<< yeah, i remember it alright. this is so lame of them. perhaps people want to put linux on their machine, or already have a copy of windows to use? >>
If they already have a copy of windows to use, they can't, because this is pirating, according to M$. If you read the fine print, when you go to a new system, you buy a new copy of windows, of course, but, when you upgrade the motherboard and processor as a combo, to them, this is a new system, which means you must purchase another version of the OS. If you dont believe me, read the fine print in their licensing agreement. I dont know when it started, but it has been a couple of years now. The fear is, you will upgrade your computer, use the old parts to build a new computer, and copy the OS onto that, and run both computers on one license. This makes sense though, even though I think the licensing is a bit expensive, I think they have a right to do it. They would go out of business if they didnt. Think about it, a company has 1000 computers running windows 2000, and they paid a hundred bucks for it,is getting 100 times the deal joe customer got, who spent 100 bucks for his one computer. They would tank this system wasnt in place.
but asking the techs to report customers running naked systems, is ridicoulous.. totally. Just another desperate attempt for an extra penny if you ask me, and using builders as agents without really paying them. Go linux!