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What's the difference between Product
Activation and Product Registration?
In one short line: Activation is
mandatory, registration is optional. Activation is anonymous,
registration is not.
Windows XP and Windows Server 2003,
retail and OEM products, contain software-based product activation
technology, which means you need to activate your copy of Windows
XP/2003 in order to use it. Some new PCs purchased with Windows
XP/2003 pre-installed will also require activation. If your
organization licenses Windows XP through one of Microsoft’s volume
licensing agreement programs such as Open License and Select
License, you will not be required to activate those Windows XP/2003
licenses.
Product activation is not the
same as product registration. Product activation is required
and is completely anonymous. Product registration, on the
other hand, is completely optional. You may opt to provide
personal information, such as your e-mail address, for product
registration purposes. Registration entitles you to receive
information about product updates and special offers directly from
Microsoft. All registration information provided is stored securely
and no information is ever loaned or sold to third parties (or so
they say...).
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