[cc2k]

I'm sure they thought, "What's wrong with using a few illegal gifts to 'prime the pump' for Office 2003?" Unfortunately, if this goes to any ethics review board or court, they could rule that Microsoft Office isn't "something of value" and so, no laws were broken.

Sooner or later, customers get tired of the "upgrade game" that MS likes to play. It's foolish to spend so much money on new software when the current version you've already paid for works just fine for what you need.

[cc2k]

Pinging the tech pingers (and other interested parties).

[sheltonmac]

Microsoft just doesn't understand how the military and other government organizations work. Nothing can be given away. It first has to go through miles and miles of red tape and end up costing thousands and thousands of dollars.

[coloradan]

You're a good MS cheerleader - perhaps you can explain to me how Gates's behavior differs from that of a drug pusher, who gives away samples of the latest drug "for free," expecting some change the new users will become addicted and therefore become valuable future customers.

[hchutch]

FYI ping.

[Old Professer]

If it's like the "free" Office 2003 that came with this computer, it wouldn't be any good; it expires after 3 months once you register it and leaves all the directory garbage on your HD.

[kevkrom]

Microsoft should have provided time-limited evaluation copies -- they just weren't thinking, apparently, because the rules about gifts to government employees are very clear.

[Richard Kimball]

I'm no M$ fan, but some of the posts on this thread are like, "Microsoft did it? That sucks! Now, how does it suck?" It seems to me that a significant educational/government discount or just lowering the price of the software would be a better strategy, though. The only competition MS has in the office field is itself and it's own price.

I notice that MS has changed Works significantly, I suspect because the old Works (word processing, spreadsheet, flat file database and Outlook Express) suited the needs of too many people and was denting Office sales. When I went to the MS site, all the links from the Works home page were dead, which tells you how much they're supporting it.

Now, MS, who's biggest problem with Office is program bloat, is having trouble convincing people to move up. Sending out free copies makes sense to me, though, and try as I might, I can't twist it into an evil MS plot.

[jimt]

Folks,

If you think Microsoft is predatory about upgrades, try some other software vendors, particularly in the CAD and ERP fields.

It's very common for filetypes to be completely incompatible. And "upgrades" come out at least once a year. We regularly upgrade, not because the software has any features we want or need, but to stay compatible with our customers, who are very "trendy" in having the latest and greatest.

[Cold Heat]

They all have a upgrade hook, or something similar.

All of them that have fuctionality, that is.

[techwench]

uh oh. what are we going to do about those free copies of AOL in post offices?

[kezekiel]

Sooner or later, customers get tired of the "upgrade game" that MS likes to play. It's foolish to spend so much money on new software when the current version you've already paid for works just fine for what you need.

Still using Office 2000, and see no need whatsoever to upgrade.

[Lost Highway]

Let's all cut Gates some slack. He's just trying to move Microsoft toward the open source model and is still learning the ropes. :-)

[N3WBI3]

Call em what you will but they are not stupid. How many of us have to deal with a new and untested piece of software because just one important enough person decides to try it out... Now everyone they interface with will also need the application. What you end up with is an expensive, unplanned, and messy migration where none was needed.

[Way2Serious]

My employer's rules on this kind of thing are some of the strictest in the business. We are not allowed to accept any token or promotional item from a vendor or customer that is valued over $20. Microsoft got around this by setting up a "special purchase" program where we can buy a complete MS Office install disk for $19.95. The $19.95 probably just about covers the shipping and handling.

[cinFLA]

Sooner or later, customers get tired of the "upgrade game" that MS likes to play. It's foolish to spend so much money on new software when the current version you've already paid for works just fine for what you need.

Are you accessing the web with a TRS-80 running interpretive basic from a cassette with a 150 bps modem? I think not?