New Device Authentication:

“Device authentication is explicitly intended to break virtual soundcards and is projected to break emulators, or require the emulator developers to collaborate more closely with the developers of the hardware they emulate. Applications whose developers don’t want them to work under emulation will obtain new weapons in their technology arsenal for detecting emulation.” (EFF)

Protected Media Path:

“PMP will also eventually provide a means of requiring authentication of output devices and encryption of communication between software and an authenticated output device.” (EFF) Output devices are defined at items like the monitor.

“PMP will create a kernel-enforced construct called a Protected Environment (PE) in which particular software modules, including drivers and other code, that are trusted by particular entertainment companies can run and enforce DRM restrictions.” (EFF)

If you try to listen to music or watch video that Windows hasn’t approved it may play in a degraded form or it may not play at all. Microsoft have already stated video will be shrunk and degraded if you try to play it on un authorised hardware.

“If Output Protection Protocol determines that your monitor falls below the security restrictions (i.e. isn’t DVI or HDMI w/HDCP), you could be greeted with a ‘polite message explaining that [your monitor] doesn’t meet security requirements.’” (Engadget)

Windows Vista is all about enforced copyright protection. You can’t watch what you want or listen to what you want. It is no longer your OS or Computer.

Why do you want to upgrade to another version of Windows?

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