> Its real questionable whether intentionally breaking your
> own technology is strictly ethical or legal, when the only reason to do
> so is to force someone to buy a new one. Try that with anything like a
> car.

Exactly that thing is already done in cars.  The BMW 118d, 120d and 123d are 
all exactly the same car - you get exactly the same lump of metal and 
plastic.  There is a huge difference in price though.  Why?  Because there 
is some line of code in the software that tells the engine how much torque 
to produce, which is different for each model.  If you just bought a 118d, 
you can't go around complaining that it's not fair how your car is 
artificially crippled blah blah blah.  If the car manufacture did not act 
like this you wouldn't have been able to afford the 118d in the first place!

> Oh, sorry, but the 2007x isn't intended to drive on Main st., now
> that they upgraded the streets with a new type of painted line, I am
> afraid it won't go faster than 3 MPH or let you listen to the radio
> while on that street. However, for an additional $20,000 you can buy the
> 2008q, which is 100% compatible... Yeah, right. That would go over good
> in court.

What law exactly would it be breaking?  SO long as they make it clear when 
you buy the car what its limitations are I don't see the problem.  Of course 
nobody would accept this sort of deal which is why they don't offer it.

In fact when I hire a car here in this city I can choose a cheaper option to 
only drive it within this area, or the more expensive option to be allowed 
to drive over the whole country, or the top price to be allowed to take it 
abroad.  It's my choice, and it gives me a cheaper option if I want to take 
it.

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