PC enthusiasts' clamour gets major change in Windows Vista EULA

[Bob Crabtree]

Microsoft has reacted swiftly - and positively - to remove one of the restrictions in Windows Vista's end user licensing agreement (EULA) that has caused worldwide condemnation by PC enthusiasts.

A change of wording in the EULA - and, presumably, of the copy-protection technique used by the forthcoming operating system - now means that it will be possible to install the retail version of Vista on more than two PCs in succession.

Consequently, PC hardware enthusiasts will be able to move a single copy of Vista through a series of new or upgraded PCs, not just from one PC to one other.

On the downside, two of the three original mean-minded limitations in the EULA detailed in our recent HEXUS.opinion are unchanged.

Read this HEXUS.headline and make sure that - like in the thread about that opinion piece - you make your voice heard by Microsoft by commenting here.

[Bull Dog]

As long as I can upgrade my system every 6-12 months for the next five years and never have but "re-buy" Vista I'll be happy.

[teachmech]

Just as it should be.

[s_kinton]

This is certainly a step in the right direction, but way short of reasonable. The fact remains, as stated in the article, that the Ultimate edition is overpriced and the 2 remaining limitations should not be part of any fair EULA.

The fact that its not possible to install the same version of Vista on a partitioned hard drive is just silly. As MS have said some people like to have one heavily optimised install and one not, thats not an unreasonable thing to do, so why should we pay for the same prodcut twice when its essentially on the same single hard drive!!

[Funkstar]

Especially when you can only use one install on that system at a time.

[piranha]

Is it still the case that Vista can only be installed a small number of times and thats it - as read somewhere?

[Applecrusher]

I believe that this is the limitation that was removed, you can now install it many times, just not have it in more than one place at once.. I think..

[Dr_Ub3r]

<rant> vista has ground my gears so much i have even taken the time to register just so i can reply.

I have used Msoft OS's since dos days ... yes i know poor me

Perhaps Microsoft are doing us all a favor ... i for one will finally get off my bum and try linux. i have heard Ubuntu is actualy quite easy to use and the more of us that use it the better it will become. I am not paying £325 to have a fully functioning pc ... my upgrades cost me more than i can afford anyway. A retraction is an admitance if guilt. The fact Msoft even tried to enfource the recently recinded resricions shows you the kind of company there are ... it makes there advertising campaigns about "creation and sharing" seem sick and twisted.

I for one are sick of waiting for them to get a sence of corporate and social responsibility. 14 years and enough is enough. </rant>

[MakaveliThaDon]

Stop moaning Ub3r! Windows is THE best operating system ever! I love it I do! And you should too!

Haha! Im only joking, I totally agree, I especially agree with the last comment "it makes there advertising campaigns about "creation and sharing" seem sick and twisted", it is a blatant snipe at enthusiasts as they obviously don't trust us.
It reminds me of Ubisoft really, they too don't trust their customers, so they put in stupid software to 'protect' from copyright infingement, when all they do is hurt the customers who want to buy and play their games.
Its a sham!

Maka

[neonplanet40]

Too expensive tbh and vista ultimate price is a joke. As if they dont have enough money as it is!

[chuckskull]

Ultimate is stupidly expensive, if it drops to nearer the &#163;200 mark I might consider, otherwise it's home premium for me.

[Iago]

Ultimate may be ridiculously expensive...but frankly, how many "enthusiasts" do really need features found in Ultimate and not on Home Premium?

I think too many years of pirated and OEM XP-Pro versions have spoiled people. Most of the hardware aficionados I know have copies of Pro and have never, ever used a Pro-only feature at home. Still, when the different versions were announced everybody automatically assumed that anything less than Vista Ultimate was like Vista Retarded.

I'm sure there are some people out there that will need features of Ultimate...but I bet they be the minority.

[UpG]

I used to think windows was expensive, until i worked out what i spent on my PC over the life of Windows XP.

Consider this:

I bought XP Pro retail for &#163;230

I've spent close to &#163;1000 a year on my PC

So that's about &#163;5000, &#163;230 of that being software. I work that out at less than 10% of my total spending being on software.

Considering i use windows all the time, i don't deem that to be expensive.

[BlindMelon7]

I'm sorry, but &#163;325? You could buy a whole computer for that! I'm just gonna stick to XP and until there's a DX10 available on limewire.

[chuckskull]

I'm sorry, but £325? You could buy a whole computer for that! I'm just gonna stick to XP and until there's a DX10 available on limewire.

ignorance is bliss eh?

[BlindMelon7]

Linux, limewire, same thing