Can Microsoft legally block Windows XP activations?

[ultrafilter]

One of the new features introduced in Windows XP is that you need to activate it online if you’re going to keep using it beyond a certain point. If Microsoft decides that Vista isn’t being adopted as widely or as quickly as they like, can they turn off the XP activation server and force their customers to upgrade?

[SCSimmons]

@ultrafilter

One of the new features introduced in Windows XP is that you need to activate it online if you’re going to keep using it beyond a certain point. If Microsoft decides that Vista isn’t being adopted as widely or as quickly as they like, can they turn off the XP activation server and force their customers to upgrade?

From here :

The license for a retail version of Windows XP is in perpetuity. You get to use Windows XP forever, if you choose … Microsoft has said that if it ever becomes not worthwhile for them to keep this activation system going, they will take steps to allow users to disable it.

I imagine if Microsoft didn’t follow through on this, they’d have a lot of civil lawsuits on their hands …