Lets start off by saying this is a RANT. If you don't like rants, look away now.
I saw this in CRN and it made me laugh and cry. We have seen news that iTunes has undisclosed issues with Vista (even after being fixed), poor drivers from nVidia and others and even enough to stop a BBC reporter from getting it going, yet from the list below, most are down to 3rd parties. I have only a little sympathy for hardware partners who didn't get drivers out - I was at WinHEC 3 and 2 years ago when the need to build drivers was hammered home. I have seen the offers of help to ISVs to get their applications working. I have seen the large amount of online training available for partners of all sizes to understand the benefits of the products. However, I have also seen the difficulties people have in when to bet on Vista and deploy the resources - I think its success has taken a few people by surprise! Microsoft is certainly happy with the launch.
If like me, when you have 2 years to solve a problem it is always tomorrows problem, until eventually the deadline looms and it suddenly urgent - perhaps many face this issue. Of course, I am hugely over simplifying the issue. Some people chose not to move, saying that they would wait until there was enough market demand. Others, so the rumours say, have no desire to make older versions of hardware or software work on Vista and are using it as a lever to drive upgrades. Finally, the meaning of "minimum requirements" somehow seems to have been lost on people, so when all editions other than basic recommend a minimum of 1GB, that should not be seen as optimum for all users, but the minimum.
I am frankly amazed that some vendors "top" PCs are not Vista compatible and it is because they were not ready - I thought the product was delayed to help these guys get ready - and if lower spec machines are working... gosh! While others have got it all working, on new machines and with new hardware designed for Vista style PCs.
For application issues, many uncertified Windows Vista Apps May Work - no surprise there, but for more information about application compatibility, go to http://uksbsguy.com/blogs/doverton/archive/2007/02/27/running-office-2003-on-windows-vista-and-running-other-applications-that-work-on-windows-xp-on-vista.aspx
Back to the CRN article - according to various solution providers contacted by CRN, here are the 10 biggest problems faced by early adopters of Vista out of the gate:
1. Lack of available drivers from ISVs causing application conflicts;
2. Lack of available drivers for existing and new peripherals and hardware components;
3. Buggy drivers;
4. New security feature often flags existing applications as suspicious and interrupts service;
5. Few applications aside from Vista and Office 2007 take advantage of user account control;
6. Customers are confused by Office 2007's ribbon-like user interface;
7. The OS automatically recommends which Vista versions is best for each PC's configuration. This will cause small businesses to download different versions of Vista;
8. Benefits of Vista and Office 2007 running together are not obvious. Partners and IT staff need training for maximum ROI;
9. Deployment isn't easy. Partners should use either Business Desktop Deployment tool, "lite" BDD no-charge tool or other tools;
10. Hardware doesn't run Windows Vista well.
Source: CRN | Microsoft, Vista| Hardware, Software Conflicts Dampen Vista's Debut
Of the issues above, numbers 1, 2, (3 when not Microsofts), 4, 5 and 10 are due to people not planning for the release of Vista. Microsoft could be considered at fault here if the organisations did not realise that Vista was coming, but I can't seriously believe many were in that position (unless they listened to Gartner who predicted "shorthorn" that never happened or that Vista would not ship until post April '07). Anyone who said they could not get hold of the code were obviously not using MSDN, Technet, CTPs or attending one of the many conferences where it was given out!
For number 4 - these applications are basically not following the recommendations that have been out for years to not write to certain directories etc. Vista now emulates many of the trouble spots to avoid issues while protecting the systems, so these are very naughty applications rather than just bad one.
For number 6 - we need to educate these people - there is FANTASTIC training on the office site that takes you through the new ribbon and also enables you to view a Office 2003 menu & toolbar and then be told how to work in the new world.
For number 7 - yes this is confusing, however that is more about choices. When people compare Vista to Apple Macs, they forget that you get to choose which box, but not which vendor or environment to use it. There is not a lower cost Mac product for the home, so I guess we could do as Apple has done and just price for the premium version?? :-)
Partner training for Vista, or at least in the UK, was rolled out on a huge scale - online and by visiting many locations, so anyone who chose not to attend was again betting against Vista being important to them - if they are now saying they don't have training, then where was their investment when the opportrunity was offered?
Finally Deployment. Deployment of Vista is easier than deployment of Windows XP & Office 2003. BDD was around to make it easier for them before and has been improved and re-released to make Vista easier. For small business customers, sneakernet is still probbaly the best way - run round to 10 machines and install the software that way - on a Saturday.
OK, rant over... I've Vistafied in the home and at work and loving it! I run the hardware advisor before I upgrade and so far, it has not let me down!
ttfn
David
Posted
Sat, Mar 10 2007 6:00 AM
by
David Overton
Filed under: Windows 7, Vista and XP, Support and Tools, System Builder Information, Business, Developer, Community, Microsoft, Windows Client, Vista, Partner, rant, Application Compatibility