Microsoft Corp will change its sales policies next month to let clients pay for fewer copies of some programs, less than a year after a new plan raised some prices and angered customers.
The changes affect several programs such as Microsoft's database application, said Harley Sitner, a Microsoft senior product manager.
The price of the basic Windows server operating-system software isn't being changed.
Microsoft, the world's biggest software maker, made the changes amid competition from the lower-priced Linux operating system, and database programs from International Business Machines Corp (IBM) and Oracle Corp.
Last August, Microsoft switched to a new sales plan that raised prices for many clients, causing some to consider rivals such as Linux.
"They want to rebuild customer trust, and they are gearing up for competing with other software vendors on how they will license software," said Alvin Park, an analyst at market researcher Gartner Inc.
"It's something they needed to do to be competitive with Oracle and IBM," he said.
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