Another (IMHO) HUGE problem with the activation / licensing system
as it is is that is seems likely to really screw you if you plan to multi-boot.
You're allowed to use your license on your "licensed device" e.g. single computer with
two processors or less. And you have to activate it when you install it.
However what happens if you want / need to have different configurations of the same
OS selectable via different boot-time configurations on the same PC? In the best
case this would be explicitly permitted, detected, and it would "just work" sharing
one activation for that machine regardless as to what configuration you boot that same
system in.
What happens with 32 bit and 64 bit versions?
One Vista retail license allows you to use either 32 bit or 64 bit software
versions on your licensed computer only saying you must use one at the same time
e.g. not have one PC running 32 while a different PC runs 64 at the same time.
There is no stated restriction about switching between 32 and 64 bit versions on
your licensed computer as often as you'd like; e.g. dual-booting between them.
Some software and hardware you may acquire or already own will be incompatible
with 64 bit mode, so you'll have to run it under VISTA 32 bit.
Some hardware and software likewise will not work with VISTA 32 bit, but will require
VISTA 64 bit.
Ot-Oh- so if you set up 2 disk partitions and dual boot between VISTA 32 on one
partition and VISTA 64 on the other, again, they'll very likely each want to activate
distinctly and you could get into problems with your product key being revoked
just for switching the same exact machine back and forth between 32 & 64 bit
versions by frequently (and necessarily due to incompatibilities) booting between
them!
But wait it gets worse; what about application software like Microsoft Office?
Say I have these disk partitions on the SAME PC:
c: XP 32 bit
d: XP 64 bit
e: Vista 64 bit
f: Vista 64 bit alternative boot configuration
g: Vista 32 bit
h: Vista 32 bit alternative boot configuration
o: Microsoft Office is *INSTALLED HERE*.
The OFFICE license says you may install and use it on a single PC; fine, and on my
single PC it is installed to O drive.
On that same legitimately licensed PC and I have various legitimately licensed
operating systems that I may want to select from at boot at any given time and
yet be able to use my legitimate Office application regardless of which OS I happen
to be running at the moment.
Office is installed on O drive and I can certainly try to launch Word or whatever
programs from that drive whatever OS I happen to have booted, and Office hasn't
been deinstalled or activated on any other PC, so everything should work fine and it
should have no need of reactivation or reinstallation.
However I think it's very likely that it'll fail to work properly on most of those
configurations due to the bad design of the software and Office licensing, so
I'll need to do something like "repair installations" or whatever on EACH of the
*boot partitions* even though I told it to install ONLY to "O" drive, and I further
bet it'll claim to have 6 different OFFICE ACTIVATIONS even though it's the
SAME PC! This will certainly all cause much annoyance for the user that just
wants to be able to use their legitimately licensed/purchased software on their
PC in whatever configuration they choose.
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