This article shows why the new copy protection stuff in Office XP and Windows XP is going to be a nightmare for support people and users alike.

My experience with many Microsoft products is that they Assume Too Much. For example, if you have been using Outlook in a networked environment, it expects the network to always been there. If the network should die while you're using Outlook, you're in for a long wait while Outlook slowly determines that the infallible network connection you had is no longer. This used to drive me crazy.

So if you want to be sure that you can use your laptop on a business trip, remember to bring along your CDs just in case. And your serial numbers, and maybe your original sales receipt. Your software may become clingy and need affirmation.