One of the novelties in Windows 8 is a technology called OEM Activation 3.0. The technology is meant to prevent Windows piracy by locking an installation to a specific computer.
Once Windows 8 is installed on a computer with OEM Activation 3.0, the current copy of the operating system cannot be installed on another computer. In addition, it can lead to problems if users want to replace certain parts of the computer’s hardware.
According to Microsoft, OEM Activation 3.0 will be a requirement for Windows 8 to be installed on a computer.
According to Zdnet, several component manufacturers now state that the technology makes it more expensive to manufacture the required components. A cost that will most likely end up with consumers.
Microsoft has previously been criticized because the new technology can make it difficult to install Linux or other operating systems on the computers adapted for Windows 8.