Hello there,
today i bought a Samsung Laptop Drive, 160GB, Model Number is HM160HC.
It came in a anti-static plastic bag together with a little leaflet.
Usually i don't read those, but today i did, and came across the
following paragraph:
"Hybrid Disk Drive products are licensed for use only on devices that
deploy the Windows VISTA Operating System as their principal operating
System. If you or any other party install(s) an operating system on the
computing device that is not Windows Vista, the use of this Hybrid Disk
Drive may require an additional license from Microsoft.
For further information, please contact Microsoft."
Hybrid Disk Drives contain an Area of Flash Memory that help Windows to
boot faster. They are mentioned here:
http://thefutureofthings.com/articles.php?itemId=30/59/
http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/07/samsungs-hybrid-hard-drive-hhd-released-to-oems/
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=264209
Now, i checked everywhere, and it seems that my HM160HC Drive is not a
Hybrid Disk Drive, but i am not quite sure. Maybe they throw in the same
little leaflet into all their Drives Packagings.
Should it not say on the outside Packaging if i am only allowed to
install certain pieces of Software on it, and no others? I would never
buy such a Product if i knew. Its not clear whether this Drive is or is
not affected by that license paragraph after looking on their Website.
Before, when i went to buy a new Laptop, i would simply check whether
there was enough Support for my favorite OS, but now it seems, i also
must check that the license of certain Components do not bind me to a
certain Operating System. I think they need a Sticker with 'Windows
only' or so, so Consumers see what they buy.
Anyhow, i thought its interesting, and maybe others should be careful
what they buy in the future, or at least read the little leaflets
carefully and ask the *possibly clueless* shop assistant about the
Products inside the Laptop. Could be that you buy the 'wolf in sheep's
clothing'.
rgds,
David
