Re: Gateway Upgrade Policy for MCE 2005

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From: Whiting Toler (whiting_hatesspam_at_whitingandtracy.com)
Date: 11/11/04 

Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 09:56:43 -0800

OK, Todd, please tell me where the inaccuracies are rather
than simply asserting that it's not and giving me that
canned response regarding the feedback form that I already
confirmed having completed earlier in the thread. Put
forth a little effort, tell me where I'm misrepresenting
Mike or maybe have him speak for himself.

>-----Original Message-----
>I don't believe that's an accurate characterization of
what Mike said.
>Regardless, the bottom line is that Media Center is an
OEM product and as a
>result, support is provided through the OEM (this
includes upgrades). If
>your OEM does not currently offer an upgrade, Microsoft
is happy to pass
>your feedback along to them and work with them on
providing upgrades. If
>you'd like us to do that, please visit the below page and
fill out the
>linked form.
>
>http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/upgrade/def
ault.mspx
>
>--
>This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
confers no rights.
>
>
>"Whiting Toler" <whiting_hatesspam@whitingandtracy.com>
wrote in message
>news:1e0501c4c80c$cdfd7880$a501280a@phx.gbl...
>> Mike, what an offensive response. It seems like you've
>> said:
>>
>> * Customer concerns over the OEM-model are unfounded and
>> irrelevant.
>> * It is now legitimate to consider PCs as fixed
>> configuration, disposable devices.
>> * Hardware not included in MS HCLs is really supported
>> although the HCL clearly states its unsupported.
>> * MS encourages customers to obtain OEM software (by
>> purchasing token hardware) as an alternative to the
retail
>> channel.
>> * I'm demanding something that I don't think I need???
>> * MS believes it has to save its customers from their
own
>> ignorance and incompetence.
>>
>> I urge you to address the following points about your
>> response in hopes something's being lost in the
>> human/newsgroup translation:
>>
>> - Your assertion that the "OEM model works fine" is
quite
>> surprising considering the amount of grief being
expressed
>> by customers here and in other forums. I don't doubt it
>> works fine for MS and the OEMs but customers have real
>> problems with it and you're totally discounting what we
>> are saying about this. This statement highlights the
>> disconcern toward customers that so many of us are upset
>> about. Has MS become to big to concern itself with the
>> grievances of the individual customer? Does MS feel like
>> it doesn't have to be responsive because of its market
>> share? Are you really speaking for MS with this
dismissive
>> response? MS needs to reexamine its attitude - open-
source
>> is an alternative and if MS doesn't take care of the
>> customer there will be a consequence.
>>
>> - I also find your check-the-fine-print response
regarding
>> the promise of an upgrade offensive. Is that really
where
>> consumers are with MS? MCE is based on PC architecture
and
>> OS, for which updates and upgrades are a key implicit
>> selling point. If I wanted a fixed configuration
consumer
>> electronics device, I'd have bought a TiVo. People
>> purchase PCs because they can be easily customized,
>> updated, and upgraded. MS does understand this very
basic
>> and long held concept, don't they? Your response makes
it
>> clear that MS is developing terminology and arguments
that
>> attempt to spin the consumer-hostile OEM-only policy.
>> That's insulting to loyal existing customers. Again,
time
>> for a reality check within MS.
>>
>> - I encourage you to educate yourself about your
company's
>> HCL policy at the URL below. What you said is apparently
>> absolutely wrong. I can only assume you said this to
>> continue spinning the debate toward MS and the OEMs, but
>> it appears to be wrong and, since you should know this,
>> disingenuous. MS has used the HCL approach for several
>> versions of the Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 line which
surely
>> has many more installations than MCE. Are we to believe
>> that this somehow scaled well before but won't work for
>> MCE?
>>
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
>> us;142865
>>
>> - I'm sure you can't tell me which vendors count a "$1
>> power cord" as hardware so I guess I'll figure it out
>> myself. If this is the case, doesn't this amount to a
>> ridiculous shell game? Doesn't this blur the lines
between
>> retail and OEM if its so easy to obtain OEM? It seems to
>> me that it may outright undermine the nature of
licensing
>> in general if a power cord does the trick for an OEM
>> license? Is MS really on record here suggesting that
>> customers should work the system to obtain its products?
>> How can MS strongly enforce licensing agreements while
>> encouraging such things as this?
>>
>> - With respect to your "If you want to buy the OS , by
>> definition you have decided you "need it" so
>> you will purchase it. I fail to see how you can demand
>> that a product be made available and then claim you
don;t
>> necessarily need it." response, I remind you that I am
>> your customer and that demands a level of respect. Had
you
>> carefully read my post you would have seen that I was
>> questioning why we'd need a *FULL* version (rather than
an
>> *UPGRADE*) and potentially unnecessary hardware. Also,
>> while full OEM sets may be less than upgrade retail
sets,
>> a full OEM set is still undoubtedly more than an upgrade
>> OEM set. This response was patronizing and
disrespectful.
>> Here's some unsolicited advice, when a customer goes to
>> the trouble to establish an in-depth dialog with you,
make
>> sure you understand what they're saying and avoid
issuing
>> half-cocked, patronizing responses.
>>
>> - The whole "MS is saving us from ourselves spin" (you
>> said "...many would not be able to deal with the
>> complexity of an upgrade...") is very insulting to many
of
>> us as well. It would seem that MS would be sensitive to
>> this. Again, it makes it appear that MS thinks we are
all
>> lemmings.
>>
>> - It seems that I recalled seeing something at Windows
>> Update about MCE2004 issues with SP2 but I am unable to
>> find that now. I may well be wrong about this and will
>> apply SP2 at your recommendation.
>
>
>.
>

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