Hi Craig,

>There is so much confusion over the new licensing plan that I suggest you call MS and ask them.
>

One of the reasons for my confusion is that there is barely a mention of upgrades on Microsoft's Licensing web site. "Upgrade" isn't even in the glossary. I did find this in an InfoWorld article:

"There is a fair amount of confusion on this, and we own that," acknowledges Rebecca LaBrunerie, program manager of Microsoft's worldwide licensing group. "One of the misperceptions is that customers cannot continue to buy retail upgrades or OEM licenses after July 31. Those are still viable options. These customers should do the business analysis to decide if Software Assurance is right for them. If at any point the answer is no, they can take a look at other options, including retail upgrades, OEM licenses, or just doing nothing for the time being."

After reading the Advisor article, I can see why people are getting upset. Over a 3 year period, most will pay around 87% of the original price, versus the 40%-60% normally charged for upgrades now. By current standards, they are likely to receive only one upgrade during that period, although I expect that to go up. In any case, I think we'll stick with retail.

>>I just read an article in e-Biz Advisor about MS Licensing 6.0, but it didn't mention how it affects small businesses like ours that don't do volume licensing. Will upgrade pricing still be available for single copy purchases, such as when VFP 8.0 is released? If so, what prevents someone with a volume license from picking up the (presumably cheaper) "upgrade" version at a local retailer?
>>
>>Thanks.