I found this curious. Microsoft, always on the cutting edge of flawless security (wink wink), is making it more difficult for Mac and Unix users to use Vista on their systems claiming it’s “for security reasons.” While it’s more likely a business decision they would simply rather not explain, it does seem counter to sound business logic.

With Macs now using Intel chips, virtualization programs let Mac users easily switch back and forth between Apple’s Mac OSX operating system and Windows. So you’d think Microsoft would welcome the potential additional sales of its Vista operating system to both Mac and Unix users.

Well, apparently not. Buried within Vista’s 14-page licensing rules lies a ban on using the least expensive versions of Vista in virtualization engines. Instead, people wanting to put Vista  in a virtualized program must buy the $299 Business version or the $399 Ultimate package.

Scott Woodgate, a director in Microsoft’s Vista team, concedes that the least expensive versions of Vista would work in virtualization programs but says Microsoft wants to restrict it because of security holes [in the cheaper versions] spawned by virtualization technology.

Yeah, right.