I do think that there may be a business case to do this. Say for example all I want out of life is for some PC to function as a server. Just host a bunch of web pages, maybe provide access or limited access depending upon 'rights' of various users - purchasing the full WinXP, Vista or Win7 would be overkill.
It all depends upon the wisdom of MSFT in picking and choosing - and this wisdom is not what one would expect from a company in a leadership position such as MSFT.
Well, sure, I have no problem with selling different products with different capabilities to meet the need. I do get a little leery of a SINGLE software package that has various feature sets that get turned on and off, when that software is written by Microsoft, and the gatekeeper software that decides what level you’ve paid Microsoft for and no doubt wants to verify that decision, is written by Microsoft. Between incompetence and the fact that their paycheck depends on how much functionality this app lets you use, that sounds like a recipe for disaster.