Microsoft DSP ruling irks C2000

Microsoft was accused of shortsightedness by Computer 2000, following the software vendor's decision to reject CHS and C2000 as OEM distributors. C2000 claimed it would have increased Microsoft sales to system builders - if it had got the go-ahead. Microsoft turned C2000 and CHS down as OEM product distributors after fears that smaller distributors specialising in the system builder market would be frozen out. But C2000 components division general manager Sven Mahon-Daly said many system builders were already sourcing OEM software from his company - even though C2000 had to sub-distribute the software itself from rival wholesalers. "We have bigger credit limits than the smaller distributors, so system builders are coming to us anyway," he said. According to Mahon-Daly, system builders are a growth area for C2000. Microsoft should look at what broad-line distributors could do for the OEM market, he said. Existing Microsoft OEM product distributors were pleased that Microsoft had come down on their side. Alex Campbell, Osmosis marketing manager, said he was happy with the decision to retain the OEM distributor status quo. "We don't want Microsoft to over-distribute into the system builder market," he said.