(file under - reduce rights whenever possible, maximize profit)

This last week Microsoft introduced a program to make money on the same hardware twice. Right in step with the program of negating the license of its operating systems to anyone but the original licensee, and voiding the use of the Certificate Of Authenticity found on most PC cases, there is now a plan for refurbished PCs to be licensed again with Windows XP (it couldn’t be any other, they have to be able to keep an eye on things, you know).

The Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher  program, is an offshoot of the current Community MAR, which is designed to squeeze profits from charities, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations. Microsoft Windows XP for Home, and XP Professional will bear the phrase ‘for Refurbished PCs’ and will have another, presumably different COA.

from Information Week

In 2004, Microsoft conducted a joint study with Gartner that focused on the secondary market, Shakeel noted. What the company found was 150 million PCs of which about 20 million were refurbished and then resold. Currently, Microsoft is projecting that 28 million PCs make up the refurbished market — an estimated 10% slice of the worldwide PC market pie.

But even with the increase in renovated desktop and laptop computers, Microsoft’s partners complained that they did not have the recovery media or recovery image for a PC. The only way to restore the original image was to go back to the OEM and order replacement media.

So, instead of transferring the software license from the original owner, Microsoft said it would tweak its volume licensing and allow for genuine versions of Windows on the refurbished PCs.

"Essentially, they’re restoring the PC to its original state when it was first shipped from the manufacturer," Shakeel said.

This is designed to seem magnanimous of Microsoft, but after first inspection the hardware is being ‘checked’ for proper operation, and Microsoft is getting a piece of that pie. Pretty good deal for Microsoft!  And once again, the second consumer is getting the shaft, as no disc will be supplied with the computer. Heaven help the person who needs to reinstall after a ‘patch Tuesday’ hoses their machine, or has to have ‘original disc’ after replacing or adding a component to the machine.

Doesn’t Ubuntu, Fedora, or SuSE, being free, and without difficulty to obtain, seem like the smarter thing for these refurbishers to add?

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[tags] Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher, Windows XP Home for Refurbished PCs, Windows XP Professional for Refurbished PCs, caveat emptor, COA [/tags]