IP: One way to prevent piracy: Leave customers helpless

[Dave Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>]

>Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2000 21:12:33 -0600
>To: Dave Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>
>From: Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org>
>
>Win2K and ME users up creek without a floppy
>
>By: Andrew Thomas
>Posted: 26/06/2000 at 16:53 GMT
>
>Microsoft today confirmed that users will have no easy way to update
>system BIOSes after upgrading to Windows Millennium or Windows
>2000. M$ commendable aim of removing all those dangerous
>command line bits has an unfortunate side effect - there's no way to
>build the bootable floppy needed by BIOS upgrades.
>
>[Note: This restriction may also prevent the user from installing an
>alternative operating system, recovering data in the event of a
>crash, performing system diagnostics, running partition management
>software, or even reinstalling Windows. Some "anti-piracy" device...
>-BG]
>
>http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/1/11599.html