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In his review, he's quick to point out that 80% of the changes in Vista are good. In fact, it's very good. However, the company has shifted its focus and it shows. Some highlights from his article:

Microsoft stopped focusing on end users and now seemingly makes many decisions based on these two things: 1. Avoiding negative publicity (especially about security and software quality) 2. Making sure the largest enterprise customers are happy the deep focus on milking the installed base for every penny goes against my grain. I fault the DRM stuff quietly baked into Windows Vista in part because it is quietly baked in. The people who gain from this technology aren't the people who are paying for Windows. Microsoft has already made ardent enemies of previously more or less happy Windows users through the use of its previous-generation antipiracy measures, Windows Genuine Advantage, Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications and Windows Product Activation.

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As law professor Michael Geist explains in a recent editorial, "In the name of shielding consumers from computer viruses and protecting copyright owners from potential infringement, Vista seemingly wrestles control of the 'user experience' from the user."

This is what I've been hearing again and again. Microsoft wants to control your use of their software. If an e-mail service refused e-mails from certain sources, would you use it? If they wouldn't let you check your e-mail from certain places, would you use it? If you had to pay an additional fee for each computer you used for mail, would you use it?

Oh no! They're stealing our windows!

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Slashdot pointed to this article about a Microsoft press release stating that 22% of Windows Installations are pirated. Their basis for this conclusion? Failure rate of the Windows Genuine Advantage tool.

Self-absorbed boobs. I've never used any pirated software, but I have been greatly tempted to get a hacked version of the software I DO own, just so I didn't have to deal with their invasive and unnecessary activation scheme. There are so many times it's failed on me and I've had to call in to beg for them to let me use my OWN SOFTWARE, that I came very close to getting hacked copies…. Oh yes… very close.

Of course, you can't now because they force you to install an anti-piracy tool before letting you install any kind of security updates. And because Windows is rife with flaws and insecurity, not getting updates is like running through the streets late at night with a scrap of paper in your hand shouting, "I won, I won, Powerball millions woooooo!"

Microsoft needs to stop harassing every user for the sake of a few. They present it as if they're losing 20% revenue when that 20% is made up of pirates who won't buy the software ever. If you succeed in making Windows such a screwed up system that even the pirates won't touch it, chances are, neither will the rest of your market.

Oh no! People are stealing our games!

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I had to laugh when I read this today at Penny-Arcade:

All of this confusion for paying customers, so that pirates will be detained an additional fifteen minutes before they descend, their scythes awhirl.

For those who don't know, Penny-Arcade is a site that has been doing comics centered on the gaming industry for years. This commentary refers to the various tricks and traps companies use to try to prevent people from pirating games that don't work and may never work. Ordinary players are bothered and inconvenienced essentially for no reason.