This is more or less a question, since you mentioned SLP
and it looks like you are a MS person. (I'm just a curious
granny) -
I took the time to thoroughly read my Terms of Use and the
EULA that came with our N. America (only) Radio Shack
Compaq. It has a lot of info, warnings, Federal laws, and
even mentions Iraq, Iran and N. Korea. Even incluldes
Death warnings for Java (!!). Of course, I'm not going to
use my computer to deploy weapons, run an air traffic
control tower or use it in a hospital, create nuclear
bombs or biological agents. I'm not that smart.
I then wondered if major manufacturers like HP/Compaq that
use a restore scheme and SLP is a way of covering their
behinds too since they seem to be all over the world.
Kinda like locking the computer into each respective
region?
I'm only guessing at this, but I don't think they use this
type of scheme just because they can - it must have some
grander purpose besides preventing piracy, otherwise the
computer/software wouldn't be treated like the single
entity (as it appears to me to be in the wording of my
Terms of Use/EULA). There are many dire warnings about the
Feds ability to suspend terms of use if the
computer/software in question is used for illegal activity.
Anyways, if this is one of the reasons why SLP is used, I
can see why it's a "trade secret" ... Not just for MS, but
maybe National Security?
Thank you for hearing me out.