I wouldn't use that axe, have mercy on Mac/Peg and sell it to the next user with the license fee added and you get next license covered!
Yeah, that's the best way to go, to resell it and bake the license fee into the price...
But to only "try it out", you will actually come a very far way by the $0.00 unrestricted 30-minute demo mode. You can do *a lot* of things during 30 minutes, and then you reboot it very fast for another 30 minutes, and then another, and another...
There's similar things elsewhere too. You can't use OEM Windows on other computers and transferring is limited too. I wouldn't like some kind of network identification they use.. what would happen when there isn't services available anymore etc. It is better to tie hardware itself, so you can reinstall the system as many times you want etc. For this small market it is understable that keyfiles are controlled to prevent illegal copying... of course it makes things bit harder for multiple computer users, but free copying would hurt the sales too much.
Indeed the licensing scheme has been the subject of heavy debates in the past, and I haven't been the greatest supporter myself. But it has grown on me since then, and I recently bought my second license (this time for my Mac Mini).
Basically, we have seen two philosophies used by the OS4 and MorphOS teams when trying to protect their OS from piracy:
The first one is to release the OS in a version that at least seemingly is untied to individual machines, like the OS4 team did. But then there is always great worry about piracy. I mean, what if someone uploads the contents to piratebay? The way to reduce this risk (not eliminate) has this far been:
1) To avoid using the Internet as a distribution channel, and use physical CD's sent by snail mail instead.
2) To charge money for the physical CD upfront (in advance), and *not* a registration/keyfile fee after the user tried it out
3) To release *not* a unified version, but separate CD's locked down for separate HW platforms.
4) To mainly focus on HW "specially built" for the OS.
5) To tie OS/HW distribution together, i.e. to "force" a bundle of the above mentioned "specially built" HW, so that you can't buy the HW without buying an OS4 license at the same time.
6) To release any digitally distributed updates behind password protected walls, only accessible by approved/registered users.
The effect of "the OS4 way":
1) You'll have to wait for traditional mail order and shipment (often international and perhaps even overseas, depending on where you live) until you can even boot up the OS for the first time
2) You'll have no idea of what you really are buying into, since you had no chance of trying it out before you did. If you find it too unstable, too unfinished, too limited, or not to your taste for whatever reason, then it's too late to change your mind, since you have already paid the money.
3) You *can't* take the Sam 440 CD and install it on your newly purchased Pegasos 2 (regarding the topic of this thread; 'paying once, and later moving the OS to a newer system' illusion), but you'll have to buy a second CD for the Pegasos 2.
4) Extremely low production series of the HW and extreme system costs of €1000-€3000 for hardware that's greatly sub-standard by any 2010 measurements. Quite a lot of money, especially for new users wanting to try it out, and especially if they don't like what they see.
5) If you have bought 2 or more Sam 440 systems, you will *still* have ended up paying for 2 or more OS4 licenses, no difference to MorphOS there...
6) Relatively more hazzle when updating, and when reselling the system, since you would have to change registration data (I assume that this *is* possible?).
7) You are *still* not safe from piracy! (*Evidently*)
The second one is to take a more open approach, aim as wide as possible, and release the full version of the OS completely for free, completely in the open, but to tie registration/keyfile to individual machines, like the MorphOS team did:
1) To *take advantage* of the Internet as a distribution channel (
http://morphos-team.net/downloads.html), instead of looking at it as a piracy threat
2) To release the full, unlimited, but time restricted OS to the public, and only charge money for the registration/keyfile, *after* the user tried it out, but tie the keyfile to the individual machine from which the OS gets registered.
3) To release a unified OS version (or at least make it all freely available in the same fashion (I'm thinking of the separate Efika version due to special requirements))
4) To mainly focus on HW that's as powerful, cheap and widely available as possible
5) To keep OS distribution/purchase separated from HW distribution/purchase
6) To release any updates and additional files in the same open, unprotected manner as the OS itself
The effect of "the MorphOS way":
1) The OS gets as widely distributed as possible, without any hazzle, and is instantly available to anyone wanting to try it out the same moment they think of it
2) While the keyfile gets tied to one particular machine, you'll know *exactly* what you are buying, no secrecy or surprises, since you had all the opportunity in the world to fully try it out before hand. If you decide you want it, you buy it. If you don't, you'll have ended up paying exactly $0.00 for the OS.
3) Less hazzle, just put the same CD into whatever supported HW you want to install it on, and off you go.
4) True mass market hardware now in the second hand market warrants for really low total system costs (even considering OS registration). While the hardware is sub-standard by any 2010 desktop measurements, it's at least cheap, safe, and the most powerful HW available to MorphOS in its current PPC version. And *lot's* of people can easily try MorphOS if they are the slightest curious!
5) Get the supported HW (or access to it if you merely want to try it out) in the most convenient way you want/can (it's up to you). Download the OS separately, and off you go.
6) Less hazzle, just download any updates and off you go!
7) Pirate bay? Why bother, when it's freely available from the MorphOS Team's web page anyway?
Just another shopping window for more potential users, I guess (note that he's not seeding any more, but indeed just points to the official DL site)...
When looking at the big picture this way, "the MorphOS way" has really grown on me. I think this is the long term winning philosophy, because of the above mentioned "effects". Only time will tell I guess...
