Service Pack 1 will change that behavior. On the good side the functionality will remain and will no longer be reduced, on the bad site this will be compensated by nag screens known from shareware programs that nag the user to buy the application after x days. Windows will use those nag screens and have a 15 second timer before the user will be able to click on Activate Later to continue his work.

Users will still only be able to download system security patches for the system, all other downloads will fail like before. Users who have been using the Bios or Clock Timer hack to activate Windows Vista illegally will face troubles as well. The Service Pack 1 will be able to detect those hacks but there will not be dire consequences either.

Those users will only face the same nag screens like all other users who did not activate their system in time. I think it is fairly interesting that users of non-activated Vista operating systems will get better deals to purchase a copy of Vista than users who bought the operating system from retailers.

Windows Vista Ultimate retails for $329 at Amazon currently while the offer for non activated versions can be purchased for $199. So, users who like bargains probably will download Vista, use it for 30 days and purchase it for a lower price afterwards.

via Ed Bott