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[Scatty]

Not that it's something new, though this theme comes up again it seems. Not only that, in the german version of the site on the links below, in the comments some users who are technically well versed and aware of their own computer, tell of Windows Vista Ultimate and Microsoft Office 2007 Professional trying insistenlty to contact Microsoft with data from your PC, without asking.

But see for yourself... and consider to choose Linux over Windows Vista

All Microsoft updates phone home
WGA notification just doesn't stop

Edit: Countermeasures seem to be in the works, though I still would advise to be careful with anything from Microsoft.
Microsoft Updates to Stop Vista Piracy

[Lulu_Jane]

I've seen a couple of effectively cracked copies of Vista floating around the IT malls in my neck of the woods (Yup, SE Asia isn't exactly known for it's anti-piracy efficiency) but I'm still not interested in it.

I have a huge issue with the way it is so heavily crippled with DRM, and works on the assumption that every one of their customers are thieves. It disgusts me, and it smells like a monopoly - And traditionally monopolies aren't good things.

That said, I don't have much faith in Apple either, Mr. Jobs has yet to actually act on anything that he recently said about freeing i-pods and the upcoming i-phone from DRM. Hopefully it won't end up just being lip service on his part...

[TheChosen]

Its only their fault that they made that thing so damn expensive.

[Bobbin Threadbare]

Yeah, WGA is annoying to bypass considering it's the same thing. You just need to hack the registry.