> One of the problems is as follows:
>
> 1) Company decides on Exchange
> 2) Company therefore decided on Outlook
> 3) Company therefore is locked into Windows, or an outdated version of
> Outlook for MacOS
> 4) Company is then locked out of using anything else on the desktop
without
> ditching all the software they bought for the Windows systems, and
Outlook,
> and Exchange
>
>
> It /is/ Microsofts business model, tie as many things together with
> proprietary protocols/"standards" and you've just locked a company into
> windows by choosing *one* product.
>
> On the other hand, you can use a UNIX variant, and *gasp* they can all
> communicate, using standardized protocols, usually without any problem
> whatsoever.
>
> Microsoft interoperates where the dollar value outweighs the lock-them-in
> philosophy, and even then they muck with it (email, html, pop3, etc)
>

Let's not forget the (essentailly) 'forced`, and I'm certain expensive
upgrades. For example I heard a rumor thru some folks at the U that MS was
going to be dropping support for Win2k within the next year or so?
Unconfirmed of course, but not suprising. It's pretty much a regular thing
it seems. For all I know it could be their justification to the users or
whoever to go with XP on some new machines. With these new 'os' they of
course can sell books and training too!! sure, you can run with what you got
for a long time I expect, but when you have trouble, the last thing you want
to see is "EOL" or some such.
I think the BIGGEST problem is the people though. I was at one place, 30
users, 1" office walls, white boards on every office door, a 'sign in and
out' whiteboard by the door. They use a calendar app on the server, which
has been known  to cause a reaction similar to "the sky is falling" if it's
not working.Now the're getting new laptops and palms besides. I mean REALLY.
Your tax/tuition dollars at work. Does anyone remember the original idea
that computers were supposed to work for US, not the other way around? A
palm and a laptop? What, take the palm to the bathroom, record any cell
calls while in there and sync to the laptopwhen you get back to the
desk/car, then sync with the server back at the office? Hhahah!

-mj