Microsoft has given business customers another six months to upgrade to the new Office XP in a controversial new licensing plan, a company executive confirmed Thursday. Customers will now have until Feb. 28, 2002, rather than the original Oct. 1 deadline, to make the change as part of the company's new "Software Assurance" licensing program announced earlier this year, said Simon Hayes, Microsoft program manager for worldwide licensing and pricing. Software Assurance contracts effectively commit customers to buying operating system and application upgrades at a discounted rate on a periodic basis, rather than purchasing the upgrade when the customer decides it's time. The new program lowers costs for businesses that upgrade software frequently but would force those who upgrade less frequently to pay more.
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