I just read the editors comment in Maximum PC magazine about the license agreement for VISTA. MS put a new clause in the License aggrement which states:"The first user of the software may reassign the license to another device one time"
That meeans, if you upgrade your PC, or having too many problems, and decied to reload VISTA -- you have one chance to re-insall Vista, ater that, you will have to pay MS. Are they nuts? You purchased the sofware,it's you's install it on one machine at a time, thats your choice. It's like buying a new car, and being told you can drive the car 100 times, after that, pay the dealer 10.00 each time you use it.
Linux is looking more and more attractive each day!

Rest assured..........this has been revised.

"Responding to the myriad complaints over ambiguities and outright uncool (that's a technical term) licensing terms, Microsoft has revised the Windows Vista retail license to remove some of the most major causes of complaint. A Microsoft spokesperson told Ars Technica that the changes do indeed come in response to concerns from the PC enthusiast community.

"We heard that users wanted more flexibility, and this change should give hardware enthusiasts in particular more latitude to upgrade their PCs or reassign their license to a new PC, while still making clear our intentions to protect our software from piracy," the spokesperson said.

A previous version of the Windows Vista retail license restricted the number of times you may transfer Vista from one device to another. The license read: "The first user of the software may reassign the license to another device one time. If you reassign the license, that other device becomes the 'licensed device.'"

The new license has removed this language relating to device transfers, and now reads: "You may install one copy of the software on the licensed device. You may use the software on up to two processors on that device at one time. Except as provided in the Storage and Network Use (Ultimate edition) sections below, you may not use the software on any other device."

Furthermore, Microsoft has clarified the licenses with regards to re-installation. "You may uninstall the software and install it on another device for your use. You may not do so to share this license between devices," the license reads.

Additionally, Microsoft clarified transfer rights to other users. You can transfer your license of Windows Vista to another user provided that you uninstall the original copy and do not keep any of the materials from the original installation."

Enjoy ;-)

If MS could get away with it they would.

I don't see how they can keep track of it. Its similar to XP license.

Elmo,
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