Gary is a technology consultant who helps his customers implement and use technology in their businesses. As part of that gig, he resells Microsoft software. Today, he has a very specific gripe about the company.

Gary subscribes to Microsoft Action Pack, "a complete set of not-for-resale (NFR) Microsoft software programs that Microsoft's partners can use to help their own people fully understand -- and thus sell and maintain -- Microsoft software," he explains. The software and all the other sales resources offered through the program requires resellers to register, complete an online course, take an assessment, and pay an annual subscription fee.

[ Previously on Gripe Line, a Microsoft customer went through a similar ordeal: "Forced to leave his (Microsoft) Money behind" | Frustrated by tech support? Get answers in InfoWorld's Gripe Line newsletter. ]

"Microsoft sends us (or used to) a nice book with all the software on DVD," says Gary. "The company also ships us quarterly updates. These include new releases, marketing and service how-to guides, and other sales aids. The cost is $300 per year."

Gary has been happy with the program -- till recently. "Last month," he says, "Microsoft changed the program to digital delivery. Now they don't send us anything at all. I have to go to the Action Pack Web site and download anything I want. Keep in mind, this is some 30 DVDs' worth of software and content." That is not an insignificant task for an already stretched IT team.

"This is an excellent cost saving for Microsoft," Gary points out. Indeed, it saves the company the cost of the paper, printing, disks, and disk reproduction, as well as shipping. "But Microsoft didn't bother to share the savings with its partners," he says.

Gary estimates that Microsoft's cost for delivering this product went from thousands -- if not millions -- of dollars to something closer to zero. Meanwhile, the effort he has to put into using the product increased, "but the price I pay is unchanged at $300 per year," he says. Now, if Gary wants a hard copy of the printed materials that he can pass around the office as he has in the past, he'll need to pay an additional $200 per year -- a hefty price increase to maintain the status quo.

"If I pulled something like this on my customers," he says, "they'd throw me out of the building." So Gary called Microsoft to complain. "Their response was, basically, 'We are sorry you don't like it, would you like to renew your subscription now?'"

Got gripes? Send them to christina_tynan-wood@infoworld.com.