Why are Microsoft Customers Scared of Criticising Microsoft?

gsfprez asks: "This article documents the stories of three Microsoft customers (organizations that voluntarily buy Microsoft products) who are clearly unhappy with the product offerings of Microsoft - but are simultaneously petrified of this fact being made public. My question to the crowd is not regarding the subject matter of the article: rather, I want to know what is it that could scare a company away from telling a product vendor that they are unhappy and merely *considering* not buying their next product? Fear of reprisal (in the form of a software audit) is simple extortion...no? More ethereally - do we actually live in a world where MS not only 'demands' you buy their new products, but appears to have people pissing their pants at the thought of doing otherwise?"

Comments

Why are Microsoft Customers Scared?!

[alfaiomega]

I don't use a single byte made by Microsoft, and still I'm scared of criticising them. Why? They're evil, that's why! I usually don't criticise Satan as well. Hey, they're all great! Now, that's why I really don't criticise! Yeah, that's why!

Light bulb

[red_dragon]

Q: How many Microsoft Customers does it take to replace a light bulb?

A: None. They all were audited by Microsoft and forced to pay out of their noses for upgrades to Microsoft Light Bulb, so it has already been replaced.