"Desktop Optimization Pack" as Winternals upgrade... how does a user get it?

[Modern Meta]

I currently have the Administrator's Pack from Winternals, which is
getting dated by now.

Today I looked at the Winternals web, and was met with this:

"NOTE: Components of Administrator's Pak technologies will be
available in Microsoft Diagnostic and Recovery Toolset as part of the
Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack for Software Assurance in Q2 of
calendar year 2007. Customers looking for desktop diagnostic and
recovery tools with functionality similar to Administrator's Pak
should refer to the recently announced Microsoft Desktop Optimization
Pack for Software Assurance. Please reference
www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/optimizeddesktop"

In looking at that webpage, I saw the following chilling paragraph:

"The Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack for Software Assurance is an
add-on subscription license available only to customers who have SA
coverage on their Windows Desktops that can transform the way you
manage your desktops."

What the hell is going on? Is this only going to be available for
corporate users to purchase? What is "SA Coverage"?

How do I just buy the damn software when it comes out? It's not going
to be some BS that only works for a month before I have to
"resubscribe" is it?

 

[Tom Porterfield]

I currently have the Administrator's Pack from Winternals, which is
getting dated by now.

Today I looked at the Winternals web, and was met with this:

"NOTE: Components of Administrator's Pak technologies will be
available in Microsoft Diagnostic and Recovery Toolset as part of the
Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack for Software Assurance in Q2 of
calendar year 2007. Customers looking for desktop diagnostic and
recovery tools with functionality similar to Administrator's Pak
should refer to the recently announced Microsoft Desktop Optimization
Pack for Software Assurance. Please reference
www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/optimizeddesktop"

In looking at that webpage, I saw the following chilling paragraph:

"The Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack for Software Assurance is an
add-on subscription license available only to customers who have SA
coverage on their Windows Desktops that can transform the way you
manage your desktops."

What the hell is going on? Is this only going to be available for
corporate users to purchase? What is "SA Coverage"?

SA is Software Assurance. For more inf on Software Assurance see
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/sa/default.mspx. SA is part of
Microsoft's Volume Licensing Program. See
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/default.mspx for the different
options available in the Volume Licensing program.

How do I just buy the damn software when it comes out? It's not going
to be some BS that only works for a month before I have to
"resubscribe" is it?

There is also this piece of data from the FAQ:

Q: Why do I need to have Software Assurance in order to buy this product?

A: Software Assurance is the most cost effective and flexible way for our
customers to manage their Windows desktops. We have made significant strides
in this area with the introduction of Windows Vista Enterprise and Windows
Fundamentals for Legacy PCs. What we heard from many customers was that
there are still multiple pain points in the enterprise environment that
challenge their ability to deploy a new OS and easily manage the desktop.
Microsoft sought out best of breed technologies in the industry that address
these key pain points and we have brought these technologies together for
you into the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack for Software Assurance to
enable you to experience the optimized desktop solution through the combined
use of Windows Vista Enterprise and the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack
for Software Assurance.

 

[Modern Meta]

That's all basically gibberish to me... I just want to get my upgrade
when it comes out.

I feel like I'm being alienated. I will be looking for alternatives as
it doesn't look to me like this "Desktop Optimization Pack" is going
to be very accessible to the common user, as the Winternals product
was.

What a giant leap backwards...

 

[Justin]

HA! MS just answered a question with an excuse instead of an answer. Nice!

It was my understanding from the beginning that this will ONLY be available
to Software Assurance.

Yes, that stinks!

"ARGH!" - Get it?

 

[Joe Morris]

That's all basically gibberish to me... I just want to get my upgrade
when it comes out.

If you've got a current maintenance contract with Winternals, it will be
honored until its expiration date, but it won't be renewed again. Also,
according to Microsoft as of this evening (2/28) you can no longer purchase
a new Administrator's Pak license.

I feel like I'm being alienated. I will be looking for alternatives as
it doesn't look to me like this "Desktop Optimization Pack" is going
to be very accessible to the common user, as the Winternals product
was.

Adding to the fun...not only is the "Desktop Optimization Pack" available
only to volume customers who have purchased the Software Assurance
offering...it's not included in SA. After paying for SA you've got to pay
again -- $money per machine on which the Optimization Pack *MIGHT* be used,
per year (essentially, pay for every machine in your shop), instead of a
medium-big price for the base license plus a few hundred dollars per license
per year for maintenance. You pay for either the entire Desktop
Optimization Pack (not just the Winternals stuff, but also others like the
(Softricity) SoftGrid application virtualization tool, and an inventory tool
that reports its findings to a Microsoft-operated server) -- or you get none
of them.

If your shop has a use for SoftGrid (and SoftGrid really does look nice)
it's probably not that bad a deal. OTOH, for those shops where SoftGrid
isn't appropriate, you're paying for a lot of tools you can't use.

What a giant leap backwards...

You're too polite.

Joe Morris

 

[Modern Meta]

Some pirate group will probably release it, making it the ONLY way to
go for people who aren't Enterprise users who want to use Microsoft's
tool to recover a broken system.

This is one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen Microsoft do to
date...

Deliberately screwing over customers and encouraging piracy at the
same time in the most direct way possible.

!?!?!?!

 

[Justin]

Deliberately screwing over customers and encouraging piracy at the
same time in the most direct way possible.

I couldn't agree more! It's ridiculous. MS seems to think that because
this is an enterprise level tool then in order for it to be useful, you must
belong to an enterprise.

Granted I do have software assurance :evilgrin: However I also realize that
there a lot of CONSULTING companies or "freelance" individuals that require
these tools in order to "do business" with enterprises or even mid to large
companies. My side business being included.

 

[Justin]

After paying for SA you've got to pay again -- $money per machine on which
the Optimization Pack *MIGHT* be used,

That's the first I heard of that! I just lost my :evilgrin: (see other
post)