>>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/18/intel-wants-to-charge-50-to-unlock-stuff-your-cpu-can-already-d/
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>How is this different from developing an application and then coding various levels of functionality which are sold at different level licenses e.g. basic, advanced, professional? I don’t see any issue here.

It's indicative of what tends to happen when companies gain de facto or de jure monopolies. They get lazy; resorting to dumb tricks rather than creating products that efficiently meet customers' needs.

Years ago when I was a fishing guide, the marina I worked for was an OMC (Johnson/Evinrude) dealer. At the time, OMC offered two outboard models that would work with our guide boats: 18hp (barely adequate) or 25hp (reasonably peppy). The owner ordered one of each for evaluation.

Turned out there were exactly 4 differences between the models:

- propeller
- a restrictor plate between the carburetor and the intake manifold
- the decals on the motor cover
- significant $$$

As a dealer, he could easily factory-order 18hp models with the 25hp props (no price difference), and as many 25hp restrictor plates as he wanted (at just a few bucks each). No-one cared about the 18hp decals so he didn't bother ordering the 25hp decal kits.

So, us guides got the nicer motors we wanted, and the owner got the cheap price he wanted.

The moral to the story is not to make artificial market distinctions; it's just a license to lose money.