A Restriction with No Cents

Back in March, I wrote about a sick-joke of a limitation in Windows 7 Starter edition preventing users from changing the wallpaper. The limitation was imposed by the use of a technical licensing policy named ChangeDesktopBackground-Enabled and re-enforced by a SHA-256 hash of the static image, to prevent img0.jpg hot-swapping.

Given Windows 7 Starter’s applicability to the rising netbook market, it was presumed that Starter would branded by OEMs and/or mobile carriers (like Verizon) like any other Windows SKU. This is no longer a valid presumption.

Here’s the official scoop, from Microsoft:

In Windows Starter Edition, OEMs must not modify or replace the Windows-provided background for Windows Welcome, the logon screen, or the desktop.

Yikes.

How much sense does this make? From a technical perspective none. A wallpaper is wallpaper. Its almost like complaining about the color of the shell of the laptop. So what cents is Microsoft’s motivation? Might I suggest that it has nothing to do with technology and everything to do with marketing.

MS is attempting to make the Starter edition functional but just limited enough in certain ways to encourge upgrades. I figure what, about the 4th to 6th month after the official launch of W7 they will offer a discount coupon for an upgrade to W7 Professional or some such. It has to do with money pure and simple.

An the poor schmucks that buy a netbook that can only run Starter Ed are stuck.

Linky.
HT: The Register.