Microsoft's Service Pack Shuffle
We're as excited as you are about Windows Server 2008. Seriously. After Vista
failed to impress last year,
the
buzz around the star of this year's crop of new Microsoft products has grown
steadily.
And why not? Windows Server 2008 has blockbuster sales potential for partners
and already has
customers' attention. And now, it has an added bonus: a built-in
service pack.
Oh, yes! Not only will you get Windows Server 2008 when it ships, you'll get
its first service pack built right in! But wait, there's more. Actually, there
isn't anything more -- we just got a little caught up in the old-school TV ad
script. Seriously, though, when is a service pack not a service pack? When it
ships with a brand-new product. What, did Microsoft screw up Windows Server
2008 so much that it's having to ship a service pack as soon as the product
debuts?
Probably not. In fact, Microsoft says that since Windows Server 2008 has the
same code base as Vista, and since Vista is at the SP1 stage, it makes sense
for Windows Server 2008 to be at the SP1 stage, too.
Whatever, Redmond. We all know that customers are often leery of new Microsoft
products and tend to wait for service packs before investing in them. Microsoft
isn't fooling anybody here; by shipping SP1 right off the bat, Redmond is trying
to get customers to sign up for Windows Server 2008 without hesitation.
But why this product? And why now? Unlike Vista, which came out to a reception
flatter than the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, Windows Server 2008
has customers both buzzing and budgeting. Wethinks, in this case, that Microsoft
doth indeed protest too much. But we're still excited.
What's your take on SP1 shipping with Windows Server 2008? How much will it
help you sell the product? Sound off at [email protected].
Posted by Lee Pender on February 21, 2008