Have you ever reinstalled your laptop or desktop machine because Windows just isn't happy with the world and you think it would be better to get a fresh start?

Well, if you need to do that and don't want to wait in a hold-queue forever, you probably should take care of it this weekend. Effective February 28, Microsoft will require people reinstalling Windows sold with a laptop or desktop computer from the top 20 manufacturers to call in (as in a phone and a human) when they re-activate the OS.

CNet is reporting that Microsoft has sent a memo to manufacturers alerting them to the change and claiming necessity due to the need to cut down on piracy.

Of course, this is the same company that would like everybody to bundle a copy of Windows with everything, whether you need it or not, so that they can sell another copy. Whereas I understand the want to increase revenues, I also can't help but wonder if Microsoft might find that pursuing an option that involves creating value for the customer might be more beneficial than penalizing the customer.

However, that's not the way that a monopolist would play the game. If you're already in charge of the market, you can't persuade people to buy more of your product based on quality, all you can do is try to convince them to purchase out of fear or inconvenience.