Microsoft kills volume rebates in name of 'transparency' Microsoft is updating its pricing approach for Online Services in Enterprise Agreements in the name of consistency and transparency, but could leave some customers paying more. Microsoft is reducing the value of partner benefits Microsoft facing multibillion legal claim over how it sells software READ MORE Many customers, …
I applaud your courageous decision to treat business users with the same contempt that you show for home users. I'm sure they will appreciate saving time on negotiations and so won't think about value for money.
I presume that you'll also stop trying to bribe^Wretain customers. "Thinking of moving to FOSS? OK, bye."
They won't. I kept warning ours fully cloud will be more expensive, I was ignored and the consultants they kept referring to were lying, every 2 weeks we had our meetings. "It won't be more expensive and you'll probably save money getting rid of the old kit". A year later with prices rising they get more bills "Why aren't we saving money, in fact its more expensive." I smirked and just kept quiet. As always the consultants wormed their way out of it "Of course it will be more expensive".
It only it were that easy! It probably IS for those of us who know computers (even vaguely), but the reality is that Microsoft knows they have businesses by the short and curlies.
The world is heading towards the moment when it is run by a handful of huge mega-corporations that cannot be controlled and exist only to increase their own profits and wealth and screw Humanity in the process.
Yes, I know, rather dramatic. But consider the point forty years ago.
Back then, they would have been the words of a crackpot.
Twenty years ago: A reckless claim.
Ten years ago: Unlikely.
Now: Look at the evolution of the mega-corp over the last fort years...
We also need to fight for right to repair. Back in the lates 80s or early 90s our TV in the backroom stopped working. Old skool 80s/90s CRT. Family friend came round with her electrician husband. He opened the back and the schematics were there in the back of the case.he traced the fault with the help of the schematic. Fixed it, TV carried on working for years.
Now, not only is everything almost unrepairable, but they actively make everything really difficult to repair to force you into buying new. Worse are the companies where you buy kit with no subscription, then they change their model half a year later, force a firmware update, bricking your unit until you pay for the new subscription model. And they have lobbied so hard in the US, they've made it illegal for you to teach others how to unbrick that kit. Look up Louis Rossman and his recent "clippy" movement.
Microsoft are basically saying "Don't waste our time, nor yours, trying to negotiate or work out how to get it cheaper. That's our price, take it or leave it."
Which reminds me of a sign in our local chippy, at a time when Burger King's advertising thrust was 'Have it your way':
"We're not Burger King - you have it my way or not at all!"
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