Frustrated Microsoft Users Explore Options

PCWorld.com ^ | 8/6/02 | Tom Mainelli

[GeneD]

Frustration with Microsoft is prompting more companies to consider "un-Windows" alternatives, according to a study released Tuesday.

"Corporate user resentment and dissatisfaction with Microsoft and some of its practices is at an all-time high," says Laura DiDio, senior analyst with the Yankee Group and the report's author. That frustration is pushing more companies to consider Linux-based operating systems as well as Apple's OS X, she says.

Licensing Hostility
The survey, conducted last April and May by the Yankee Group and Sunbelt Software, asked 1500 corporations about their satisfaction with Microsoft. Bottom line: Many customers aren't happy.

At the heart of people's dissatisfaction is Microsoft's new Licensing 6.0 program. The new policy launched on August 1 after confusion and delays dating back to last October. Nearly 40 percent of respondents said they are "outraged" by Microsoft's new licensing scheme, and are actively seeking alternate products, DiDio says.

The new volume-licensing program--called Software Assurance--asks corporate buyers to pay higher prices for new products as well as for maintenance and upgrade services, she says. And those who don't stay current with updates will pay more down the line. At a time when corporate budgets are tight, such tactics are not going over very well, she says.

Corporate customers understand that Microsoft is facing declining revenues as companies slow down their PC upgrade cycles. But many feel the company has drastically overstepped its bounds, she says.

Writes one Yankee Group respondent: "For frickin' sake they have $36 billion in the bank and they are trying to squeeze us."

Another writes: "I can't stand being bullied by Microsoft like this."

What's notable about the customer frustration is that it hasn't cooled over time, DiDio says. A similar study conducted in October 2001 showed people were already fuming, and that frustration clearly hasn't waned, she says.

Not only businesses are feeling the pinch of Microsoft's updated licensing plan, either. School districts in Oregon and Washington made headlines earlier this summer when they complained loudly over Microsoft's new licensing requirements.

Other Annoyances
Microsoft's new licensing scheme draws the most ire, but the customer respondents cite several other reasons for considering Windows alternatives, DiDio says. Many point to the company's numerous delays of business-class products designed to work with Windows XP. Others profess confusion over the company's .Net strategy of Web services and applications. Still others note their ongoing frustration with Microsoft's perceived monopolistic practices and ongoing legal issues with the Department of Justice.

Finally, Microsoft's ongoing security issues are a factor for many users. Despite Microsoft's assurances that it is working to improve security in its products, few customers feel reassured. "It seems not a day goes by that you don't hear about some security flaw," DiDio says.

Despite these issues, the analyst doesn't expect an immediate, major shift in the OS market. Windows owns about 90 percent of the desktop market, with the various Linux distributions and Apple splitting the final 10 percent.

"Windows is the dominant OS--and that's not going to change any time soon," DiDio says. "There is no mass defection, no march on Redmond." But she says Linux and Apple fans--small but enthusiastic groups--should feel optimistic. "Basically it was clear--there are changes in the wind."

[WyldKard]

Someone remind me again why Microsoft is good for the economy BECAUSE it's a monopoly?

I'm just waiting for a good Windows emulation package for Linux, and then I am splitsville, baby...

[lawdude]

"Someone remind me again why Microsoft is good for the economy BECAUSE it's a monopoly?

I'm just waiting for a good Windows emulation package for Linux, and then I am splitsville, baby."

______________

Lemme see. First you say MS is a monopoly, then you state you await an OS as good from MS's competition.

HMMMMMMM

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Timely topic for me. My hard drive died a few days ago on my laptop (2nd time in about 18 months). I had a HD with Linux on it and have been using it in my corporate environment. It's been a pain in the rear. It works but the look and feel and the niceties are not there. Linux is more stable, but a lot more things work under Windows. I cannot get VNC to work (well) with Linux. I can't get my laptop to play CD's under Linux. And I don't really want to spend the time to make all those things happen. I hate the instablity of Windows (I have yet to see a stable version of Windows up to and including 2000 - can't say about XP) but most things work as they are supposed to. Guess there is no Holy Grail (yet).

[arthurus]

I'm just waiting for a good Windows emulation package for Linux

Check out LINDOWS.

[HAL9000]

Guess there is no Holy Grail (yet).

You have obviously 4-Gotten Mac OS X. !Kool.

[Free the USA]

Index Bump

[WyldKard]

Lemme see. First you say MS is a monopoly, then you state you await an OS as good from MS's competition.

No, that is absolutely NOT what I stated. I said I wanted to use Linix that had a Windows Emulation package. Because I have a lot of Windows software that I would still like to use. It has nothing to do with the "superiority" of Windows. I just don't feel like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

[general_re]

When Apple stops trying 2 sell me overpriced hardware with their OS, then it'll be time for me 2 un-4-get OS X ;)

[demlosers]

Microsoft's new licensing scheme, and are actively seeking alternate products, DiDio says.

M$ is going to learn or relearn the basics about market rules.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Touche. My company wouldn't buy me a Mac, and it wouldn't have all the apps needed in our environment. Someday in this lifetime we will reach computing Nirvana, but it hasn't happened yet. Makes for good conversation on a slow news day, LOL.

[Psycho_Bunny]

You're doing some bizarre stuff if you can't keep 2000 stable....I mean, really bizarre...like surfing the internet in your bathtub.

That, or you have hardware problems.

I've been gaming and beta-testing new games on 2000 since its release and never had a problem with it....it's perfectly stable.

As much as I hate MS, I have to admit that 2000 has been a superior product.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Maybe I should define my terms. When I say "unstable" I don't mean Blue Screen of Death unstable. I mean if IE hiccups the OS hiccups. Can do that doing perfectly normal activities, which have nothing to do with bathtubs. Your mileage may vary.

[Dimensio]

I'm just waiting for a good Windows emulation package for Linux, and then I am splitsville, baby...

What do you want to "emulate"?

[Dimensio]

You're doing some bizarre stuff if you can't keep 2000 stable

Perhaps like running in an Administrator account at all times?

Honestly, many of the reports I hear from people with "Windows 2000 problems" are running as local admin all the time, even though you're only supposed to run as admin for administrative tasks and run as a "Power User" for normal activity.

No respectable UNIX sysadmin would run as root at all times, so why do people think that it's okay to run as administrator in Windows all the time?

[Psycho_Bunny]

Oh....IE....That's a different story.

IE 6 sucks donkey butt.

I still use it but, damn...it just sucks.

[toupsie]

When Apple stops trying 2 sell me overpriced hardware with their OS, then it'll be time for me 2 un-4-get OS X ;)

Macs are not "overpriced" its that PCs are "overvalued". A high end Dell notebook will cost as much as a high end Apple TiBook but have less features than the Apple. Most PCs do not come with the built-in components of a Mac nor is the quality at the same level of a Mac. Those $599 PCs at Costco just don't come close to the quality of $799 iMac.

I know, I know. Macs don't have as much software as Windows, but do I really need 65,000+ viruses to run on my Mac?

[toupsie]

No respectable UNIX sysadmin would run as root at all times, so why do people think that it's okay to run as administrator in Windows all the time?

The difference in intelligence between a UNIX user and a Windows user! :)

[Salgak]

Try WINE. . . .

[Salgak]

Let's see. . .being able to run currently-owned software ?

WITHOUT paying the "Microsoft Tax" ????