Microsoft: breaking with licensing tradition

The Register USA ^ | 8-2-2002 | Gavin Clarke

[JameRetief]

Ping for Microsoft competition.

[GirlNextDoor]

Hey Mike. Lookee here. :)

[ProudGOP]

I'm not an author so I may not know what I'm talking about. But if I were writing an article about Licensing 6.0, I think I would have taken a paragraph to explain what it was and how it differed from the old licensing method.

[zx2dragon]

This article was aimed at geeks who are already aware of the new scheme and have been for some time. It's just letting us know the impact of MS decision to actually move forward with it. MS has been trying to get out there and educate some of the corporate people on this, but I am watching a lot of government and small business switch over to open source software (via friends who work in the UNIX and *nix world).

[ShadowAce]

But if I were writing an article about Licensing 6.0, I think I would have taken a paragraph to explain what it was and how it differed from the old licensing method.

Perhaps. But this is an industry article, written in on an industry website (ComputerWire and Register). Most readers of these web sites know all about the licensing scheme MS is trying to pull off.

In a nutshell (as I understand it), MS is now saying that you will no longer buy software, but subscribe to it. So you get MS Office, but it'll cost you a certain sum per year rather than a flat fee. You'll get support and upgrades, though. The per year cost is the same, regardless of whether you actually use the support.

[Greeklawyer]

licensing 6.0 will be just like "new coke"

[Greeklawyer]

What happens after the one year is up and I do not want to upgrade? Is this just for large users? What about small business? We upgrade when we have to. Small business generally follows the if it "ain't" broke don't fix it principle.

Microsoft is trying to build in "planned obsolencense".

[ShadowAce]

I'm not sure what happens in that case. I think that when you DO decide to upgrade, they will demand your first-born, or something similarly outrageous. I know they've been threatening to increase costs for those shops that do not buy into this crap by several times.

[rdb3]

The Penguin Ping. Want on or off? Just holla!

Got root?

[rdb3]

So, JameRetief, who's afraid of li'l ol' Tux? ;-)

[rdb3]

All I can say is. . . THANK YOU, BILL GATES!

[Orangedog]

Considering how much the heads of some other companies hate Gates and Co., I'm surprised they haven't had a more coordinated effort to take on M$. If I were one of them, I would try to assemble a partnership with other companies and throw combined resources to improve WINE. Sure, they would have a hard time making a profit from such a venture, but they would be working to diminish the MS desktop monoply, and with it, their hold on the business suite market. They had to have realised that the biggest threat to their companies is MS and the way they have successfully driven many competing companies out of business.

[Greeklawyer]

They had the right idea before. If you upgrade each year it is a lesser price. If you do not upgrade then you have to buy at the full price.

I think as a legally recognized monopoly, microsoft would end up regulated as any other utility. We would end up with another government regulatory "information utility" agency. Just as were have for water, gas, and electric. (It would start in Californid if davis wins. This would prevent another oracle disaster since the state would set the prices you have to sell information software)

[ShadowAce]

Exactly right. They have chosen a bad time for this, but if they wait any longer, Linux will become a more viable alternative to the average user.

I have gotten my system to the point that I can now do anything on Linux that I can do under Windows--with the exception of logging onto my company's mainframe. However, I think that will be corrected this weekend. Then I won't need windows at all.

[Greeklawyer]

There are anti-trust problems with coordinating efforts.

Besides in order to be viable there must be downward compatiability. The general public just wants to know their investment in software (including games) will work on the "stuff" sold tommorrow. (compatability or convertability)

[Greeklawyer]

Did the Microsoft Federal case address the secret "hooks" microsoft writes into windows in order to favor its microsoft product and create instabilities in competitor products?

[demlosers]

M$ arrogance prices themselves out of the market. They need a market lesson in basic economics 101.

[ShadowAce]

I haven't heard that, but the person to ask would be Dominic. I think he's been pretty current when it comes to the MS case.

[Free the USA]

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