Reaching Out to Microsoft Partners in Australia

This has been very disappointing to say the least.

I leaves us 'behind the 8 ball' so to speak with our clients.

Yes is is fine to say we are able to run the beta versions etc, but we should be able to obtain full release product well before end users do.

As for the issue with only being entitled to Vista Business.  This is pathetic in my opinoin.  We deal will not only business clients but also the business client who also has home PC's.

We require access to ALL versions of Vista so we can test and evaluate.  Surely this is not too much to ask for!

This decision need to be addressed and changed to allow all versions to be made available.

Hi Nick,

I can live with the Action Pack being late - production problems are the bane of all software developers - totally understandable.

However, I think the decision to ship only Vista Business edition is very short sighted.  Almost crazy even, seeing that we receive Office 2007 Enterprise in the same pack.  One would think that MAPS subscribers would receive Enterprise grade software across the board?!

I would like to see Microsoft HQ take a serious look at this situation - especially seeing as at the recent roadshows, Australia was promoted as having the best "beta testers per head of population" stats for the Vista Beta programme.

Regards.

I personally think that the Business edition of Vista is just fine, but what is not is that the Action Pack only provides the upgrade, not the retail or oem version. This means that a version of XP or 2000 needs to exist on the machine before the business edition can even be installed making it virtually impossible to install a clean/untainted version and takes several hours instead of less than 1 for a clean install. It appears that TCO is no longer a concern at Microsoft.

Regards

When selling Vista I want to be able to demonstrate and be knowledgable to ALL my customers, not just a specific group.  Yes Business may apply to the majority of customers but the other customers should not miss out.  I often sell high end graphics machines + gaming machines etc and that is where the cream is profit wise.  They are not going to want to touch the business edition.

The 25% discount on the training is a great offer however I think something that appeals to the majority of MAPS users should be forthcoming.  MAPS users are paying to be up to date!  I still think the MAPS is a great value for money tool by the way.

I agree the Business edition is OK but I have just as many directors who have home workstations asking about these products and we should be able to not only demonstrate them but also be familiar with them. At this point in time Microsoft is expecting us to do this at our own expense. I have not tried loading Vista so cannot comment on the "Upgrade" but I sincerely hope it is not.

My other query is about the Office Enterprise, I am unable to load the Visio or Project products, I am not sure if this just what I received or common to all.

After waiting so long that my customers are receiving Vista pre-installed workstations before the Action Pack release, I would say this is the worst marketing Microsoft could have hoped for.

Making your agents, installers and maintainers wait until product is already on the business floor before deploying the action pack is slip shod.

I for one am now in the position of saying let’s wait for service pack 1.

What else do I tell my customers when we get treated like 2nd rate citizens.

Regards

We are a support organization looking after approx 1000 pcs as well as making recommendations and sales in the general marketplace.

I think all versions of Vista are required here.

We have told all our clients to wait until we have taken a look at the software before purchasing or upgrading. I'm waiting for the action pack to arrive before giving them any advise. We weren't game to run beta versions.

To exclude certain versions is crazy! The ultimate version will be used by home users trying to access our networks. To make the call on how to get it working (or whether people should buy it) we need to run it.

Can we have a rethink here on how to get a copy on one of the office pcs to test on without shelling out more money?

I got my Action pack yesterday and went to install Vista.

1. No 64bit version as far as I can tell

2. The Windows Anytime Upgrade is not available to Australians

Windows Vista Ultimate is money for nothing guys, don’t you want us to promote a product that costs you no more to deliver as it is on the DVD anyway and is just a licensing issue and I can see that if you do an install without putting in the key all versions are available to install but not activate so we have the right DVD in our hands. Do you expect us to go out and pay full price to demo Ultimate version to clients? Also aren’t we supposed to be heading towards 64 bit by now? I read many articles on this and people are just not happy in general on how the Windows Anytime Upgrade is blocked for Australians. There are many businesses that will purchase Business for their staff but they will go home and want Ultimate at a reasonable price for Media Center features. Again a missed opportunity and money for nothing in these cases. I think Vista Media Center is one of the few compelling reasons to upgrade from XP for many people and in my office when I had the Ultimate beta running Media Center attracted a lot of attention. Action pack users have Media Center 2005 why give us a half baked solution with Vista? My opinion is that smaller home businesses which I deal with will be the main people up taking on Vista because they can effect change quicker than large businesses, give us the tools to give them Media Center tax deductable and start selling Vista into the small business market :-)

I forgot to mention Bit Locker is also something I would be recommending to Business Laptop Users and that is in Ultimate only.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/features/details/bitlocker.mspx

Just a quick one for you all - we have received confirmation (and evidence !) that the shipments have

Are we supposed to finish this sentence lol  Sorry to sound sceptical but do you think Microsoft will listen to this blog?

I'm quite disappointed at the moment.

As a MAPS subscriber I'm expected to downgrade my PC's from XP Pro to Vista Business and also recommend that my clients do the same?  Small Business Specialists are expected to recommend a downgrade?  Wow.  And charge an upgrade fee?  Double Wow.

Most small businesses would use BitLocker.

Pretty much the same story with Office Enterprise instead of Office Ultimate.   All of my Business contacts, business notes, etc are stored in BCM.  It's a great tool for tracking customers, and now I'm supposed to dump it because the MAPS sub does not include BCM.

Triple wow.

My action pack update arrived last Wednesday (1 day before the post by Pip Marlowe).  Arrived by UPS

Being a participant of MS focus groups at various MS conferences where I have seen my input be acted upon, I can vouch for the fact that these opinions are sort and acted upon.

In all of these groups and lunches, I have consistently pushed the idea that we as the sellers and product supporters should encounter no barriers to installing and running the software in thier own business (this includes cost). Action pack subscriptions go a long way to address sing this issue (even though I still feel they should be free)and it should be said do represent great value.

Providing business instead of ultimate is hurting MS with the result being we are not exposed to the final full product unless we fork out more of our own money to do so.

I can say safely say I will be taking advantage of the discount training offers. As I see this being a benefit to our customers in the long run

Being a participant of MS focus groups at various MS conferences where I have seen my input be acted upon, I can vouch for the fact that these opinions are sort and acted upon.

In all of these groups and lunches, I have consistently pushed the idea that we as the sellers and product supporters should encounter no barriers to installing and running the software in thier own business (this includes cost). Action pack subscriptions go a long way to address sing this issue (even though I still feel they should be free)and it should be said do represent great value.

Providing business instead of ultimate is hurting MS with the result being we are not exposed to the final full product unless we fork out more of our own money to do so.

I can say safely say I will be taking advantage of the discount training offers. As I see this being a benefit to our customers in the long run

It is disappointing to see MS take shortcuts when attempting to promote its products.

I think that the most embarrasing thing is getting customers come in to our store and ask the question.....so do you think i should upgrade to Vista???  Our (embarrased) answer is ...we havent even tried out Vista due to our software not being sent to us on time.......this is a massive you know what - it not only reflects on our company being portayed as incompetant but also MS as well.

As for Vista Business....why???  It should be at least just Ultimate.  Why?  Because how are we supposed to promote a feature that we only read about?? Clients want to experience it!  Why in last years subscription was Media Center included?  This was in fact a smart move and actually generated alot of sales in our business.

My plea is for MS to fix this issue as it is costing alot of sales every day.

From one disappointed MAPS subscriber

Well this is just not good enough MS.

What I fail to understand is why USA thinks that because Australia is "down under" we might aswell be seen as the "under dog".

Most of my customers are the mum and dad type companies. They have 1-5 computers and do a lot of work home on their home PC which might also function as media centre. So it is not the 10K type shops but it is more the 12 x 1K type shops (you do the maths)

I get questions, "how this new Vista is and what version to buy". My advice would be to buy Ultimate but guess what I have no idea what it does or how it does it.

So I advise them to go to those "other MS shops" but they have to pay premium dollars for that....(as the "other MS shops" aim on at the one time 10K type stuff) instead of small business helping small business.

So you really want Vista??? Why would you do that?

1. It is not an industrial grade OS as yet. (I think about drivers and other stuff based upon the forums I read )

2. If you install it as upgrade for sure your bookkeeping, inventory and resource scheduling will stop working. Printers do not work, your scanner you use as fax machine aswell, ditch it won't work anymore with your computer. Why? Well, MS does not think it is important enough for you, that is why we are here to help. But sorry mate, can't do that anymore.

3. You have to upgrade some of your machines, but till what extent I do not know my guess is as good as yours.

Oh you want mediacentre ....Ditch it. Get some alternative one. Something like Nero Why? Well it is simple I cannot support, recommend or even comment on Vista because my business partner (funny enough the same company who "made" Vista and I pay for the "privilage") does not supply me the tools to do my job for them.

Oh did I mention that Nero has great backup, media, photo, copy, restore, protection and video tools all in one and even better it is a TAX deduction.

Vista Business......... Nope, steer away from it, because they forgot to put the tools in my "support kit" that matter for the Mum and Dad (Security, Mediacentre etc) let allone the onsell potential.

Send me an envelope so I can send the DVD back too MS, sure they can use it as a coaster.

Simple.

(Perhaps I am too harsh, after all they gave me a nice set of printed material... now where did I left that again. Ahhhhh the green bin)

Nick, sorry could you just explain (if you are able to) exactly where Microsoft is coming from with respect to why Business was supplied instead of ultimate?  It just seems really perculiar.  I noticed the email I just recieved from Pip Marlow states:-

"Your feedback has been invaluable and we understand that many of you need Vista Ultimate to service your customers. While we cannot offer you a copy of Vista Ultimate, we are currently negotiating an option for Action Pack Partners to upgrade to Ultimate for a nominal cost through the Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU) and we will have news for you on how you can access this offer later this month."

Any idea of what Pip considers a 'nominal' cost lol

Nick that was a nice slip "which is really a double hit" that seems to suggest the non inclusion of Ultimate was the first hit ;-) I got an official email reply on the Ultimate issue and apparently it is a consumer product and implied it is not intended for business use. I don't want to over quote an email sent to me but I would like to highlight this "Microsoft wants partners to experience the products they are selling to their customers." so everyone listen up Vista Ultimate is not a product Microsoft wants or intends you to recommend to your clients and that is Ultimately why Vista Ultimate is not included!  So in summary the benefits I saw from the comparison chart that are not for our clients are.

1. “Better protect your data against loss with Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption” is clearly something that Microsoft does not want us to sell but isn’t that something businesses would want on all their laptops?

2. Oh and we don’t want anyone to have FUN with Vista because an upgrade gives you fun.

3. Also from all the information I am getting it is clear that the day to day small or home business is not in the Microsoft business model for its partners.

Maybe I am reading this all wrong, can someone help me out here and put a positive spin on my negative attitude. Maybe I need to change and target really big businesses but everything I read and see is that many are on Windows 2000 or just recently upgraded to XP and no intention in the world of touching a new version of Windows for at least the next year.

I am beginning to believe I am confused and have completely lost the point of the Action Pack concept and who my customers should be or are we all just on the end of MS spin machine trying to justify the mistake they made on this issue?