165 - Computers

I've been working with computers for over 30 years now. As I see the software companies turn the screws tighter and tighter on what you can do with or how long you can use their precious code, they dig themselves deeper into a hole of their own making.
If you think back to when Prodigy was the first big community that came along after BBSing, you may remember what happened to Prodigy. They started off with a monthly fee for unlimited log on time. Then the greed set in. The time became limited and then came the per minute log on time. Then came the demise of Prodigy.
I can see this coming for Microsoft. Supposedly Vista will have to be renewed every so often. One year? Two years? But just like Symantec used to be top dog until they got greedy, Microsoft can be replaced also.
What I'm waiting to see happen is a company that will hold all the licenses you need and you just subscribe to the company, not to all the individual little program license holders.
But then there is Linux. It may not be for the non techie now but soon it will be. And a new path will open.