Microsoft Backs Down on Vista Licensing

First, Microsoft proposed a new one-time transfer restriction for the Vista Retail Licence, reported by, among others, Ed Bott on ZDNet. Then they tried to put a spin on the proposal by dressing it up as a "clarification" of a long-standing intention not clearly expressed in the XP Retail Licence which Paul Thurrott reported and seemed to accept (which Ed Bott clearly did not and nor did I). Now they are withdrawing this particular proposal altogether.

I suppose one has to be grateful for these small mercies, but really, did anyone in Microsoft seriously think that they could get away with it? A vote of thanks to people in the field who weren't going to take it lying down.