I know this has been discussed in length on greentractortalk.com. Whether we like it or not, companies are forced to protect their proprietary property. IP, intellect property, is a growing concern among just about all companies who produced products. My company goes to great lengths to protect it's IP, as does all major companies. We, as consumers, may not like it, but economic espionage is a concern, not only by companies, but by the government itself. And software is property that is owned by the companies who create it.