MS unlikely to simplify licensing options

Author: Gareth Halfacree
Published: 6th October 2009
Comments (10) Stumble
MS unlikely to simplify licensing options

While the various Microsoft licensing schemes can be confusing, Ballmer has said that there are no plans to simplify - and that confusion can benefit customers.

Despite the general feeling being one of confusion, Microsoft head honcho Steve Ballmer has stated that customers won't be offered simpler licensing options any time soon.

As reported over on IT PRO, Ballmer used a press event in London yesterday to field a question regarding the often complex licensing options the company makes available to its customers. Despite confirming that the plethora of available options was confusing to customers, Ballmer stated that he didn't "anticipate a big round of simplifying our licensing."

Ballmer also admitted that Microsoft is sometimes guilty of hiding important clauses as to exactly what a licence grants in the fine print, stating that "I'm sure we have fine print we don't need. We're not saints."

Despite this, Ballmer claims that the complex nature can often benefit customers, allowing them to "find an approach which pays us [Microsoft] less money." He also voiced concerns that simplification of the licensing schemes could "lose something that people used to save money."

Ballmer also hinted at the difficult balancing act the company would face should it decide in the future to simplify and unify its disparate licensing schemes, pointing out that customers want the company to "simplify without a price increase" while "shareholders want simplicity without a price decrease."

There's clearly some hard feelings out there regarding Microsoft's convoluted licensing procedures, however: when the question was put to Ballmer it was met with a round of applause from the gathered audience of both journalists and Microsoft customers.

Do you believe that Microsoft could stand to make its licensing options more transparent, or is it up to the customer to find the loopholes that offer the greatest benefit? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
Quote will. 6th October 2009, 13:15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Article
"lose something that people used to save money."
It sounds like he's trying to say that simplifying things would mean loosing the OEM versions...

At least that's how I've interpreted it...
Quote Jenny_Y8S 6th October 2009, 13:44
"Find" the best deal is the right phrase. May I assist those looking for licensing for their small Microsoft based IT business:

https://partner.microsoft.com/40013779

£200 gets you Windows, Office, SQL, Server OS etc etc, all with enough licences for ten users.

You are eligible if you "build solutions on the Microsoft platform or provide solutions based on Microsoft products and technologies to independent, third-party customers. Examples of qualifying businesses include accounting professionals, consulting service providers, independent software vendors (ISVs), independent hardware vendors, large account resellers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), small business specialists, support providers, system integrators, system builders, training providers, Web designers, value-added resellers and value-added providers that sell more than 75 per cent of their products and services to customers outside their own company"

Yes, it really is a good deal!
Quote DarkLord7854 6th October 2009, 16:31
I don't understand what's so hard bout reading up on the different license options.. you read them, compare them, pick the one that suits your needs and price range, end of story.
Quote thehippoz 6th October 2009, 17:27
lol I couldn't find this pic.. oh well here it goes again

http://images.wmexperts.com/articleimages/2007/abc/balmer_developers.jpg
Quote Star*Dagger 6th October 2009, 18:16
The best thing Microsoft could do for Humanity's progress would be to make their spagetti source code public and allow people (and businesses) to create their own fully windows compatible operating systems. Every year MS has a monopoly on the mainstream OS is another year we have lost.
I think the EU will take MS to task sooner or later, by 2020 we will have non-MS OSes, compatible and optimized to function (gamer OS, business OS, Medical research, Military, etc)

I look forward to that day!

Yours in OpenOS Future Plasma,
Star*Dagger
Quote DarkLord7854 6th October 2009, 18:28
Quote:
Originally Posted by Star*Dagger
The best thing Microsoft could do for Humanity's progress would be to make their spagetti source code public and allow people (and businesses) to create their own fully windows compatible operating systems. Every year MS has a monopoly on the mainstream OS is another year we have lost.
I think the EU will take MS to task sooner or later, by 2020 we will have non-MS OSes, compatible and optimized to function (gamer OS, business OS, Medical research, Military, etc)

I look forward to that day!

Yours in OpenOS Future Plasma,
Star*Dagger


I take it you've never heard of Linux & it's many distros?


Microsoft created Windows, it's their product, they do what they want with it. Don't like? Get a different OS. No-one's forcing you to use em.
Quote RichCreedy 6th October 2009, 19:19
star dagger write your own os, make it compatible with windows, without using ms coding, see how you get on

we'll here from you in year ... never

ms has spent billions on research and developement over the past 34 years, why should they give away the fruits of their effort.
Quote 2bdetermine 6th October 2009, 22:01
Quote:
Ballmer has said that there are no plans to simplify - and that confusion can benefit customers.

Here is what he really meant to say! If you can convince them, you might as well confuse the heck out them.
Quote Orothe 7th October 2009, 02:05
It can't be simplified without losing some meanings, benefits, loop holes, ect. "For every rule, there is an exception." You have to have fine print to name all of the limitations. How hard is it to read the fine print? At least it's there for you to read. I say they shouldn't be lazy and read it themselves, instead of wanting it to be simplified so they can have it spelled out to them.
Quote Veles 7th October 2009, 22:05
Quote:
Originally Posted by will.
It sounds like he's trying to say that simplifying things would mean loosing the OEM versions...

At least that's how I've interpreted it...

No I think it's more like, simplifying would be going back to the days of one windows version. So every version of win7 would be the ultimate edition. But then people who don't need all the bells and whistles of ultimate would be paying lots of money for things they don't need.
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