[Dreizehn]

Gizmodo - Microsoft Might Sell Windows 7 On Flash Drives, Spare Netbook Owners Needless Pain - Windows 7 flash drive

CNET has a source saying Microsoft is considering selling Windows 7 on flash drives, making installation on netbooks—a declared target for the OS—much simpler. In case you were wondering, Microsoft, this would be greatly appreciated.

If Microsoft would only do this...

[DELLsFan]

What a great idea! Unfortunately, I don't see the bean counters and lawyers in Redmond thinking outside their holographic-shiny-DVD-cash-cow retail box model this time around.

I will be glad to be wrong about this though.

[holmes4]

There's no reason the shiny box couldn't contain a flash drive that has a holographic-shiny case. The idea is to prevent forgery of the media, not preventing copying of the data.

[DELLsFan]

Originally Posted by holmes4

There's no reason the shiny box couldn't contain a flash drive that has a holographic-shiny case. The idea is to prevent forgery of the media, not preventing copying of the data.

True that ... but I believe the folks who are determined to pirate software get around all the fancy software gizmos anyway. DRM / Forgery / Copy Protection only frustrates legitimate licensees / end users. I realize M$ loses a substantive amount of money due to piracy, but doesn't every company - software, music label, video, lose as well?

I'm not suggesting companies should just give up, and let folks do whatever they want, but there's line beyond which I think companies shouldn't tread. The Windows Genuine Advantage "update" is an example of line crossing, IMO. Not allowing consumers to make personal backups of music CDs or commercial movie DVDs they purchased for replay on another medium is another example. Thankfully, Apple finally got the hint on DRM recently.

I think software makers can effectively monetize their investment and efforts with their product while conceding some amount of loss due to piracy. Make a good product and enough people will buy it. Just relax and the yachts will come. No need to get all twisted because you can't get the mansion right away!

/end soapbox