. . am preparing an article for my Web site.

Ladies / Gentlemen:

As a business technology influencer, directly to nearly 200 companies, and indirctly to thousands of businesses through my popular business technology Web site, I will be recommending that all businesses avoid purchasing from Office Depot.

The reason for this is simple: your enforcement of the "Designed for Windows XP" logo program hands Microsoft, already convicted on 8 counts of abusing a monopoly, additional monopoly leverage to drive competing products from the market. This is simply bad for purchasers of business technology, encouraging yet higher prices for Microsoft products and yet lower margins for those who sell them.

Unable to sell in volume without the Logo, hardware manufacturers and software publishers will be at Microsoft's mercy. Microsoft is the only issuer of the logo and can thus eliminate any product they don't like for competitive reasons. Also, as they have in the past (see both federal and Caldera antitrust suits), Microsoft will suggest, off the record or under nondisclosure agreement, that Logo approval might be a lot quicker and easier if support for Apple and/or Linux is discontinued.

I realize you have probably moved to make the XP Logo mandatory under pressure from Microsoft, and that your nondisclosure agreement forbids you to admit to that pressure, but sometimes it pays to grow a spine.

I look forward to hearing that you have withdrawn the program. Meanwhile, I'm preparing an article for my Web site.

Thank you for your attention.