Support, Licensing Web Sites Updated

Updates to two Web sites will make it easier for customers to get self-serve support and view licensing rules for their Microsoft software. The sites, one maintained by Microsoft’s Customer Service and Support Group and the other by its Worldwide Licensing Products Group, still have a few shortcomings, but are substantial improvements that make it easier for customers to get relevant information and reduce the likelihood that they will encounter outdated information.

Product Licensing Web Site

A new Web site for volume licensing customers solves several common problems they face, including the following:

Complex documentation. Rules about purchasing, deploying, and using software are not spelled out in the software itself. Instead, volume software licensing is governed partly by Microsoft’s Product Use Rights (PUR), outlined in a long document (97 pages as of fall 2004) that is updated quarterly. The PUR is supplemented by the Volume Licensing Products (VLP) list, a complex 90-page document that is updated monthly, and by ad hoc licensing briefs that address still other licensing issues. To fully understand the licensing rules that apply to them, customers need to consult all of these documents and understand licensing features such as upgrade options.