CIO.com: HOWTO Run a Microsoft-Free Shop

"DO YOU FIND that you're incapable of stopping upgrades? Do you spend much of your day patching security holes? Do you have a vague sense that you're spending too much money on software? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you may have become overly dependent on Microsoft. Here's a handy 12-step program to cure your condition.

STEP 1 WE ADMITTED WE WERE POWERLESS TO MANAGE OUR MICROSOFT SOFTWARE.

Many CIOs feel they are in a double bind with Microsoft products. The software itself seems always in need of security patches. The Windows 2000 server, for example, currently has 154 files available for download at Microsoft.com, nearly half of which are security updates.

Windows XP makes things worse. The product's new subscription licensing model has raised the ire of many executives because they feel it forces them into frequent upgrades in order to get their money's worth. But in a recent CIO survey, a majority (65 percent) admitted they weren't considering any alternatives. "A lot of us will just cry foul but then pony up," says one CIO."

Steps Two through Twelve

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