Yet another reason why I am trying to get away from using Microsoft products. Sure, they have every right todecide how their product is liscensed. But what they have done now is made an upgrade that should cost between $50-$150 into at least a $200 proposition. And this will not prevent those who will simply reinstall anyway. Just punish those dwindling number of customers who actually try to follow the rules.
Microsoft: Upgraded Motherboard = New Windows License – Microsoft recently made a change to the license agreement saying that a new motherboard is equal to a new computer, hence you need to purchase a new Windows license. Here is what Microsoft has to say:
?An upgrade of the motherboard is considered to result in a ?new personal computer? to which Microsoft® OEM operating system software cannot be transferred from another computer. If the motherboard is upgraded or replaced for reasons other than a defect, then a new computer has been created and the license of new operating system software is required.?
The reason Microsoft gave for this term is that ?Microsoft needed to have one base component ?left standing? that would still define that original PC. Since the motherboard contains the CPU and is the ?heart and soul? of the PC, when the motherboard is replaced (for reasons other than defect) a new PC is essentially created.?
Microsoft sent a memo to its OEM partners asking them to enforce this new policy, every time they upgrade a computer for a client.
(Via Metafilter)
From the comments on that post
*snort*