Microsoft faces angry customers

Many university computing managers remain unwilling to switch from Microsoft applications to Lotus or Corel software, though a JISC technology applications subcommittee report has said the sector could save Pounds 10 million a year by doing so.

The online Value for Money Forum hosted by NISS on Monday to discuss the report attracted more than 40 contributions from universities, software vendors and other interested parties including the report's author Alan Robiette. Among reasons given for staying with Microsoft were the cost of staff retraining, and the operating system upgrades that come with Microsoft's Campus Agreement site licence. Microsoft joined the debate to face criticism of its prices and policies, even from institutions which have decided to remain its customers. The forum, which was chaired by THES Digital editor Tony Durham, is at www.niss.ac.uk/vfm/