A Problem with this Offer?

[Colin Barnhorst]

Don't believe everything you read about Express Upgrade offers.

See: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16832116179

Is there a problem with this offer?

Notice that it is labeled as "XP Professional x64 Edition with SP2b..."
SP2b? Impossible. No way. Messed up. SP2b is the service pack 2 roll up
for x86 for OEM's. SP2 for Windows Server 2003 and XP Pro x64 is still in
release candidate. The product NewEgg describes simply does not exist.

"w/Upgrade Coupon for Vista - OEM." According to
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/expressupgrade.mspx only XP
Tablet, XP Pro, and XP MCE are elibible for the upgrade coupon. It sure
doesn't list XP Pro x64.

It gets worse. NewEgg also offers an upgrade coupon for XP Home SP2b, which
is NOT listed as eligible on the Microsoft page at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/expressupgrade.mspx.

Somebody doesn't have it right and consumers are sure not getting good
information.

If you are thinking of buying XP Home with the thought that you will get an
express ugrade coupon for Vista, better check with Microsoft before you buy
from one of these distributors to make sure such upgrade coupons actually
exist.

Colin Barnhorst
Microsoft MVP - Virtual Machine

 

[Mike Hall - MS MVP Windows Shell/User]

Caveat Emptor as always, Colin..

 

[Chad Harris]

Along the same lines:

http://blogs.chron.com/techblog/arc...r_windows_vista_microsoft_would_rather_1.html

CH

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

I hope January brings some better communications all around. People are
buying XP OEM to get Express Coupons for Vista when they would be much
better off buying VISTA OEM outright at the end of January. But people
don't think about these things. Of course they would be even better served
by buying Vista retail editions, but its hard to get them to look ahead to
that next computer, and so on.

 

[Peter M]

Even worse with some of these "express upgrade" retailers is that buried in
fine print where it's not "expressed' outright, is that the upgrade only
applies to the XP OS being bought with a PC.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

The famous fine print.

btw, there is a program for North America for purchasers of retail XP and/or
Office after 10/26. See:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/techguarantee/northamerica.mspx

 

[Mike Hall - MS MVP Windows Shell/User]

The titles on books have become fine print for me.. must get some new
readers..

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

I remember when we called them "glasses."

 

[Mike Hall - MS MVP Windows Shell/User]

Getting too old to remember that we called them 'glasses'..

 

[Chad Harris]

Colin with all objectivity, MSFT deserves a C- for not sitting their people
down and making a very clear map and monitoring the newsgroups and tying
together clear answers to all the questions we're seeing and the insightful
glitches you're noticing. I noticed too that a lot of the MSFT Watch
professionals are highlighting this in one way another as well in general
and specific terms. See:

For Microsoft, 2006 Ends on a High Note, but Challenges Remain
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/while_2006_is_ending_on.html


Quoted:

Peter GalliWhile 2006 is ending on a relative high note for Microsoft given
that it managed to get Vista, Office 2007 and Exchange 2007 out of the door,
the company still faces many challenges going into 2007.


I spoke to a couple of analysts about what they saw as Microsoft's biggest
successes and failures this past year, what the major milestones were for
the year and what challenges lay ahead. This is what they had to say:

Rob Enderle, the principal analyst at the Enderle Group


Biggest success/milestones:


(1) The deal Redmond struck with Novell around interoperability and patent
protection.
(2) Getting Vista released to manufacturing.

Biggest failures:


(1) The delays in getting Windows Vista out the door; missing the 2006
holiday buying season.
(2) The delays reminded hardware manufacturers just how dependent they were
on Microsoft and started them talking about finding alternatives to create
the same dynamic they created with AMD to correct a similar problem with
Intel.
(3) Its poor image.

Biggest challenges:


(1) Improving its performance against its strongest competitors, Apple and
Google.
(2) Addressing the company's long-term inability to do demand-generation
marketing.
(3) Creating a stable and coordinated group in its people-facing positions,
which are critical to maintaining relationships during difficult times.

Michael Cherry, lead analyst for Microsoft at Directions on Microsoft


Biggest success/milestones:


(1) Shipping of new versions of its flagship Windows and Office products
(2) Progress on some ongoing efforts, such as security, with better
availability of information and an improved delivery of patches through the
security response center.

Biggest failures:


(1) Microsoft's inability to clearly articulate key messages, such as the
explanation of the agreement with Novell.
(2) The lack of clear explanation of what Office and Windows Live really are
and which pieces constitute really new and revolutionary approaches and new
services.
(3) Not being clear enough in sharing information about when products will
be completed and what they will include.
(4) Marketing themes, like "People Ready," are too generic.

Biggest challenges:


(1) Some process and logistical issues have to be fixed. Calling a premature
beta or release candidate a technology preview does not speed up the
development process or improve the quality.
(2) The Live pieces made public so far are confusing.
(3) The services really only work with the latest version of Microsoft's
browser. A company that thinks it can offer Web-based services to only those
with the latest version of Internet Explorer doesn't get the whole premise
of Web-based services.
(4) Having its services support all browsers currently in use.

I'd really like to hear what you think Microsoft's biggest achievements and
failures were, and what challenges it faces going forward.

Quotes end.

CH