Microsoft math: dual core licensed as one chip

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Interpretations change with Technology and so will Licenseing and Pricing.: The logical paths through this situation are not that complex. But new technology and changeing interpretations of the utility of new tech like
multi core processors, OS\NOS virtualisation products etc will change the way people view the value that these new IT products represent and the ways that these products can or should be licensed.

The old logic of a per processor/per OS/NOS
copy license ( or a site license where you run
multiple copies on many systems) could be usefull
but perhaps only in the sense of analogy
as new IT tech and interpretations can and will
change over time. If Microsoft changes it's stance in the future, licenseing and priceing of
OS/NOS product will change (other players will follow suit). This could affect hardware priceing as well in the future.

It depends on how you view multi core
( or even multi OS support in the case of virtualisation ) processors in the sense of how
much is invested in the development\delivery of
hardware\systems with that kind of utility\capability
i.e. A software developer may legitimately
attempt to maximise their ROI for providing
multi-core support in their OS/NOS kernel.
So there is legitimacy to chargeing more for
OS/NOS product but again the markets will
drive and control how developers
license their software.

So once we have multi core capable systems
does this mean people can charge more for
the hardware ? Yes it does but again the market
will rule ( follow the lead of the major players and their moves ).

From my perspective and training a computer system
delivers utility to a user whoever that might be.
It could be one user per system\application or a
one to many or many to many relationship.
But whether our system is single user or multi user it shouldn't matter what kind of hardware
platform the OS/NOS runs on ( general analogy
only ).

So one or many users see the utility delivered
by one system and the same copy of the particular
OS/NOS used regardless of whether the system uses
a single core processor, multi core, SMP or whatever. So I basically agree with Microsofts approach as per a per processor\copy license
whether we have a single or multi core.

We have to recognise the possibility that Microsoft will change stance in future as
markets and tehcnology changes.

The issue as I see it is NOT " How many Cores"
BUT "How much extra performance does the user see
?". You can say "extra performance" or extra functionality and\or capability which are all closely related. Providing more capability,
utility\functionality and performance has always been a legitimate ground for chargeing more.

Basically developers, OEMs etc have a right to
charge more for providing MORE theoretically
( and we need good industry benchmarks and standards to assess claims of MORE capability\performance , functionality and utility [end product] for new product).
i.e. more for a multi user license or a site copy
license, more for multi core capability etc.

OS/NOS virtualisation is a little more tricky
BUT again how much extra utility, capability\functionality and performance does the user see. Again developers have grounds for chargeing more and virtualisation allows multiple copies and different OSes to be run so again this can affect the price of capable hardware and how
OS/NOS products are licensed for use on a system like this.

Technology, interpretations, licenseing and
priceing will keep changeing with the markets.
As the major players move so will all these things.

I am like anyone else and look forward to the lowest possible prices so I can enjoy the best and latest IT products available. It can look like an inextricable tangle but the issues
are quite clear if you think it through
carefully ( make an educated assessment ).

Who knows what the future will bring.
Future IT issues may be even more
convoluted and even harder to resolve.
The one thing we can rely on is the certainty
of change.

The move towards more parrallel processor
structures away from the old Von Neumann
serial processing ( which we left behind some time ago now - we have both kinds of processing
going on in our systems simultaneously now so we are leaning towards more parrallel processing)
and towards multi core technology, OS/NOS virtualisation, hyper threading, SMP etc.,
is an exciting one and we will see all kinds of
improvements in utility and performance for our IT systems.

The new systems and processors may then be able to achieve far more at lower core speeds and
use less power to yield even greater savings
and ROI for IT users. New chip fab technology and
better parrallel processor architectures will play a key role in all this and the systems of the future will bring together the best of many technologies such as optics and ever improving forms of chip substrate fab technology and electronics etc..

The current changes herald the beginning of some exciting new changes which will bear fruit in coming years. Nomatter what the situation we continue to live in exciting and interesting times.

Mark Eastaugh; Posted by: webgecko Posted on: 10/19/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use