[Techtalk] Micro$$$oft license fees...

[Karen McIntyre]

Hi,

I'm new to the list and new to Linux. This licensing scheme was supposed to
go into effect last fall. However, due to customer protests, Microsoft
delayed. Most businesses upgrade on a 3-5 year cycle. Microsoft wants them
to upgrade on a two-year cycle. In order to force this, this new licensing
scheme will require those who do not upgrade on Microsoft's schedule to pay
a higher price for licenses.

I have been a Microsoft user for years. Frankly I like Win2k. However that
will be my last MS OS. Even as an individual it would cost me too much to
keep on upgrading. Microsoft asserts it is not selling you software, but is
selling you a license to use the software. The Product Activation feature in
the XP OS and XP Office is designed to prevent casual copying. This Product
Activation requires you to register with Microsoft. You have a certain
number of boots (or days) before you are prompted to register. If you do
not, your computer will not boot. A hardware profile of your machine is
obtained during the registration process which generates a key. So, if you
change your hardware there is the possibility the OS will refuse to boot,
thinking it is on a different machine. This is especially true if you change
your hard drive or NIC.XP Office works the same way. If you do change your
hardware and the machine doesn't boot or Office doesn't work, you can call
Microsoft to be reactivated. I am not sure, but I think that after a set
number of times (I don't know how many) you will not be reactivated and will
have to buy a new license. I do not want to have to, in effect, get
Microsoft's approval to change my hardware. I occasionally wipe my hard
drive and reinstall and change my hardware as much as I can afford to. Under
XP that would prove to be more of a hassle than I want to deal with.

I do not care for Microsoft's way of doing business. I hate the Product
Activation feature. I refuse to pay the high cost of continuing to do
business with Microsoft. So, I am learning Linux. I bought Red Hat 7.2 and
have installed it on my desktop. I like it. I also have StarOffice and
OpenOffice. So far, so good, but I have a lot to learn.

Karen (disgruntled MCP)

-----Original Message-----
From: techtalk-admin at linuxchix.org [mailto:techtalk-admin at linuxchix.org]On
Behalf Of Walt
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2002 2:16 PM
To: techtalk at linuxchix.org
Subject: [Techtalk] Micro$$$oft license fees...

Well, here we are a small company and I
get this call from Warehouse.com letting
me know that if I haven't subscribed to
the Microsoft "Software Assurance" protection
racket, I'll have to pay new price for all
upgrades to any Microsoft software after
July 1. Is this for real...?

If my math is correct, it will cost me $2600+
for my 16 Win98 licenses; $864 for 6 Pro/NT
licenses; and $245 for one MS Office license
just to become part of this "software assurance."

Anyone else encounter this yet?

Guess who's going to be converting to
StarOffice and WP real soon.


Walt

-~

     If a book is worth reading, it is worth buying.
                         John Ruskin