"Influential IT users in the UK are putting pressure on
the government to launch an inquiry into Microsoft's new licensing
schemes. They allege the software giant is guilty of exploiting its
dominant market position to force its customers to accept steep
price increases.
Despite growing protest, Microsoft has insisted that the changes
will go ahead, leading some IT managers to consider a ban on buying
new Microsoft software.
...IT managers themselves said the new licensing scheme might
put them off buying from Microsoft in future. 'We have no budget to
sign up for Microsoft's new scheme. I'm hoping to get a Linux
server in the door and maybe we'll be able to say goodbye to
Microsoft,' said the IT manager of an international recruitment
firm. Another said that if the schemes resulted in too much expense
and inconvenience, his company would 'think twice about
Microsoft'."