Software Assurance has outlived its usefulness. The farther we get into this [new upgrade cycle], the less attractive SA has begun to look.

245

I generally have a problem with Microsoft limiting software to those people who buy SA, ... And this is strange. Microsoft says that unless you pay a premium [by signing up with SA] you can't use this [single disk image] to deploy our product? That's just a way to irritate customers.

214

That statement suggests that the whole enchilada is on the table. But that's simply impossible. It would mark a huge and strange departure for Microsoft, far beyond anything required.

194

It looks like they're loading SA up with benefits that won't cost Microsoft much, ... Some of these are just not going to be accessed by many customers. That kind of cheap benefit only makes the list looks longer.

146

Vista is, I hope, the last time that Microsoft labors so long, misses so many ship dates, and revises so many features midstream.

146

Frankly, there's very little upside for Office in developed markets. The market share [for Office] is so high, there's just not much room to grow.

127

[At least one analyst was unimpressed.] Software Assurance has outlived its usefulness, ... The farther we get into this [new upgrade cycle], the less attractive SA has begun to look.

109

That's the most important new benefit, ... the additional technical support hours and the elimination of some of the caveats and restrictions on support.

109

In theory, you would have people buying computers with XP Home in 2006, and it would immediately have to be upgraded. There are also a lot of consumers with older hardware who would have to buy a new computer to be secure.

81