Analysts have urged users to take extra care when buying
extended support for software from Microsoft following a week in
which the software giant changed its stated support policy on two
operating systems.
With Windows NT 4.0 no longer being developed, Microsoft has
announced that standard support for the operating system would be
extended until the end of 2004. Support was previously due to end
on 31 December 2003. Hot-fix support for Windows 98 was also
extended by six months to 16 January 2004.
Michael Silver, an analyst at Gartner, warned users that if they
are not careful they may find themselves paying extra for support
they do not need. Since Microsoft was willing to change policy to
meet customer demands, Silver said users might pay up-front for
extended support that they then find is not required due to a
policy change from Microsoft.
Silver said, "Some Gartner clients have already paid for extended
support for NT 4.0 Workstation into 2005." With the changes in
policy, these extended support agreements are no longer required.
Silver urged users to include clauses in their support contracts
with software suppliers that allow them to take advantage of future
policy changes.
Mark Blower, senior researcher at analyst firm Butler Group, said
any change in a support policy would affect the original support
contract. "Users are paying a premium for extended support," he
said. "In the light of the recent changes, users have to question
whether extended support is the best option."
Lars Ahlgren, senior marketing manager at Microsoft, said he
recognised that users expect Microsoft to stick with its published
timeline for stopping support. But in the company's defence he
said, "We are being flexible to customers' needs."