re: mul - to pillman This whole Microsoft License Agreement...

re: mul - to pillman This whole Microsoft License Agreement thing is just hype. What MUL have entered into is an agreement to provide Microsoft products on an ASP (Application Service Provider) basis. This means MUL buy the licenses and store the products on their own servers. Clients then rent time. The whole ASP methodology was brought up as the next best thing in the tech-bubble, and everyone was talking about it. It was a dismal failure as providers didn't realise the reasons companies did not want to take it up. The reasons are still valid, and I believe MUL will have a hard time making much out of it.

As for the agreement, it is hardly an exclusive right, in fact, any company can apply for the right to provide this service on the Internet (printed below). In the announcement it mentioned that MUL and Microsoft would jointly advertise and start a pilot program, however, some investigation shows that Telstra performed a pilot program in 2000 in conjunction with Microsoft, which proved unsuccessful.

Alot of success depends on the psyche of businesses in their need for ASP (or bureau) services, but I think it's still too early, and also think a company like MUL, based on past history, is not up to it anyway. Of course, alot of share appreciation can be gained by bandying around large names like Microsoft, but the reality is, its not such a big coup, and it will be up to MUL to work very hard in making a success out of selling software (or rights to its use) and that is no easy feat.

Cheers

The Microsoft Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) Is Now Available Worldwide

The Services Provider Licensing Agreement (SPLA) enables services providers to license Microsoft products on a monthly basis. The program is designed to emulate how service providers do business - providing services on a monthly fee to their end-customers.

Who needs the SPLA?

This license program is designed for all software services providers. Some examples of software services providers include Web hosters, application services providers, messaging and/or collaboration services providers, platform infrastructure providers, streaming media service providers and ISVs with hosted applications running on Microsoft technologies. This SPLA license provides 3rd party commercial use rights to service providers, who will be the holder of these Microsoft licenses, and the end customers receiving this software service are not required to obtain their own Microsoft software licenses. End customers receive the right to interact with functionalities of Microsoft software through the services provider's SPLA licenses. Service Providers cannot use FPP, Open, Select or EA licenses purchased in their name to provide software services.