There was an article a few days about about Four Reasons Why Vista is not Worth it. It laid out, as the title suggested, four reasons that Vista wasn’t worth it (slow, bad UI, no one cares about security, and better alternatives). I tend to agree, but the first thing I do to any workstation or laptop I get is turn off the eye candy, I know all-too-well how little people care about security when it requires effort on their part, and I’m also a known Open Source fan.

Today, though, I saw an article in Computerworld about Vista’s DRM “Features” which they sum up as:

In a nutshell, this is the dilemma Microsoft faces as it prepares to launch Windows Vista. By any standard, Vista’s new DRM capabilities — aimed at protecting the rights of content owners by placing limits on how consumers can use digital media — hardly qualify as a selling point; after all, it’s hard to sing the praises of technology designed to make life harder for its users.

Microsoft itself defines DRM in straightforward terms, as “any technology used to protect the interests of owners of content and services.” In theory, it’s an easy concept to grasp; in practice, however, modern DRM technologies include a multitude of hardware-, software- and media-based content-protection schemes, many of which have little or nothing in common.

What’s missing are the rights of users–those pesky folks who actually provide the cash whose flow the “rights owners” are so intent on protecting. And in case there’s any doubt where Microsoft stands on this position, a person need look no further than their own contribution to the DRM stew, the Software Protection Program, the follow-on to Windows Genuine Advantage process:

SPP requires that users validate their version of Vista with a software license key within 30 days of its activation. Users who don’t validate the operating system will be prevented from using certain features, including the new Aero graphical user interface, the ReadyBoost system performance application and, most controversially, the Windows Defender antispyware program.

After 30 days, Vista goes into a reduced functionality mode, similar to Windows Safe Mode — users have access to a Web browser (so they can validate or purchase a copy of Vista), but none of their computers’ other functions.

This can be summed up as, “If Microsoft decides that you are no longer worthy (for whatever reason), then they have the right to break your computer.” It’s like a protection racket, except that your computer will break its own knees if “Balls” Ballmer decides you haven’t paid the juice.

Update: Changed title to more accurately reflect what I think will happen with Vista.

Vista will not “succeed or fail” it just will “be” because you will not have a choice. Buy a PC get Vista. Simple math will make it happen. We have to be sure that we keep Microsoft honest. (Ok one can dream)

Yup. Which is why I changed the title to more accurately reflect what I expect the outcome to be.

[…] Talking to the OS gurus I know, they’re generally less-than-impressed by Vista as well, and not just from a security perspective. Throw in the DRM Nightmare it brings with it, and the story becomes even less compelling in my mind. […]