Intel Anti-Theft -- what is it?

Hi, 

Intel Anti-Theft Technology helps keep your laptop safe and secure in the event that it’s ever lost or stolen.  Once it’s locked down, your computer will not boot up and the locked screen will display your custom recovery message. If you have purchased it with the computer, you need to activate it by registering for the Intel Anti-Theft Service to activate the capabilities and download the software to your laptop. If you don’t want to, you can simply ignore the pop up. 

To know more about it, you can refer to link: http://intel.ly/TQ2tX9 

By default, Intel Management and Security Status loads on windows startup. There are some ways to change this:

You can uncheck the "Intel Management and Security Status will be available next time I log on to Windows" check box to prevent it from happening:

 Another method is removing the IMSS app from the startup configuration Microsoft's System Configuration Utility:

• Click on the Windows start icon in the bottom left corner of your screen.
• Type 'msconfig' in the search box and then either press enter on your keyboard or double-click on the 'msconfig' program that appears in the search results.

• Windows 7 will launch Microsoft's System Configuration Utility. Click on the Startup tab.

• This takes you to a page with a list of "startup items." Startup items are programs that are automatically loaded every time you turn on your computer.

• Uncheck the box for 'PrivacyIconClient'. Do not uncheck other Intel services and applications, as they may be of importance to your system's function and performance.
• Click Apply -- > OK
• Restart your computer.

Please reply in case you have further questions.

Since I have a desktop, not a laptop, I guess I don't need this and will disable the Intel Management and Security window.

However, nothing has told me what I would need to do if I *did* want to enroll in this service -- where do I sign up? does it cost? what do I do if it is stolen?

I'm asking from you as well - is there any solution for us Linux users? Or should I just permanently disable it in BIOS, because I won't install a Windows OS (outside a VM) on my machine, and if this is Windows only, whatever would I ever need it for?

Question about this solution - this needs to be registered from application. All I've seen only Windows applications mentioned. Is this service totally useless for Linux users, or is there a version of the software for us? Because otherwise I could just permanently disable Intel AT in BIOS - my machines will never be installed Windows, Virtual Machines possibly not included, but that's not relevant. If I can't use this with Linux, then whatever would I ever do with it?