If Bill Gates ever manages to make XP activation uncrackable, he still won't make the chinese pay for it.

But even though they don't pay for their OS, they do pay for their computers and associated devices. There are so many people who are not willing or unable to pay for Windows that no hardware manufacturer can ignore that market.

If MS succeeds in locking out the pirates, the hunt for Linux drivers is over. In order to sell your hardware you'll have to supply the necessary drivers and other software to make your products work on whatever OS your customers use. And when those drivers and other software become available in China and India, they're automatically available to the rest of the planet.

One reason for microsofts virtual monopoly on the OS market is because so many people pirate it. Their business depends on extracting as much money as possible from those people who are willing and able to pay, and then let the rest use their software anyway to ensure it remains the de facto global standard.

A pirate-proof Windows will be the end of its near-100% market share.