Windows actually does use the TPM to improve security. Bitlocker in TPM mode can prevent tampering with the operating system even with full direct access to the hardware, and Vista+Bitlocker+TPM is the only system I know of that provides that level of protection for consumer-level hardware.
> Worse, imagine if Microsoft made a deal with, say, Dell, to ship computers with Windows installed (as they do now), and also to use the TPM to make it impossible to remove Windows and install something else.
Then they would be instantly hit with a gigantic antitrust lawsuit. End of non-story.
I vaguely remember from discussions a while back on Bruce Schneier's blog and on Freedom to Tinker, that that would be one effect of TPM hardware. I posted this link because it is the first thing I've seen recently warning that MS was resurrecting TPM, not because I thought it was technically important. They might be hit with a suit, but per the earlier discussions, it was primarily the content providers (esp MPAA) pushing for something like this, and it wold be an intersting suit considering what effect DMCA and other recent copyright legislation would have on the case.
