You have a point - MS loves you for it. The problem is not all companies can afford to continualy pay for software. Your 'Great Idea' is what MS has been pushing toward for the past few years - and it sucks. Any vender would love if everyone paided them a large fee monthly per client for the OS and additional fees for each and every application you put on your system. Then some larger fee for the server software, maybe a software fee for getting on the net.

But what do we get for it? If the code expires automaticly there is no need to send it out right in the first place. The next package is due next month and it will be great!!! When the next package comes due and it is not secured yet - ship it the problems can always be fixed later. BUT now the package you have does not work. You have spent the time to install and train your users on the old version, but hey it expired. Cant use it anymore!!!! Time to start retraining all your users, and get to class yourself! what if the replacement wont run on your systems? TOO BAD the old ver is expired, go buy new hardware.

As it is now: People get the security they are willing to put the time/money in getting. Joe Schmo does not upgrade the clients on his network, Jim Bo does. Joe gets waxed out more frequently than Jim, WHAT A SUPRISE! A better solution would be for JOE to apply the patches and stop whining.

Your solution would level the field. (We would ALL be open for attack equaly.) But I dont think it is a win.



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Link to this comment: http://www.securityfocus.com/comments/columns/72/11615#11615