Microsoft backtracks on their Vista transfer limits

[WT]

ZDNet story

REDMOND, Wash.--Reversing a licensing change announced two weeks ago, Microsoft said on Thursday that it will not limit the number of times that retail customers can transfer their Windows Vista license to a different computer.

On Oct. 16, Microsoft issued the new user license for Vista, including terms that would have limited the ability of those who buy a boxed copy of the operating system to transfer that license. Under the proposed terms, users could have made such a switch only one time.
However, the new restriction prompted an outcry among hardware enthusiasts and others. Microsoft is returning the licensing terms to basically what they were in Windows XP--users can transfer their license to a new PC an unlimited number of times, provided they uninstall and stop using it on the prior machine.

 

[Genx87]

Wow this is good news. I really didnt expect to move on this until people simply didnt buy the retail version.

 

[phisrow]

That makes good old Paul Thurrott look pretty silly.

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_licensing.asp

Pity the anonymous source who told him that things had always been this way didn't warn him to old off until after they changed back.

 

[stash]

This kicks serious amounts of ass.

 

[the Chase]

Wow- got to say that's a great move on Microsoft's part. Still not sure whether I'll go to Vista anytime soon, but this change sure makes it A LOT more appealing than before.

 

[spyordie007]

sweet

 

[ITJunkie]

This is a good thing! If nothing else it is a good PR move on an OS they have a lot riding on.

 

[Ayah]

This is nice. 😀

 

[Jeff H]

Whoa! MS actually listened to people <g>. I'm w/ others who said they'll not likely change their stance on switching to Vista anytime soon. But, this certainly tips the balance toward switching, when the time is right, rather than stubbornly holding out, all because of the idiotic licensing/switching limitation.

 

[postmortemIA]

It is not nice, it is nonsense otherwise.

It is like saying, you can wear only adidas shoes on same pair of adidas socks. If you change socks, change the shoes too.

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: Jeff H
Whoa! MS actually listened to people <g>. I'm w/ others who said they'll not likely change their stance on switching to Vista anytime soon. But, this certainly tips the balance toward switching, when the time is right, rather than stubbornly holding out, all because of the idiotic licensing/switching limitation.

Think about it, Microsoft controls most of the OS market in the world. If each person sent at least one letter complaining that's bound to get attention.

Originally posted by: stash
This kicks serious amounts of ass.

Hell yeah! 😀 Now I'll buy Vista when it is released!

 

[Dulanic]

People love to whine don't they? Where are they 1000 people who sat there and complained about it, but don't say a word when MS changes it LOL.

 

[MrChad]

Great news. :thumbsup:

 

[nitromullet]

Originally posted by: Dulanic
People love to whine don't they? Where are they 1000 people who sat there and complained about it, but don't say a word when MS changes it LOL.

I whined, and I am really pleased with this... I was kind of in the fence about Vista honesly after hearing about the original licensing...However, if Vista has a product lifecycle length close to that of XP, $400 for an OS that I can re-install on all my subsequent builds for the next 6 years is acceptable to me.

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4802

It makes me happy to see that at least MS has recognized that while enthusiasts are a very small part of their overall market, that we are in fact influental to thier larger customer base.

Our intention behind the original terms was genuinely geared toward combating piracy; however, it?s become clear to us that those original terms were perceived as adversely affecting an important group of customers: PC and hardware enthusiasts. You who comprise the enthusiast market are vital to us for several reasons, not least of all because of the support you?ve provided us throughout the development of Windows Vista. We respect the time and expense you go to in customizing, building and rebuilding your hardware and we heard you that the previous terms were seen as an impediment to that -- it?s for that reason we?ve made this change.

 

[Canterwood]

Originally posted by: Dulanic
People love to whine don't they?

And with good reason. It was a plainly stupid idea.

Where are they 1000 people who sat there and complained about it, but don't say a word when MS changes it LOL.

Why should they.
If people now decide that buying a retail copy of Vista is worth it, then they're answering with their wallets.
Thats all that Microsoft will care about.

 

[Mogadon]

Is this going to affect oem's too do you think? With the good deals going at the moment on copies of XP-oem with a free upgrade to vista-oem it would be good to know.

 

[Canterwood]

OEM has always been tied to one PC.

 

[pkme2]

According to popular belief OEM meant originally equipped machine. Today it means, on every machine.

The buying public will insist on transfers forever, and MS who will make billions again, will placate the general public.

MS wants to control piracy, but in doing so, don't want want any negativity connected to its new intro. To them, it isn't worth the bother. Give the customers what they want and they will come.

 

[stash]

99% of Microsoft's customers are OEM. There has never been any sort of demand from that user base for transfer rights.

This announcement is great news to the community of users that actually cares about moving licenses from one machine to another. And those users know that in order to transfer, they need to buy the retail license.

 

[pcgeek11]

Originally posted by: pkme2
According to popular belief OEM meant originally equipped machine. Today it means, on every machine.

OEM has always meant " Original Equipment Manufacturer ".

pcgeek11

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: Dulanic
People love to whine don't they? Where are they 1000 people who sat there and complained about it, but don't say a word when MS changes it LOL.

Yeah! Why the hell isn't microsoft getting huge praise for reluctantly deciding not to screw us in the ass twice as hard!? Why isn't everyone sending microsoft their first born child and putting up Bill Gates posters