The whole article seems to me to be based on hearsay..
I dont think microsoft can 'lock computers' as it would be illigal but only the user can be locked out of the OS just like the activation in XP and vista beta. btw how are they supposed to know upon a clean install that it is infact a 'reinstall'. i guess the only way windows can reduce piracy is by making activation mandatory for every one. but even then people will find ways to bypass that.
It is like this.. 'every thing that is made can be broken'
I think that until and unless there is a global handshake between all majour software and hardware companies to hardcode an authentication system into everything there cannot be any peace for software developers. Just like a hacker cannot copy a processor or a graphic card but can easily copy software....
Think of it in this way.. what if intel, amd other processor manufacturers make a deal with OS/Software developers that a mandatory authentication is required for the CPU to be 'unlocked' before it can function at full potential and in turn the OS requires a authenticated hardwired CPU to function. then how will a hacker crack the system
Here i my concept:
-Say each processor has a hardwired ID,
-each mobo has a primary authintication BIOS OS that allows only connection with cpu manufacturer,
-and when the cpu is authenticated it is registered to a particular party and a small encrypted cyher is hard-written into the CPU
-Now when OS and other software need to authinticate they get binded to that cyper and that partcular party and recieve their own cypher.
-Now, we know that when ever any instruction needs to be passed to the processor then it needs to pass thru the bios
-The bios inturn passes it thru an encryption process that can only be decrypted(and then processed) by using the CPU cypher and the OS/software cypher
Now how do u break that..
Btw the only flaw with this concept is that the encryption/decryption hardwired processor would be 'added cost' and power hungry. but i think in the age of dual core processors it beats the hell out of the multi billion dollar losses the companies claim thay are loosing. kinda like collateral damage. After long thought and some personal enlightnment i think that the companies thenselves dont want this to happer because then people wil switch over to open source completely(which isnt bad at all).
I would also like to say that in light of this idea i strongly think Linus Torvalds played a much more important role then he or the world realises
-Peace Out-
LOCK computers that failed a WGA authentication check. 
