Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2001/10/09/ms_bends_volume_licensing_rules/

MS bends volume licensing rules

But damage already done

By Andrew Orlowski

Posted in Software, 9th October 2001 12:25 GMT

"The thing about comedy," explains the Alan Alda character in Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors, "Is that if it bends, it's funny, but if it breaks, it isn't funny."

Good advice indeed, and Microsoft has decided to bend a little with its Volume Licensing Program, Redmond announced yesterday.

The announcement sees the grace period for moving to the new "Licensing 6.0" scheme doubled, to ten months. It will now end July 31 2002. Upgrade Assurance is now available to Open and Select licensees.

On Friday Microsoft quietly dropped its revised imaging conditions that attached price hikes to the use of programs like Norton Ghost by Microsoft Select program licensees.

However the damage has already been done: Microsoft customers need to spend more to get current, and still pay the annual fee to stay current. And that hasn't changed.

Microsoft announced the changes in a press release long on analyst quotes but short on detail, that you can readhere. ®

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