Microsoft has added a range of support and training benefits to its controversial Software Assurance (SA) licensing package in an attempt to ease customers' anger at the way the scheme was introduced. The benefits, which include a home software licence for employees and are available to existing and new SA customers, have been broadly welcomed.
Microsoft's UK licensing manager, Mark Buckley, said SA would help customers get more from their investment in Microsoft technology, giving them increased assistance and support, training and tools. "Employees also benefit as they get better purchasing deals and can use the software covered under the agreement on their home PCs at no charge. "Every customer who has an SA agreement will receive these benefits automatically from 1 September."
David Roberts, chief executive of the Corporate IT Forum, said the new benefits show that Microsoft is listening to customers."To me this is good; it marks the first significant step forward from Microsoft, being responsive and making sure that the things it does are in keeping with customer requirements," he said. But the real test of whether the additional benefits have worked will come in July 2004, when existing old-style Upgrade Advantage (UA) packages run out. Dave Simpson, director of sales and marketing at Microsoft reseller Softcat, said around half of those that have signed an SA licence already have reacted positively to the new benefits.
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News source: Vnunet
Microsoft's UK licensing manager, Mark Buckley, said SA would help customers get more from their investment in Microsoft technology, giving them increased assistance and support, training and tools. "Employees also benefit as they get better purchasing deals and can use the software covered under the agreement on their home PCs at no charge. "Every customer who has an SA agreement will receive these benefits automatically from 1 September."
David Roberts, chief executive of the Corporate IT Forum, said the new benefits show that Microsoft is listening to customers."To me this is good; it marks the first significant step forward from Microsoft, being responsive and making sure that the things it does are in keeping with customer requirements," he said. But the real test of whether the additional benefits have worked will come in July 2004, when existing old-style Upgrade Advantage (UA) packages run out. Dave Simpson, director of sales and marketing at Microsoft reseller Softcat, said around half of those that have signed an SA licence already have reacted positively to the new benefits.
View: The full story News source: Vnunet
Trillian maker Cerulean Studios is interested in signing a deal with Microsoft, the company's co-founder and head developer Scott Werndorfer said in an e-mail answer to a reporter's questions.
"We're anxious to work with Microsoft on any licensing models they might have," Werndorfer said. He added that Trillian Pro 2.0, which entered beta testing on Aug. 1, supports the latest MSN IM protocol, but did not say if that means that older Trillian clients will be locked out from the MSN IM network soon or if Trillian Pro 2.0 would work with MSN IM regardless of a licensing deal.
Other clients that connect to Microsoft's IM network include Imici and Odigo.
Besides the issue of not wanting to run an IM network for other client makers to exploit, the changes to the MSN IM network also are for security and privacy reasons, Microsoft said.
"If there is unauthorized access to our network, it opens us up to potential security and privacy vulnerabilities," Gurry said. In fact, there is a yet undisclosed security flaw in Microsoft's IM network and clients, she said.
Because of this unknown flaw, Microsoft is forcing users of several older versions of its own MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger clients to upgrade to newer versions. Users that have to upgrade have been alerted via e-mail and will soon start to see notifications in their Messenger client, according to Microsoft.
MSN Messenger is one of the most popular IM services on the Internet, along with AOL's Instant Messenger and Yahoo's Messenger. Microsoft claims about 100 million unique users log on to its service each month. IM services let users exchange text messages in real time and providers have also added video conferencing, PC phone calls, gaming and other features.
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