Big Changes at Microsoft Business Solutions
Big changes are afoot in the Microsoft Business Solutions division.
Microsoft revealed last week that Doug Burgum, currently senior
vice president of the MBS business group, will be stepping into
a new role. Burgum will become chairman of MBS, and the search is
on for a new senior vice president for MBS. Burgum already lost
some of his autonomy earlier this year when the entire MBS division
was put under the control of Jeff Raikes, the Microsoft president
in charge of the Office/Information Worker business that is one
of Microsoft's cash cows.
The MBS group is the revenue home of about 10,000 Microsoft partners
who sell Great Plains, Solomon, Axapta and Navision. This year,
those partners have been undergoing formal integration into the
general Microsoft Partner Program.
In a Q&A
on Microsoft PressPass, Burgum said he would continue to lead
and drive the MBS business through the search and transition.
Meanwhile, Orlando Ayala will remain chief operating officer of
MBS and senior vice president of the Worldwide Small and Midmarket
Solutions and Partners (SMS&P) group.
"I’m looking forward to applying my energy and focus
on areas that I am deeply passionate about including building thought
leadership of Microsoft’s business software and software-based
services with business decision makers broadly and working more
with industry influencers, MBS prospects, customers, partners and
ISVs throughout the world, including in markets where we have a
limited presence today," Burgum said.
To reassure MBS partners, Burgum said, "One of the key parts
of my new role as chairman of MBS is to remain deeply invested in
our partners’ success. We have one of the strongest partner
channels in the industry, and we are deeply focused on how we serve
and collaborate with that channel to provide today’s businesses
with software and services that help them thrive."
Microsoft Dynamics GP
Speaking of MBS, Microsoft is moving ahead with the plan to rename
the product line using the Microsoft Dynamics brand. The company
announced shipment of the first element, Microsoft Dynamics GP,
last week. Dynamics GP is the 9.0 version of Microsoft Great Plains.
A Dynamics version of Microsoft CRM is also set for this year, with
Dynamics versions of Axapta, Navision and Solomon on tap for 2006.
Stuart Johnston has the full story here.
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Office 12 Technical Beta Arrives
The technical beta of Office "12" is in the hands of a
"limited" group of 10,000
testers. For just about any other software company, that would
be the largest possible beta testing group. This technical beta
is a precursor to an even more widespread beta version of the desktop
productivity suite and server application package coming in the
spring.
Happy 20th Birthday Windows
It was 20 years ago yesterday that Bill Gates launched Windows 1.0.
The operating system has come a long way since Nov. 20, 1985. It's
been a year of milestones: Windows turned 20, Microsoft turned 30
and the one-time boy wonder of the software industry, Gates, hit
50. This all reminds me, when Windows 2000 launched, Microsoft sent
out bottles of sparkling (non-alcoholic) cider. But if Windows is
20 now, that means when Windows Vista launches around this time
next year, Windows will be old enough to drink. How about some real
champagne this time?
Posted by Scott Bekker on November 21, 2005