Action Pack Questions!

[Guest]

Okay, I've been trying to order the MS Action Pack for some time now... (for
about two YEARS fer Bog's sake!)

Each time in the past I finally got irritated enough with the messed up
ordering process that I would say 'Bleep IT' and stay away for months on
end...

For the last week or so I have been getting an error that says "my account
information isn't available at this time..." Finally today I got stubborn
enough to persue matters further and I finally got someone on the phone who
said to send them some screen shots of what I've been seeing... and I was
told that I'd hear something back "within 48 hours" and that this was a known
problem and that they "were working on it..." but that I should keep trying
to log in and see if it works for me...

Tonight I've tried again... still with no luck, of course!... also to find
that the listing of software which earlier today showed WinXP Pro as being on
the list of additional software changed... (the message says " The Microsoft
OEM version software for internal use offer in the Microsoft Action Pack
Subscription expired on December 31, 2006. Software for internal use is still
available via the volume licensing offering included with your Action Pack
Subscription.")

So does this mean that even <IF> I manage to get to the subscription site I
will not be able to get WinXP Pro anymore without having to buy that as well?
A bunch of the links on the site appear to be dead as well...

I guess I'll be on the phone, <again>, tomorrow trying to get this stuff
straightened out... More business time lost trying to get answers...

Ya'know, here I was... all fired up to get the network standardized...

Right now I'm running a Fedora server, a Ubunto workstation, a Fedora 6
workstation and an XP Home PC for Development... all set to switch everything
over to MS software... especially since the the last round of updates from
the Windows Update web site is causing the XPHome machine to slowly die...

And now I haven't even been able to get them to take my money!

So where do I go from here?

 

[Frankster]

I don't think th OEM statement you quoted is a problem. I am an AP
subscriber. The OEM stuff was shipped primarily to allow us to learn how to
produce OEM pre-installed boxes. This OEM stuff (only a few things) was IN
ADDITION TO the normal "Not For Resale" licensed versions of the same
software.

I just looked at the link myself. Good to see they finally updated the
January shipment info. I'm really looking forward to "Expression Web" (FP
replacement).

-Frank

 

[Guest]

I wasn't sure if the XP Pro was in the NFR or the OEM sections... but it sure
isn't in the list now! (at least so far as I can see)

The thing that burns me as well, was I had a customer in my area that was
primed to purchase 8 copies of MS Project and a MS Project Server... I didn't
see them there as well... all he needed was a Demo... He was also interested
in the new Office... Its only a small outfit, only about 40 users... But it
would have pushed my company back out of the red...

Its been a shoe-string outfit... thats why I've been using some open source
alternatives... couldn't afford to go and buy 'the good stuff' Now when I
decide to take the plunge I couldn't even get them to take my money... but
from the list... is it worth it to me now?

Wes

 

[Frankster]

I wasn't sure if the XP Pro was in the NFR or the OEM sections... but it

sure
isn't in the list now! (at least so far as I can see)

It was supplied in both OEM and NFR editions. However, there is no reason
for XP to be in the distribution now since the AP only distributes *current*
software (i.e. Vista).

The thing that burns me as well, was I had a customer in my area that was
primed to purchase 8 copies of MS Project and a MS Project Server... I
didn't
see them there as well...

MS Project 2007 is there. And... although I'm not positive, I suspect that
the old MS Project Server is being replaced by Microsoft Office SharePoint
Server 2007 which is on the distro list.

He was also interested in the new Office...

The new Office 2007 Enterprise is on the distro list.

Its only a small outfit, only about 40 users... But it
would have pushed my company back out of the red...

Yeah, understand.

but from the list... is it worth it to me now?

Well, personally, I think $300/yr is awfully cheap for all this software.

-Frank