kaled - 11:17 am on Oct 19, 2006 (gmt 0)

If Microsoft really want to be this paranoid, they should switch to renting the OS instead of selling it.

Set the price of Vista to $10.00 per quarter ($30.00 per year if paid annually). Require activation whenever it expires - simple.

If there is a hardware failure and you're paying quarterly then you're only out $10.00. You take a slightly greater risk if you pay yearly. If you perpetually upgrade, this would be no great additional cost or inconvenience (if you pay quarterly).

Manufacturers like Dell would also like this since they could reduce prices.

So, given that someone at MS is bound to have thought of this and you can be certain Bill & Co. have considered it, why have they not chosen this approach? The answer is very simple, they don't have sufficient confidence in their ability to write the necessary code securely.

Kaled.