Next Windows rocks, but copy controls could hamper reinstalls

PCWorld has a cheerleader type story about the upcoming XP: “Windows XP, Microsoft’s next operating system, is shaping up as one of the
most exciting–and controversial–products ever put out by the Redmond,
Washington, technology behemoth.

The controversy over the OS formerly code-named Whistler, and now in Beta
version 2, stems from Windows Product Activation, a new and stringent copy
protection scheme that requires upgrade customers to contact Microsoft for an
ID number (a procedure separate from the usual registration process). This
feature, which could hinder some installations, isn’t the only potential upgrade hurdle. Microsoft already
anticipates that XP may conflict with some system BIOSs, hardware, and applications. As a result,
installing the new OS could be a real hassle for people who don’t have state-of-the-art PCs. You’ll also
need a gigabyte of free disk space.”