Users to pay for NT 4 support

摘要

Microsoft has been generous with its customers in terms of extending Server NT 4.0 support, according to some analysts, but others argue the company isn't doing anyone any favours by prolonging the inevitable. The Redmond, Wash., company said last January that it would extend support until Dec. 31 for the server operating system, largely in response to customer requests to keep it in service. Microsoft will now offer a fee-based support program until the end of 2006. Jordan Chrysafidis, director of Windows server systems at Microsoft Canada, said NT 4 was the company's first enterprise server product that had real resonance with customers. Gordon Haff, senior analyst with Illuminata, agreed that NT 4 was a turning point and Microsoft's "first solid beach head into being a real enterprise server OS."