...so says Windows expert Brian Livingston on his website. Apparently there's a simple workaround that will stop the activation monitor from hassling you for a year. It involves editing the Registry, but other than that, it's not difficult.

So Microsoft says it's a "hack", meaning it's illegal, while Livingston points out that the documents detailing how to do it are freely available on the software company's website. He also points out that, while activation is designed to stop home users using one copy for both the home PC and a notebook, with this hole Microsoft has opened the door to real software pirates creating copies that don't even need to be activated.

Presumably, though, a fix of some kind is on the way. Watch this space.