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Time:
00:34 EST/05:34 GMT | News Source:
CNN |
Posted By: Kenneth van Surksum |
Competitors are used to Microsoft's strong arm tactics, but it turns out that the Windows maker doesn't exactly apply a soft touch to customers, either. At least one Microsoft employee has used a sleazy scare tactic to attempt to get a customer to buy more Microsoft software.
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#2 By
32132 (64.180.219.241)
at
5/11/2006 1:56:54 PM
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"Frantz was stunned. He says he always errs on the side of caution with respect to software licenses. He does regular audits and maintains extensive records of purchases, license keys and registration codes. Frantz had no doubt that he was 100% compliant."
He may be telling the truth. He may not be. Some people do lie about their compliance record. Latch, of source, believes every bad story about Microsoft and none of the good ones. What else is new.
"The fact is, if Microsoft really has reason to believe that a company is using unlicensed copies of its software, it sics the Business Software Alliance on the company. It doesn't turn the matter over to one of its sales managers."
So what this "journalist" is recommending is that if Microsoft suspects non-compliance, a company shouldn't be given a chance to comply, it should have the BSA come down hard on them with a disruptive audit?
Please. Thats plain silly. But thats why "journalists" are considered sleazier than lawyers and politicians.
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#3 By
13030 (198.22.121.110)
at
5/11/2006 3:04:38 PM
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#2: He may be telling the truth. He may not be. Some people do lie about their compliance record.
And I'm sure those same people that lie about compliance are also willing and able to provide "detailed records of all purchases of Microsoft software in the past five years". Ah, come on NotParker don't be "silly".
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#4 By
32132 (64.180.219.241)
at
5/11/2006 3:45:53 PM
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"detailed records of all purchases of Microsoft software in the past five years"
But he didn't offer to give Microsoft all the records of the hardware he bought did he? Or at least the story didn't mention it.
Its not just whether you bought Microsoft software. It whether you bought enough for each server and laptop and workstation.
Besides, the SAM tool the saleperson was trying to get the guy to run is downloadable from Microsoft for free.
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/sam/msia.mspx
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#5 By
32132 (64.180.219.241)
at
5/11/2006 4:10:05 PM
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I wonder why Microsoft might think Dale is reluctant to pay for Microsoft software ...
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=102534
"Tacoma, Wash.-based Auto Warehousing Co., North America's largest automobile processing company, isn't small either, but CIO Dale N. Frantz says his neighbor, Microsoft Corp., can be a tough customer on licensing issues.
Frantz says he's considering adding Microsoft's BizTalk Server on a four-way server. But the vendor wants $40,000 per processor, or $160,000 total, he says, and "that's a problem." Frantz will put off installation of BizTalk and see if Microsoft changes its licensing approach. "
Maybe Dale's "complaint" is just a way to soften up Microsoft for a deal on Biztalk ... which is actually 29,999 per cpu or 8,499 for the Standard Edition.
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#6 By
13030 (198.22.121.110)
at
5/11/2006 4:42:43 PM
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I still run Windows 98 and Office 97 on one computer at home because I'm reluctant to pay for a newer version of Windows or Office for that machine. Does that mean that I am automatically a suspect for unlicensed MS software? Whatever...
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#7 By
32132 (64.180.219.241)
at
5/11/2006 5:56:13 PM
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Ex-employees or current disgruntled employees of companies sometimes make calls accusing their exmployers or former employers of breaking the law or possible in this case cheating Microsoft out of licensing revenue. The info could have been a lie. Or it could have had a kernel of truth.
But I'm always supicious when a company overinflates the price of Microsoft software (this is really common in Linux "studies" that prove the TCO of Linux is cheaper).
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#8 By
15406 (216.191.227.68)
at
5/12/2006 3:18:03 PM
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#7: This thread epitomizes you in a nutshell, Parkkker. You don't know jack about AWC, but you're suspicious of them because they dared to point the finger at your beloved MS. Yet, after 20+ years of unethical & illegal behaviour, you're never suspicious of MS' actions. Interesting.
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#9 By
32132 (64.180.219.241)
at
5/12/2006 11:18:45 PM
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"but you're suspicious of them because they dared to point the finger at your beloved MS"
1) Dale N. Frantz is a quasi-employee of Computerworld who shows up over 5,000 times when you search for him on their website. He's one of their "Premium 100 IT Leaders". I'm always suspicous when employees of a "news" organization try to make the news too.
2) He lied about the cost of Biztalk. Lying about the cost of Microsoft software is very common among Linux "studies".
3) The SAM tool he claims Microsoft was trying to sell him is free to download.
Thats why I'm suspicious. His company may very well be compliant. He might be legitimately mad at Microsoft. But if you exagerate certain things to make your point, don't be surprised if I'm supcious about other things.
This post was edited by NotParker on Saturday, May 13, 2006 at 12:43.
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