Microsoft's Vista: Read the Fine Print!

[RealitY]

After numerous delays, Microsoft has launched its new Vista operating system and proclaimed the "Wow starts now." Thanks for filling us in, Microsoft, but what is there to be wowed about? Maybe Microsoft's talking about the collective gasp among consumers who are looking at the litany of restrictions buried within Vista's End User License Agreement (EULA).

As law professor Michael Geist explains in a recent editorial, "In the name of shielding consumers from computer viruses and protecting copyright owners from potential infringement, Vista seemingly wrestles control of the 'user experience' from the user."

For instance, Vista's EULA limits the numbers of copies that can be made (allowing only one for backup purposes). The anti-virus program that comes with Vista reserves the right to delete any programs it deems dangerous without permission, even though this could mean the removal of legitimate and useful software (or prevent other software from working). And the EULA warns users that "you may not work around any technical limitations of the software."

And that's not all -- read the whole editorial for more:
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/1640/159/

Source: http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/005104.php

[Broken]

There's no way I would purchase a legit copy of Vista with all the DRM issues.

There's no way I would consider installing it unless, in the future, some master hacker takes it upon them self to go in a remove all the DRM functions.


A little bit of eye candy isn't worth it.
I know the majority of the computer buying public is totally ignorant. Is it too much to hope for that M$'s new OS sinks like a stone?

[Damnatory]

Is it too much to hope for that M$'s new OS sinks like a stone?

Considering about 98% of prebuilt PC's come already bloated with M$'s bulky operating systems, that is unfortunately that is not an option... If there were an alternative operating system that is as user-friendly, M$ would probably have bankrupted YEARS ago, given all the arrogant programming they've implemented such as WGA...

Or at least with an alternative PC operating system that was as user-friendly, M$ would have to be more creative and competitive, which would reflect in the programming.

[Appzalien]

You know, I'm willing to bet that the reason it took them so long to release Vista was that their own team members were warning Bill that what they were going to attempt to release would cause all kinds of consumer complaints and possibly lawsuits if not just plain refusal by some corporations and individuals to adopt the new OS. So in an effort to avoid a big brew ha ha while they tried to patch or fix the problems, they secretly developed a second Vista. This would explain why it took as long as it would have taken to release two OS's to release just one. Somewhere down in Redmond is a Vista that anyone could love, with all the drm crap removed and a user friendly GUI that doesn't warn you everytime you try to install an app and will allow the installation of drivers that haven't been approved by Bill.

[delimare]

So in an effort to avoid a big brew ha ha

LMFAO! I haven't used that line "brew ha ha" since my Navy days in Seattle! Nice one

[janine]

M$ have gone completely off the scale on this one.

As always they are producing stuff that has hidden flaws and dangers for the user, based on premises that get outdated before they even manage to realease. Take DRM for instance. Obviously it's dying, and we'll soon see an avalanche of DRM free music released by any company that has a grain of sense.

And M$ is constantly changing their user experience for the worse, seeing as the idiot user is their target group & main feedback. Illogical, cumbersome and downright nasty "living its own life" interface

[mbucari1]

I'm currently running vista (just to see), and It appears for the most part stable. There is the issue of older software not working on vista which is expected with any OS change. But the programs from xp that do run on vista seem to be running more efficiently.

HOWEVER, you are absolutely right about the liberties M$ has taken with this one. But, those of us who say they will not stand for it are just deluding themselves. You ALL will eventually have to deal with vista in some situation (unless you're a hermit with an apple/linux)

[the_boss]

Vista will be more and more in our everyday lives.