"Naturally, the new policy will be enforced using Product Activation. Upgrade too much hardware, too many times and Microsoft will disable your legally purchased version of Windows Vista. Frighteningly, none of the Microsoft representatives I've spoken with can specify what determines the difference between a hardware upgrade and a new machine; all they'll say is that it's a complicated algorithm.

This makes Vista very, very unattractive for anyone who builds his or her own rigs. Vista will force people who frequently build new machines or do regular upgrades-like you and me-to pay Microsoft a couple hundred bucks a year for the privilege of running Vista. I've had a few problems with Vista, but I'm ready to drop WinXP. But it will be a cold day in hell before I pay multiple times for the same piece of software for the same PC. That's highway robbery.

Why is Microsoft doing this? Because it can. There will be relatively few people affected by this license change, as the vast majority of Vista builds will end up in OEM machines purchased by people who don't upgrade. Indeed, even if everyone who's affected by this clause decides to boycott Vista, it won't make a measurable impact on sales.

I've never been more conflicted about a product before. If the EULA remains as-is, I'll be unable to recommend Vista to the Maximum PC elite. The hitch is DirectX 1 0, which only works with Vista. I just saw the first batch of games written for DirectX 1 0, and they make "next-gen" console titles look like bantha fodder. Every hardcore gamer will be forced to make a Hobson's choice."