Microsoft timetables Windows NT demise

NT customers angered by move...

Microsoft has set the dates for the gradual termination of its Windows NT Server 4.0 product line, beginning in July next year. The company is phasing out the product to free itself from supporting an ancient mountain of corporate customers. Not surprisingly, corporates are not pleased with the move which aims to increase upgrades to Windows 2000 products, according to senior Ovum analyst Neil Macehiter. Macehiter said: "This move helps Microsoft, not its enterprise customers. Corporates will have evaluated the potential benefits of upgrading to Windows. "If a corporate has stayed on NT 4.0 it's probably for perfectly good business reasons." From 1 July 2002 the software's Standard, Enterprise and Terminal Server editions will no longer be available through its reselling channel or through the direct OEM channel. On 1 July 2003 sales of the Standard edition the System Builder channel will cease. Support for Windows NT will also change from free to pay-per-problem for users wishing to access hot fixes from 1 January 2003. By 1 January 2004 users will no longer be able to get pay-per-incident cover, Premier support services or hot fixes. Finally, from 1 January 2005 the last stand for help with Windows NT will disappear.