Many corporate users of Microsoft's Windows operating systems are
refusing to disrupt their upgrade cycles to keep up with the
software maker's cycle of version releases.
Some are even considering abandoning the server operating system
because of constant upgrades, according to a new survey by
IDC.
IDC surveyed more than 300 IT managers known to be Windows NT or
Windows 2000 users.
The survey found Windows users were in no hurry to roll out Windows
XP for desktops or the forthcoming server software release, Windows
.Net Server. Cost and the technical burden of upgrading computer
systems were cited as reasons for not upgrading. IDC also noted
that most customers were still working to get Windows 2000 systems
rolled out.
"Users say their movement to Microsoft's latest operating systems
will proceed on their schedule, not on Microsoft's," said Al
Gillen, a systems analyst with IDC.
"Three out of four companies report they are only at the beginning
stages of this adoption process with many smaller organisations
further along than larger companies," the report noted.
This will be a blow to Microsoft, which is heavily promoting its
Licence 6.0 software upgrade strategy to users. The software giant
maintains that 30% of users will be better off under the new
regime, but critics say that, for some, costs will more than
double.
Late last year Laura DiDio, research director at analyst group
Giga, said Microsoft was anxious to boost its software licensing
revenue stream and warned that only organisations taking an
aggressive attitude to Microsoft would save money.
The government's Office of Government Commerce (OGC) is demanding a
deal from Microsoft that will offer better value for money than its
current contracts. The OGC's chief executive Peter Gershon said
Microsoft's new licensing scheme would cost the UK government an
extra £60m a year - enough to fund a fully equipped, medium-sized
hospital.
The OGC hinted that it might look for alternatives to Microsoft and
the IDC survey found 15% of those polled said that demands to keep
upgrading corporate systems provided the incentive to Linux and
Unix.
"For 15% of customers to be unhappy with a policy Microsoft is
setting is not a good sign," said Gillen.
Among the customers surveyed who are upgrading to Windows 2000, IDC
found that Microsoft's directory services software, Active
Directory, was proving a drag on the upgrade process. The survey
found 36% of respondents had delayed Windows 2000 roll-outs because
of the difficulties associated with implementing Active Directory.
"Plans to use Active Directory are extremely high. The problem is
that actually doing it is still sometimes difficult and time
consuming," Gillen said
IDC found that corporate customers, as expected, were cautiously
upgrading to Windows XP, with many waiting for the desktop
operating system to become more stable.
Microsoft has already released a patch for a major hole in the
operating system that left users vulnerable to hackers. "Business
users typically have concerns about a new Microsoft product,"
Gillen said. "They want to wait for those things to happen and get
fixed."
Giga: be ready to call Microsoft's bluff >>