must assign that license to one device.  That device is the
"licensed device."  A hardware partition or blade is considered
to be a separate device.
  a. Licensed Device.  You may install and use one copy of the software on
the licensed device.
  b. Portable Device.  You may install another copy on a portable device for
use by the single primary user of the licensed device.

I expect volume and other licenses have other limits.  None of this is
locking applications to hardware.  You are free to move the software among
computers as the license allows.

So again, if you have some actual instances of locking by Microsoft and can
support your claims that Microsoft is helping ISVs to lock their
applications, please speak up.  Otherwise, stop making up crap and using it
to try to support your bogus claims.

Rich

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