Re: Gateway Upgrade Policy for MCE 2005
From: Whiting Toler (whiting_hatesspam_at_whitingandtracy.com)
Date: 11/12/04
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Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 21:51:45 -0800
Hi Peter, good to hear from you as well. This is indeed a
big mess regardless of which way you approach it. Gateway
has fooled me once but won't get another chance.
I just really feel strongly that MS should be held to
account as well for where we stand today. I'm not
convinced at all that, given the response of existing
customers, MS couldn't work something out with the OEMs if
there is a legal issue. If MS did paint itself into a
contractual corner without having the foresight to see the
problems with an OEM-only model, then shame on them and
they deserve some flack.
Also, there's no guarantee that HP will maintian its
current attitude toward the MCE upgrade path. So we
basically have to treat MCE systems as fixed configuration
devices - at least as far as the MCE-related functions go.
Take care...
>-----Original Message-----
>Whiting:
>
>Nice to see you back on the boards again, seems like it's
been awhile!
>Poor Mike stepped up to your request which was an obvious
invitation to
>a fight - you've gotta give him some respect for engaging
(which you
>did). Thought I'd give you my perspective on this.
>
>(also see my blog post here
>http://mcemvp.us/blogs/pnear/archive/2004/10/28/298.aspx)
>
>It plain sucks that Gateway didn't offer the upgrade.
It's a business
>decision that they made, and in my opinion a bad one.
You will see
>postings from me and others now recommending solely HP
systems to anyone
>who is asking - that is a real fallout of this bad
decision on Gateway's
>part.
>
>MCE 2004 was distributed via the OEM model - you and I
might not like it
>but *all* maintenance and upgrades for that OS are
legally bound to that
>OEM contract. So, the OEM is legally bound to support
anything they
>give you and Microsoft is probably legally bound not to
change that
>relationship. Dollar-wise, here is what it might cost an
OEM to offer
>an MCE 2005 upgrade:
>
>- updated versions of the MPEG decoder
>- testing time against all known configs
>- support staff training to address upgrade issues
>- support staff time to work through upgrade issues
>- operations staff time to process upgrades
>- ongoing responsibility to support MCE 2005 on older
equipment
>
>Obviously, there is at least 1 company who believed that
the cost was
>worth it. They will make it back in future sales due to
their improved
>reputation.
>
>MS is the easy target here, and they're probably the only
ones who are
>willing to engage in this discussion with you
unfortunately. Regardless
>of whether or not I believe that MS should be on the hook
for this
>incremental upgrade, I do honestly believe that to do so
would cause
>another round of mass chaos (like when 2004 was
distributed via Windows
>Update in SP2). MCE hardware, especially the older
stuff, is
>specialized enough that problems occur when you upgrade.
OEMS really do
>need to test the old equipment before rolling out an
upgrade.
>
>Food for thought - now that MCE 2005 is available via mom
and pop OEMs,
>how likely is it that the next version will be provided
as an upgrade
>from them? I would guess "not very".
>
>Pete
>
>Whiting Toler wrote:
>> Please see the Gateway Support FAQ at the bottom of
this
>> post. Is this what MS intended the early adopter
>> experience to be? This amounts to a bait-and-switch by
>> Gateway with MS having plausible deniability via its
OEM-
>> only model.
>>
>>
http://support.gateway.com/s/software/MICROSOF/7513249/751
>> 3249faq220.shtml
>>
>> Can someone from MS please respond directly to this?
>> Also, please tell us why MCE could not be sold off the
>> shelf with a Hardware Compatability List as waas done
>> with the NT line? Furthermore, what's to stop MS from
>> offering the upgrade directly, this wouldn't require
the
>> OEM to support it and MS could include "upgrade at your
>> own risk" disclaimers. I think all of us (Gateway
>> customers or not) should continue to ask these
questions
>> until we get a satisfactory response.
>>
>>
>>
>> "Q: Can I upgrade my Media Center Edition 2004
operating
>> system to Media Center Edition 2005?
>>
>> A: No. The Media Center Edition 2005 operating system
>> software that is offered on new Gateway computers is a
>> completely new operating system, and is not available
for
>> upgrades. This software is only available from Gateway
on
>> new computers, and is not available through Microsoft
or
>> through retail channels.
>> The only way to receive Media Center 2005 from Gateway
is
>> to purchase a new computer with it preinstalled."
>.
>
- Next message: terri: "Re: mce 2002 sp2 would not open link"
- Previous message: Song Su: "mce 2002 sp2 would not open link"
- In reply to: Peter Near [MCE MVP]: "Re: Gateway Upgrade Policy for MCE 2005"
- Next in thread: Craig: "Re: Gateway Upgrade Policy for MCE 2005"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ]
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