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Join Honorio Padrón, of The Hackett Group, who will share the drivers for companies to tackle application rationalization and the results of research that define the hidden cost of complexity. Additionally, we will discuss key decision milestones—to start or not, holding the course steady and fulfilling expectations.

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Windows 7 Upgrades: Why Microsoft's 25-Free Deal Stinks

Need to buy 100 PCs today? Microsoft says businesses can only have free upgrades to Windows 7 on 25 of those machines. In this opinion piece, CIO.com's Shane O'Neill says businesses should just say no to this "deal" — and pressure PC makers to help out.

 

July 01, 2009CIO

On one hand, Microsoft may seem generous for allowing companies to upgrade 25 purchased machines to Windows 7 for free between now and the Oct. 22 planned ship date for the new OS. After all, that's five times the amount of free licenses that it offered companies for Vista upgrades three years ago.

Slideshow: Windows 7 in Pictures: 10 Cool Desktop Features

But that was a different time, a better economy. These days, the 25 PCs gesture is not enough.

It's not enough, because Vista was a debacle for early adopters. Vista didn't deliver on its promises and caused businesses stress and anxiety, forcing many to make do with the more solid, albeit aging, Windows XP.

Although I think there's too many rants out there on the Web now about how all the long-suffering Vista users should get Windows 7 for free forever, heck, with a new car thrown in, I do think businesses are owed better and cheaper access to Windows 7 because of Vista's failure in the enterprise.

I also think the 25-PC limit should not be tolerated because of our crippling economic downturn and because it's a sneaky tactic by Microsoft to get companies to pay up for a Software Assurance agreement, which costs $100 - $150 per machine for unlimited upgrades at no additional cost for three years.

Microsoft kept the 25-PC limit in very fine print when it announced its free Windows 7 Upgrade Option plan last week.

Only the smallest of companies will not be affected by the PC limit; companies that need to buy, say 100 PCs right now, will have to pay for Windows twice (Vista initially and then the license for Windows 7 when it releases) for 75 of them. As PCWorld's David Coursey asks: Why pay now and pay later?

What are companies' other options? You can wait until Oct. 22 to buy new machines with Windows 7 pre-loaded, though being forced to wait to make needed purchase in a recession is lame. Companies could spend extra money on a Software Assurance agreement and then buy however many machines they want and get free upgrades (that's what Microsoft wants).

Or, companies could fight the system, using PC makers as allies (what Microsoft most definitely does not want).

In a report titled "Enterprises Should Demand Windows Upgrade Option", Gartner research director Michael Silver slams Microsoft's 25-PC Windows 7 upgrade limit, emphasizing that businesses still have the right to bypass Microsoft and negotiate with PC makers that have leverage in this area.

 
 
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WHITE PAPERS

Upgrading to VMware vSphere with vWire

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Practical Approaches for Securing Web Applications

Enterprises understand the importance of securing web applications to protect critical corporate and customer data. What many don't understand, is how to implement a robust process for integrating security and risk management throughout the web application software development lifecycle.
 

An Executive's Guide to Web Application Security

Since so many Web sites contain vulnerabilities, hackers can leverage a relatively simple exploit to gain access to a wealth of sensitive information, such as credit card data, social security numbers and health records. It's more important than ever to examine your Web application security, assess your vulnerability and take action to protect your business.
 

Web Application Vulnerabilities

Security managers may work for midsize or large organizations; they may operate from anywhere on the globe. But inevitably, they share a common goal: to better manage the risks associated with their business infrastructure. Increasingly, Web application security plays a significant role in achieving that goal.
 

Retooling IT for a Mobile Workforce

Check out this research note from IDC for guidance.
 

Oracle Accelerate

Ovum has been following Oracle's Accelerate program over the last couple of years because they thought it is a smart strategy for penetrating the upper mid-market.
 

WEBCASTS

Smart techniques for application security: whitebox + blackbox security testing.

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CIOs Weigh In On Virtualization

Date: November 19, 2009 Time: 2:00 PM EST

Jim Malone, Editorial Director of CXO Media's C...
 

Architecting Business Intelligence Applications for Change: The Open Solution

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