Why the about face? Perhaps Microsoft has recognised what we’ve been telling them publicly and privately since this ridiculous announcement was made: limiting netbook owners to three concurrent apps is hugely frustrating. Open your email, web browser and IM client, and you’ve got to shut down one of them before you can fire up Media Player to watch the video clip you’ve just clicked on.

With competitors such as the Ubuntu Netbook Remix, the Intel-backed Moblin and Google’s Android all looming large, Microsoft probably decided it couldn’t afford to give PC manufacturers any excuse to look elsewhere.

So well done Microsoft. Now if you can see your way clear to putting BitLocker To Go into the Professional edition, we can all rest easy…