>SNIP
>>
>>1) A New Pro User version, full-price
>>2) A Standard Upgrade version, half of that price, issued like the vfp8 EULA
>>3) A Pro "Continuous" Version (for lack of a better word, at the moment), a price perhaps $100 more than #2, but would allow existing users to upgrade and still retain previous versions.
>
>Well they came close - about $100. more in the basic prices from last version, seems to me, all without an option 3.
>
>But the real kicker for me (and most, I hazard) is that this EULA change has been virtually UNKNOWN by anybody until someone stumbled upon it! This when MS is "building community". A fine way to treat a community. And a finer way to build trust in that same community.

Yep, I've heard & read rumors about plans by MS to do assorted nasty things to customers - but I never heard (or even could possibly imagine) this scheme. Quite surprising, it is, and as I think we agree, "seemingly" very poorly thought-out.

Though one never can be quite sure just what the motivation is in these cases until after a period of time. Often parties (in financial-negotiations, e.g.) throw "bargaining chips" on the table, which they never intend to actually permanently fulfill, but then switch to something else (like my plan, or maybe even just the $100 price increase :-)

So then, when all is said & done, it seems like the losers (er, I meant "users") are actually winning a nice concession when the deal is closed < s >