jvollmer@visi.com
* Ken Schneider (kschneider@rtsx.com) [030407 11:24]: ->> > ->> > <http://www.infoworld.com/article/03/04/07/HNballmer_1.html> ->> ->> Well, if nothing else, this says that they're very worried because how often ->> does Ballmer pay personal visits to clients? I am suspicious about the ->> "confidential" nature of the meeting - could there be some back room dealing ->> going on here? It wouldn't surprise me in the least. ->> ->> I seem to remember something about a mandate for the public sector to use OSS, ->> but I can't remember the specifics. Hmmmm! -> ->As the article points out, if M$ loses Munich others will soon follow. I ->would think that M$ is giving Munich (officials?) some hefty pocket ->change in order to get them to stay with M$. Why else would there be a ->closed meeting. We all know M$ will get it all (and then some) back in ->the end and M$ has V E R Y deep pockets.
I guess this means it's not only the U.S. Government that can be bought for the right price. ;)
As I see it, this battle is over. Governments everywhere know that they can extort millions from Microsoft. How many more years can MS continue this pattern of paying people to use their products? As time goes by, this sort of clout will fall into the hands of smaller and smaller entities. Imagine SB & BG flying from one school board or church-group to the next to stop the bleeding. Unless they change their business-model, they're doomed. -- JAY VOLLMER JVOLLMER@VISI.COM TEXT REFS DOUBLEPLUSUNGOOD SELFTHINK VERGING CRIMETHINK IGNORE FULLWISE