SBS 2011 Standard Factory Installed Errors

Just in case you've been wondering about the number of "these are normal, nothing to see here, please move along" errors that Microsoft constantly generates on a normal healthy SBS 2011 Standard install, here's a KB artcle to help clear some of these up.

I'm sure it was meant to be entitled "Things we fucked up and generate error messages over that aren't really errors, yet we still generate errors for you to freak over, though they aren't actual errors, though you will not like them, though we don't mean error, though you will see error and wonder, though they are benign, though they generate useless and unnecessary noise, though we're clueless..."

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2483007/

Regards,

The Outspoken Wookie

Microsoft Showing What It Thinks Of Its Partners Again

It seems that Microsoft is again on the warpath against its partners - you know, those of us who provide the sales force and front-line support force Microsoft doesn't have to pay for.  And the weapon they have chosen to deploy this time is against their TechNet subscribers.

This is the notice on their TechNet site (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/ms772428):

Beginning in mid-March 2012, subscribers to TechNet Subscriptions (excluding TechNet Standard which are entitled to 2 keys per product) may access a maximum allocation of three (3) product keys for Microsoft Office and Windows Client products in connection with their subscription. The allotted keys may only be used for software evaluation purposes. Once the maximum keys have been activated, no more keys will be made available. Additional product keys may be acquired through the purchase of an additional subscription.

This is another example of where Microsoft is digging away at their partner base - they can reduce the usefulness of these programs only so far.  This limit was originally 10 installs, and if you happened to exceed through valid testing, you called and they'd activate for you.  Then in September 2010 this was reduced to 5 total activations.  Now it is being reduced to 3.

How many people can completely test a number of full deployment scenarios with a grand total of 3 activations of each product?  Or, put another way, why is Microsoft charging their partners more and more money for them to test scenarios where they are trying to deploy Microsoft product suites?

There's more on this topic over here: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/microsoft-slashes-product-key-allowances-for-technet-subscribers/4644

Regards,

The Outspoken Wookie

Wookie's Thought Of The Day

Remember, most people are turds. Ignore them and move on with those people who aren't. They are the ones who truly matter - the turds will eventually float away! :)

Regards,

The Outspoken Wookie

Karl Palachuk's SMB Online Conference

It's been a while since I've blown smoke up Karl's arse, but I guess it is time that I started puffing again!  :)

Karl's recent blog post about the perils of the major search engines (http://networkedblogs.com/uahWY) is definitely worth a read - personally I've been using https://duckduckgo.com for some time now and am pretty happy with it for general searches.

The main reason, however, is to let you know about his upcoming SMB Online Conference being run in late June, 2012.  For those of us who don't have a "+1" in front of our telephone numbers, Karl's recording the seminar as well and making it available as an option to "attendees" later on, and even has some school children lined up that will transcribe it as a part of their work experience!  ;)

Karl's been around the SMB IT industry for quite some time and he's managed here to pull together quite a wide ranging and elite group of people to present at this online conference.  I'd be willing to bet a vital body part that whatever time and money you invest in this conference will be returned many times over.

Regards,

The Outspoken Wookie

Disappointing Microsoft WPC 2012 Keynote

I have to say that I am extremely disappointed to hear that Microsoft is paying Deepak Chopra to help spread his woo at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, 2012 in Toronto.  Deepak's ability to spread his mystical bullshit to the world needs no help and certainly doesn't need to be legitimized by a company such as Microsoft.

Remember, anyone buying a ticket for the WPC 2012 and any vendors participating in WPC 2012 are going to be funding this fruitcake and his attempts to spread his woo to as many people as he can.

I honestly expected more from Microsoft here unless of course Steve Ballmer had a hand in choosing this BS artist for the Keynote.

Regards,

The Outspoken Wookie