NEWS
Microsoft planned this week to announce that it was broadening the virtualisation rights for Windows Vista but decided at the last minute to reverse course and stick with existing limits.
The software maker had briefed reporters and analysts on plans to allow the Home versions of Vista to run in virtual machines, addressing criticisms from virtualisation enthusiasts and Mac users who had chafed at having to buy one of the two priciest versions of Windows in order to run Vista in a virtual machine.
Microsoft at first said virtualisation presents inherent security risks and that it hoped by limiting which versions of the OS could act as virtual machines, only sophisticated users and businesses would employ the tactic.
On the Mac in particular, though, virtualisation has become a consumer feature and many people wanted to use the Home versions of Vista, which Microsoft executives concede present no additional security risk.
The company said in interviews this week that it was still concerned about the security risks but said it was going to make the change and leave the choice up to users.
Scott Woodgate, a director in the Windows Business Group, said: "Virtualisation enthusiasts would like to make that choice. We're really responding to that feedback."
Microsoft provided little explanation for the about-face.
The software maker said in a statement late on Tuesday: "Microsoft has reassessed the Windows virtualisation policy and decided that we will maintain the original policy announced last fall."
Ina Fried writes for CNET News.com
Comments
There are 2 comments. Join the discussion
1. Graham Coles
Sorry, my Bull-o-meter went off when reading this article.
What was their initial reason - something about only the other versions 'support' virtualization, as though people would think this was something Microsoft actually had to build into Vista?
Now we get the classic 'Oh, it's a security risk, so we want to make more money for it'!
I wonder how many people will get the idea that MS licence agreements aren't worth complying with and just use virtuallization on the home version anyway.
2. Theodore Stickle
Novice users don't even realize what virtualisation is little lone try to use it. Let's get real here, Microsoft just wants to reach deeper into the consumers' pocket for every penny they can 'filtch'.