> Ok, I'll bite.  I agree.  If you signed an agreement with the 
> bike lessee that you accepted the brakes as is, and that if 
> you wanted to go faster you'd purchase a brake fix upgrade.
> 
> How is this different from cracking serial numbers for 
> software licenses?  

There are two different arguments going on here and I think people are
getting the two separate issues confused:

1. Should a mfgr sell a device with crippled hardware and upgrade via jumper
/ license / etc... or should they sell only the hardware that is actually
used and upgrade via a full hardware install?

2. Should a consumer who has purchased a crippled device UN-cripple the
device without paying for the upgrade?

I think a lot of people (not all) object to #1 as being just... Inelegant?
Misleading? Wasteful?

Most people (not all) also object to #2 and would pay the upgrade fee as
required. A few will attempt to hack it and if they succeed, will publish
the details which then makes #1 even stupider.

I personally can see the advantages of doing #1 as it makes the hardware
upgrade much easier and less likely to result in a service call. The thing I
don't understand is why HP charges so much for an upgrade that obviously
didn't cost them (HP) much at all; if it had cost that much, they would
never have put the hardware in the base model in the first place. And I
think this is really another issue:

3. Should a mfgr rip off it's existing customer base by charging many times
cost for an upgrade? 

There is a fine line between knowing that the customer will pay more since
they have already invested in the base equipment and not pissing off your
existing customers to the point that they tell everyone not to buy from you.

I personally think HP has crossed that line with this scope upgrade and
threads like this one will drive potential customers away.

Which brings up the question: Who should you buy a scope from?

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