[Wolves] MS tightens the screw

[Peter Cannon]

On Wednesday 05 April 2006 22:55, Shane M. Coughlan wrote:

> I don't really think they did.  Some news agencies are trying to spin it
> that way, but what Michala Alexander, Microsoft's head of anti-piracy,
> actually said was: "We want to urge all system builders ? indeed, all
> Partners ? not to supply naked PCs. It is a risk to your customers and a
> risk to your business ? with specifically 5 percent fewer opportunities
> to market software and services."

??? The above is an exact copy, with the section I reproduced in this thread 
that I started.

I see no *Spin* here but a verbatim record of the statement made.

Microsoft have a history of exerting pressure on resellers and system builders 
to only supply MS OS based machines, the threat of withdrawal of MS 
authorised reseller status is very real and like it or not paramount to most 
businesses it the IT market.

The MS stable of products are used by a huge proportion of UK businesses, for 
most resellers it is prerequisite to hold an MS reseller status losing that 
status can have a huge impact when competing for new business.

The word risk is a euphemism for behave or else.

The 5% fewer opportunities means 5% less for MS and they cant allow that 
happen.

-- 
Regards
Peter Cannon
"There is every excuse for not knowing
there is no excuse for not asking"