Vista's Aero Glass not for pirates

http://news.com.com/2100-1016_3-6060700.html

Microsoft is finally getting with the picture, almost. Aero glass won't work if your copy of Windows is not genuine (not that it matters, it'll be cracked anyway). This is the step in the right direction of offering value in a purchased product over a pirated one.

That's a very effective way to combat piracy, not by locking down your product and causing the people that actually purchase your products to feel like they are criminals. That's what the Windows activation does for me. It is also a privacy issue.

Microsoft needs piracy to combat Linux and other free OSes. That's why they won't totally lockdown the OS.