Why I'm Glad I Don't Depend on Windows...

...except to make money off the fact that other people do depend on it.

To make a long story short, Microsoft had some issues with their database that determines if your computer has a valid copy of Windows Vista or XP on it, and the validation servers were unavailable. Many people all over the world had their computers automatically check in over those few days because they were installing a new copy of Windows or updating or installing something like Windows Defender that required a validation check. Those people were immediately placed in a "reduced" mode that shut off features on their computers.

update: Of course, this all makes my earlier rant on the problems of software activation schemes look prescient.

update2: And the guys from User Friendly throw in their two cents...