[Am-info] No More free beers for Microsoft !

[Erick Andrews]

On Sun, 14 Apr 2002 22:34:56 -0400, madodel@ptdprolog.net wrote:

>From: Ed Durrant <edurrant@bigpond.net.au> 
>
[...]

>article,
>in German, can be read at:
>
>http://www.sueddeutsche.de/aktuell/sz/artikel140754.php
>
>With the end of support for Windows NT on aproximately 10,000 workstations
>run by the Munich city council at the end of July, the city is faced with
>an addition annual bill of around 4,5 MILLION Euro (a euro is just less
>than AUS$2 or US$1) to "upgrade" and annual licencing fee's following
>years. With the tight hardware checks built into XP, hardware changes can
>cause the OS to need to be re-registered and activated with Microsoft,
>incuring further increased costs for the council and hence the rate
>payers.
>
[...]

I've pretty much convinced myself that MS, with XP's "serial number
bonding" together with MS's "anti-copying" patent process, they intend
to make a "pact" with the recording industry to expand their market into
content.  That way MS can get their own royalties and at the same time 
boost their user database.  MS has been wanting more content.  They see 
AOL in an enviable position.

-- 
Erick Andrews