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Microsoft claims it has lost billions of dollars to software pirates over the years. The situation is particularly acute in the Far East where licenced copies of Windows are often the exception rather than the rule.

Although presumably it is quite capable of doing so, Microsoft says it 'cannot and will not turn off your computer' if it is using counterfeit versions of Vista. Instead, the company intends to use both carrot and stick to persuade customers to buy the real thing.

As with XP, customers who install Vista will have 30 days in which to validate their software using an activation code checked against a central Microsoft database. However, with Windows Vista, Microsoft is able to notify a user that they are using an unauthorized key much faster. If the software is discovered to

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be counterfeit or non-genuine, the user may be asked to reactivate their copy of Windows. The product keys can be blocked for a number of reasons, including if the product key is abused, stolen, pirated or seized as a result of anti-piracy raids.

Customers using genuine copies of Windows Vista will be able to run the Windows Aero and Windows ReadyBoost features, as well as full functionality of Windows Defender and extra optional updates from Windows Update.

The much touted Aero desktop is Microsoft's first real attempt to take on Apple's user interface. ReadyBoost allows users to plug in a removable flash memory device such as a memory stick and boost system performance without having to install additional system memory. Windows Defender, which is already available as a Windows Advantage product is the company's antispyware solution which many would argue should count as part of the security updates which are being made available to all Vista users. However, were Microsoft to do this, rival antispyware makers might suggest it was anticompetitive.

Computer systems that do not pass validation will not have access to these features, although they will still have access to critical security updates.

In addition, Microsoft intends to flash a nag message in the lower right hand corner of their desktop space that reads, 'This copy of Windows is not genuine'.