Rant Mode Equals One: Let's Re-License Redmond

LXer Feature: 16-Oct-2006 There's yet another "feature" missing in Linux -- it doesn't look for hardware changes and shut itself off, only to be reactivated once the owner has phoned someone to beg to use the software they already have the rights to use. Paul Ferris discusses yet another benefit of using Free Software; You don't have to worry about the product getting crippled or removed just because you simply added new hardware or switched to a new PC.

FeriCyde Chat by Paul Ferris Now we've got all this room, we've even got the moon And I hear the U.S.S.R. will be open soon As vacation land for lawyers in love --Jackson Browne Lawyers in Love

It's almost comical to me just how many things related to intellectual property Microsoft has tightened over the years -- they make it so you don't even "own" the product you "purchased" in enterprise situation -- they want you to rent it instead. Over the years they've gotten even more restrictive -- for example, Windows XP users have had to come to terms with the fact that if too many aspects of their system change, may have to re-license the product they already have purchased and installed.

It's crazy stuff. Those of you who rarely have to deal with these limitations are likely thinking to yourself thoughts like "what the heck is he talking about?". Those Windows users that have been tuned to this channel might be saying something like "I don't see what all the big fuss is about."

It's really simple -- you give up your freedom when the "vendor" in question forces you to click through an End User License Agreement (EULA). EULAs typically limit your freedom. Some EULAs in the past have even prevented you from discussing how well the product performed with members of the press. Talk about audacious -- Microsoft is supposedly selling their products in a Free market, and will complain often about being able to freely compete (usually when they've been nailed by the Department of Justice). But do they have your rights in mind while they're doing all this lobbying?

Lemme answer that one -- No, your Freedom is going to be in the ability to shell out cash. Here's a thought; You're free -- especially with the roll-out of something inane like Vista -- to go somewhere else, and that's exactly where I'm going to point you.

If you're one of these people, please ask yourself -- Isn't it time you gave up the yoke of EULA limitations? Wouldn't it be nice to add hardware with impunity, switch hardware with impunity, install with impunity? With FOSS products, it's a snap -- you simply have to learn a different OS.

While this may sound like an uncomfortable experience -- I gotta ask: Aren't you going to have to do that anyway when Vista rolls into town? Lord knows when that is, but I've heard it might be last year, or this year, or ... maybe next year. I can hardly wait. Rather, I gave up waiting in 1994. You don't have to wait either, is the point I'm trying to make.

Why not take that time and learn Linux instead? There are many Linux distributions to choose from. (Just in case you're in the mood, some are listed at the end of this article.) Most of these are totally free, down-loadable off the Internet, easily (and legally) burned to as many CDs as you wish -- and best of all -- easily installed over crappy old Windows XP. Heck, you may want to do this anyway if you've been spending any time recently re-installing to fix virus or other malware-related problems. If you have to reinstall the OS, it's probably a good time to try something new on the ole' PC anyway. Yeah, that's right, you can even use your old hardware -- most of the time it'll scream under Linux, by the way -- and then you too can experience true Freedom.

Speaking of which, let me take this moment to share some of my past 11 plus years of experience using Linux as a desktop solution for myself and my family.

I know this may come as a stretch, but trust me, it's all true -- my personal experience.

I've never, on my computer at home, running Linux,

• had an unexplained (Read: non-power-failure related) system crash.
• virus. Nope, not one.
• installed anti-virus software or anti-malware or any of the other day to day crud that a typical Windows-based PC requires to surf the internet "safely".
• had to "re-install" because the OS became sluggish over time.
• had to "re-license" my copy of Linux.

At the end of the day though, It's a really nice feeling knowing that the people that created your software had your rights in mind.

1. "A sneaky change in Windows licensing terms"

1. The Register: "MS squeezes business for more dough with rental model".
2. The New York Times: "Microsoft To Move To Rental Model".
3. Information Age: "Forced march".

1. Can hardware components be changed and upgraded?

   Product Activation is able to tolerate a certain degree of change in a hardware configuration by allowing a current hash value to have a degree of difference from the hash value that was originally activated. As a result, users can change their hardware without the product believing it is on a different PC than the one it was activated on. If the user completely overhauls the hardware making substantial hardware changes (even over long periods of time), reactivation may be required. In that case, users may need to contact to contact a Microsoft customer service representative by telephone to reactivate.

1. Ubuntu
2. Open Suse
3. Fedora
4. Mandriva