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"0" WIDTH="150"><TR><TD CLASS="indexdate"> 8 July 2002 <img src=
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N="top"><HR> <DIV><DIV CLASS="storyhead">Redmond retirement ratchet s=
pells doom for Win2k</DIV> <DIV CLASS="storybyline">By <a href="mailt=
o:john.lettice@theregister.co.uk">John Lettice</a></DIV> <DIV CLASS="in=
dexposted">Posted: 08/07/2002 at 10:32 GMT</DIV> <BR> <DIV CLASS="story=
body">Windows 2000 has been given nine months to live, as far as OEMs are=
concerned, and Microsoft is pressuring the PC companies to stop offering=
dual install Win2k/WinXP systems immediately. Microsoft operating system=
s magically become more expensive and difficult to obtain as soon as ther=
e's a new rev out, but so long as the previous version is still available=
on new PCs via OEMs, business customers have a relatively simple way to =
stick with their current OS, rather than having to do an expensive rollou=
t of the replacement.
<br>
<br>The demise of dual install, which makes it easier and cheaper for OEM=
s to cater for customers in this position, will make life harder for ever=
ybody but Microsoft, and of itself will make the PC companies more inclin=
ed to drop Win2k. And as their contracts won't allow them to sell Win2k a=
s of April 2003, well, there's less and less point in wriggling, isn't th=
ere, folks?
<br>
<br>The moves will have an immediate impact on upgrade strategies and cos=
ts, and by a miraculous coincidence Microsoft's widely-hated Licensing 6.=
0 becomes The Law at the end of this month. So, you're an IT manager with=
a major installation standardised on Win2k, you haven't decided whether =
to go for Licensing 6.0 yet, what are your options?
<br>
<br>The supply of OEM Win2k machines is going to dry up soon, and you can=
probably reckon on those still available up until next April becoming mo=
re expensive and difficult to obtain. After April you will have to instal=
l Win2k on new machines yourself, and you'll have to source the Win2k lic=
ences from somewhere other than your OEM. You can still do this via the "=
downgrade" options in Microsoft licensing deals (whereby you pay for the =
current product and have rights to install the old one of your choice) bu=
t, um, don't you think it would probably be cheaper if you did this via L=
icensing 6.0? Gotcha...
<br>
<br>The alternative that doesn't involve signing up for the revolution (y=
ou didn't really think your board would let you do that anyway, did you?)=
is to buy the OS separately at inflated prices, prepare your own standar=
d disk images (watch out for the licensing police though, if they all win=
d up with the same registration ID) and throw away the XP licences you've=
had to buy from the OEM. Which is what you did with NT 4.0 for a long t=
ime anyway, so you know the ropes, you end up paying Microsoft double-plu=
s for the privilege of not upgrading when Microsoft says jump.
<br>
<br>Of course, if you sign up for Licensing 6.0 now then you'll get all t=
he upgrades you don't want to go with so early free for the period of the=
licence, so you won't have to pay double-plus. But... as several readers=
have already pointed out to us, if the next rev of Windows, Longhorn is =
somewhere between the middle distance/never (which is really what 2004-5 =
amounts to), then there <i>aren't going to be major OS upgrades</i> in th=
e foreseeable future. We're unsure which way round <i>that</i> gotcha goe=
s, but for the corporate buyers being a Microsoft customer usually goes p=
retty like the old cowboy movies. Whether it's the lieutenant or the sarg=
eant who shouts "Indians!", it's always the sargeant who gets the arrow i=
n the chest. So go figure, you'll pay (and you will, you will) for free a=
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