“Enterprise customers face a 50 per cent hike in their Microsoft
budgets each year until 2002, a Gartner Group study has warned.
The study stated: ‘Although Microsoft pricing will remain
ostensibly flat, enterprises using Microsoft software should expect
to pay 50 per cent more a year as a result of changes to terms and
conditions.’ “
“The study added: “We believe Microsoft will increasingly use
changes related to usage as a means of increasing revenue.’ Thomas
Bittman, an analyst at Gartner, noted Microsoft contracts include
terms that allow it to change usage entitlements at will.”