In The Know - Charles Van Heusen's Weblog

Office 2010: Understanding the Suite Line-ups and Changes to Licensing

While I’ve been working with my counterparts on the US Partner Readiness team to build the training for Office 2010, I felt it was important to share some of the key changes to the Office 2010 product lines up with you.  I’ve included a few screenshots from the online training course that is available to all levels of the Partner Network today at https://training.partner.microsoft.com/learning/app/management/LMS_ActDetails.aspx?UserMode=0&ActivityId=574219  You’ll need to login with your Live ID that is associated with your Partner ID to access the training.

Let’s take a look at some of the key points form the Selling Office 2010 Overview Course.

The first thing you’ll likely notice below is the introduction of the Word and Excel Starter edition SKUs..  These will only be available on new systems purchased via the OEM / System Builder Channel.  If you are looking for a Microsoft Works SKU in the 2010 lineup, look no further as the Starter editions are replacing the Works family.  Moving across the list, the other NEW SKU is the Home & Business SKU.  This is designed to bridge the gap for the customers out there looking for their core productivity tools, but don’t require the additional horsepower associated with the Professional suite.

In the Professional SKU the one change to point out and I’ve to say I am happy to see is the inclusion of One Note.  OneNote is what I consider to be one of the best kept secrets of the Office family.  The only application I use more often than OneNote on a daily basis is Outlook.

I want to point out some significant changes regarding licensing with these products.  You’ll notice a new acronym “PKC” at the top next to OEM and FPP.   PKC stands for Product Key Card.  As new systems are sold with Office 2010 evaluation copies installed on them, consumers will be able to go to major electronic retail outlets, think “Big Box Marts”, etc. and purchase a Product Key Card (PKC), which is a single license card (No DVD).  The user will be able to unlock one of the three versions of Office 2010 you see represented in this graphic, Home & Student, Home & Business, or Professional.

The theory behind this is that we are making it easier for the consumer to test drive the products and simplify the purchase and installation process.

Now this convenience also offers a different set of Licensing Benefits from the standard Full Package Product (FPP).  You’ll notice in the Benefits breakdown in the graphic, that a PKC license enables the purchaser to use this on New PC’s Only and it is a 1 license / 1 device installation.  Whereas, the FPP license is a 1 license / 1 PC + Portable installation AND the License is transferrable.

The FPP Home & Student edition still offers one of the best values for the money with a 3 device installation option.

Here are some of the HIGHLIGHTS of the Volume License product line up.  The ONE item that stands out to me the most is the inclusion of Office Web Apps in the VL Suites.  This will provide a new level

of flexibility and productivity for the mobile employee.  Providing them instant access to the applications they use dally at their office from the convenience of a web browser.  There are more details regarding the licensing enhancements to provide more flexible options for your customers, but you are better off catching up on that via Eric Ligman’s blog.

Windows Server 2008 R2 Adminstration Instant Reference Book…. Get it while its HOT!!

Congratulations is in order!  Matt Hester, Chris Henley, and Harold Wong from the Microsoft TechNet team have put a lot of blood, sweat, and time into the creation of one of the best IT Pro books on the market.   While I haven’t had the privilege to read all of it just yet, I’m looking forward to picking it up and getting it signed by my friends.  

Here’s what the editor at Amazon posted about the book.

Product Description

All your Windows Server 2008 R2 questions answered—on the spot!

Get up to speed on the new features of Windows Server 2008 R2 with this indispensable guide. Designed for busy IT professionals, it's the perfect go-to resource for quick answers and real-world solutions as you administer the new server OS. You'll find easy-to-read lists, quick-reference tables, helpful thumb tabs, and much more in a handy, compact format that puts the information you need at your fingertips.

Topics include:

• Getting started and adding roles and functionality

• Automating tasks

• Managing users, groups, directories, and the centralized desktop

• Handling folder security, disk management, storage, backup, and recovery

• Monitoring and maintaining web servers

• Troubleshooting IP and managing remote access

• Doing performance tuning and maintaining virtual servers

About the Author

Matthew Hester, IT Professional Evangelist for Microsoft, has more than a decade of experience with Microsoft core infrastructures products such as Windows, Active Directory, Exchange, and others. He is a contributor to TechNet Magazine. Chris Henley, IT Professional Evangelist for Microsoft, has worked in IT for more than 15 years. Chris specializes in client and server technologies.

If you are looking to pick it up, here are a couple of online resellers that should have it in stock today.

Windows 7 RC Bits Expire June 1, 2010

For those of you who jumped on the Beta and RC bandwagon because you were excited to put the new Operating System to the test, we thank you.  Now that you’ve been running it for close to a year, its time to start thinking about moving to the release product. 

Do you have customers still using Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC)? If so, let them know that it is expiring soon:

• February 15 - They'll start seeing notifications on their PCs, warning them that their operating systems will expire soon and reminding them to back up their data.
• March 1 - Users' systems will reboot or go to a blue screen every two hours, depending on their system failure settings.
• June 1 - The Windows 7 RC license will expire.
  • When it expires, the customer will receive notifications which are more intrusive and occur when logging on and when accessing system components such as the control panel.
  • Finally, the desktop background will turn black with a non-genuine watermark.

Visit the Windows Blog one week prior to each expiration milestone for additional details.

White House’s New Cyber-Security Czar to Address San Antonio Conference on Internet Security

I wanted to share this information that my friend Larry Lentz of Lentz Computer Services in San Antonio passed along to me.  If you have an interest in Security or an existing background in it, this should be a a worth while event.  Since its on Friday, I’m planning to catch the PBS broadcast of the event.

Howard A. Schmidt, who also served Bush 43,

will participate in Texas Lyceum PBS-televised “Great Debate Series”

Our Growing Lives Online: Safe or Not?

(SAN ANTONIO) The person President Obama recently charged with the enormous task of protecting our nation’s public and private computer systems will participate in a televised panel discussion hosted here next month by the Texas Lyceum.

Howard A. Schmidt, appointed last month by President Obama to serve as White House Cyber-Security Czar, has nearly forty years of experience in business, government and law enforcement.  Previously, Mr. Schmidt served as the Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer and Chief Security Strategist for online auction giant eBay.  Mr. Schmidt also served as the Special Advisor for Cyberspace Security for President George W. Bush, and as the Chief Security Officer for Microsoft Corp. Mr. Schmidt will join the Texas Lyceum’s “Great Debate Series,” Our Growing Lives Online: Safe or Not? in San Antonio on Friday, February 5 from 4 – 6 pm at the Empire Theater, 226 N. St. Mary’s. 

The “Great Debate Series,” which marks the 30^th anniversary of the non-partisan leadership group, will be televised by KLRN-TV, San Antonio public television station, and re-broadcast statewide on Texas PBS stations. The Great Debate event is open to the public; tickets are $20 at www.texaslyceum.org.  Members of the media are invited free of charge, but must also register online.

Along with Mr. Schmidt, other “Great Debate” panelists include CEO of SecTheory Robert Hansen, a leading expert on web application, browser and e-commerce security; JDr. Nicole Beebe, Assistant Professor of Information Systems, UTSA; and Ari Schwartz, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Center for Democracy and Technology.

“We are honored to host such an illustrious group of leaders from the cyber security world, and we look forward to a robust discussion on the myriad Internet security issues facing the public and private sectors,” said Texas Lyceum President John James of Midland. “As we increasingly rely on the Internet to store and communicate information, personal security and identify theft is becoming a growing concern for all Americans,” said James.

“San Antonio’s growing cyber security industry, coupled with the Air Force’s announcement to locate its Cyber Command here, make San Antonio an ideal location to host a conference tackling these issues,” said John Dickson, Lyceum Director, conference coordinator and Principal of the San Antonio-based Denim Group. “We are particularly excited to welcome Howard A. Schmidt, and we look forward to his insights on some of the most compelling cyber security issues facing our country.”

For more information about the Texas Lyceum, the conference and for ticket information, please go to www.texaslyceum.org.

About the Texas Lyceum:

The Texas Lyceum, a non-profit, non-partisan group, is a premier statewide leadership organization focused on identifying the next generation of top Texas leaders. The Lyceum consists of 96 men and women from throughout the state who begin their six-year term while under the age of 46, and have demonstrated leadership in their community and profession, together with a deep commitment to Texas.
In 2009, the Lyceum conducted the third annual Texas Lyceum Poll, an independent survey of Texan’s attitudes about issues facing the state and the nation, and held its 24th Annual Public Conference in Austin entitled: “The 2009 Stimulus Package: What’s in it (or not) for Texas?”
The Lyceum has an impressive list of former members who are serving or have served in public office including: Former President George W. Bush, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Governor Rick Perry, former Texas Comptroller John Sharp, Texas State Senators Rodney Ellis and Kirk Watson, Houston Mayor Bill White, Texas Supreme Court Justices Don Willett and Dale Wainwright, U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore, former Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, and Congressman Pete Olson. Current Directors include Texas Representatives Veronica Gonzales and Marc Veasey.  
The Texas Lyceum acts as a catalyst to bring together diverse opinions and expertise to focus on national and state issues, and seeks to emphasize constructive private sector, public sector, and individual responses to the issues.
To accomplish these purposes, the Lyceum conducts periodic public forums, publishes the Lyceum Journal, commissions The Texas Lyceum Poll, and convenes programs for the Directors to explore and discuss key economic and social issues of the state and nation. For more information visit: http://www.texaslyceum.org/.

MS10-002 : IE | Critical – Partner Briefing

I will be hosting a webcast on Monday, January 25th to discuss the Critical patch for Internet Explorer that was announced on January 21st.  We will discuss the details around this vulnerability within the various versions of Internet Explorer and the steps you need to take within your organization as well as at your customer’s site to protect them.

Register for the webcast at  https://training.partner.microsoft.com/learning/app/management/registrationex/LMS_Registration.aspx?UserMode=0&Mode=0&ActivityID=573607

If you would like to get a jump start on the webcast, here are a few resources for you to leverage:

• Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for January 2010  - http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms10-jan.mspx

• KB961747 Detection and deployment guidance for Microsoft Security Updates  -  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/961747

• KB894199 Description of Software Update Services and Windows Server Update Services changes in content for 2010
  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894199

Additionally, you can keep up with the latest security updates via the Microsoft Security Response Center at http://blogs.technet.com/msrc/

Technorati Tags: MS10-002,Internet Explorer Vulnerability,Windows XP,KB961747,KB894199

Windows XP SP2 & Windows Vista RTM End of Support Information

There are a number of Microsoft support lifecycle milestones on July 13th 2010. We need to make sure customers

are aware of the milestones and plan system and OS deployments to ensure that they maintain access to Microsoft

support and updates.

· Windows XP SP2 will no longer be the supported service pack level for Windows XP computers. Customers

running Windows XP SP2 or a previous version of the OS will need to upgrade to Windows XP Service Pack 3

(or Windows 7).

· Windows Vista RTM will no longer be supported. Customers running Windows Vista RTM should upgrade to

Windows Vista SP2. (or Windows 7).

· Extended support will end for Windows 2000 Server and Professional. Customers running Windows 2000 need

to migrate to a supported version of Windows in order to receive updates or support.

In many cases the cost in time and effort for migrating to a new service pack will justify business and consumer

interest in migration to Windows 7.

Important Dates

Product End of Mainstream Support End of Extended Support

Windows XP SP2 July 13, 2010

Windows Vista RTM July 13, 2010

Windows 2000 Professional SP4 July 13, 2010

Windows 2000 Server SP4 July 13, 2010

What is End of Support?

Support for the product ends. The Microsoft® Support Lifecycle (MSL) provides predictable and consistent support

timelines for Microsoft products, to customers worldwide. The Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy offers a

minimum of:

· Ten years of support (five years Mainstream Support and five years Extended Support) at the supported

service pack level for Microsoft Business and Developer products.

· Five years of Mainstream Support at the supported service pack level for Microsoft

Consumer/Hardware/Multimedia products.

Note: Mainstream and Extended Support is ONLY provided at the supported service pack level. Microsoft will

support products running at the latest Service Pack level and the prior Service Pack level, 24 months after the

release of the latest Service Pack.

Mainstream Support Phase

Mainstream Support is the first phase of the product support lifecycle. At the supported service pack level,

Mainstream Support includes:

· Incident support (no-charge incident support, paid incident support, support charged on an hourly basis,

support for warranty claims)

· Security update support

· The ability to request non-security hotfixes

Extended Support Phase

The Extended Support phase is available after the Mainstream Support phase ends for Business and Developer

products only. At the supported service pack level, Extended Support includes:

· Security update support at no additional cost

· Non-security related hotfix support if the customer has purchased a separate Extended Hotfix Support

agreement (per-fix fees also apply).

Extended support does not include:

· Requests for warranty support, design changes, or new features.

· Support for Consumer, Hardware, or Multimedia products.

What do my customers need to do?

If your customer has Windows XP SP2 currently deployed then they need to migrate to Windows XP SP3.

Customers running Windows Vista RTM should migrate to Windows Vista SP2. In many cases the cost in time and effort for migrating to a new service pack will justify business and consumer interest in migration to Windows 7.

· Windows XP customers should use Microsoft Update or Automatic Updates to download and install

Windows XP SP3. SP3 can be downloaded from Microsoft Update at

http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate.

· Windows Vista customers should use Windows Update to download and install Windows Vista SP2.

Service Packs may not be available through Windows Update on Windows Vista computers until other

available updates have been installed. Customers will need to separately install SP1 before installing SP2.

If your customer is running Windows 2000 Server or Professional edition then they need to migrate to Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7.

Customers who want to migrate to Windows 7 should be provided with the following information:

· The Windows Upgrade Advisor will scan a PC and identify if the system meets Windows 7 system

requirements. The scan will identify known compatibility issues with hardware, devices, and currently

installed applications. It will also provide guidance on what needs to be done prior to migration.

· Detailed information about the available Windows 7 editions and how to buy Windows 7. Windows XP

customers can purchase Windows 7 using upgrade licensing but it cannot be upgraded in place.

· Customers who wish to perform the upgrade themselves can use this tutorial.

Please begin speaking with your customers who are currently on

Windows XP SP2 today. They need to be aware of their available options, and this is an opportunity to have a Windows 7 deployment discussion.

What you need to know about Microsoft Security Essentials

If you are wondering what Antivirus package you should purchase for your new Windows 7 , Vista, or XP PC or Laptop, look no further.  Microsoft Security Essentials is a free download that will protect your 32 bit or 64 bit installations.

While Security Essentials is a fairly new offering from Microsoft, its ranking well amongst the IT community with the level of protection it is providing for Virus and Malware protection.  Not to mention, you can’t be the price.  FREE!

Let’s look at the hardware requirements:

Minimum system requirements for Microsoft Security Essentials

Operating System: Genuine Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3); Windows Vista (Gold, Service Pack 1, or Service Pack 2); Windows 7

• For Windows XP, a PC with a CPU clock speed of 500 MHz or higher, and 256 MB RAM or higher.
• For Windows Vista and Windows 7, a PC with a CPU clock speed of 1.0 GHz or higher, and 1 GB RAM or higher.
• VGA display of 800 × 600 or higher.
• 140 MB of available hard disk space.
• An Internet connection is required for installation and to download the latest virus and spyware definitions for Microsoft Security Essentials.
• Internet Browser:
  • Windows Internet Explorer 6.0 or later.
  • Mozilla Firefox 2.0 or later.
• Microsoft Security Essentials also supports Windows XP Mode in Windows 7. For more information, see the system requirements for Windows XP Mode in Windows 7

As you can see, Microsoft Security Essentials can provide protection for your new laptop, netbook, or PC no matter the Operating system. Keep in mind, Windows XP SP2 is at its end of life with Microsoft Support and will officially end July 13th, 2010.  Upgrading to XP SP3 or Windows 7 is the best way to extend the life of those systems.

Take a Second Shot at Certification and Advance Your Career!

Microsoft Learning is bringing back Second Shot as part of its new Career Initiative, which is designed to help customers and students to get trained and certified on Microsoft technologies.

Certification can help boost your career and Microsoft wants you to be successful when you take an exam. By adding Second Shot to the Career Initiative, you can now register for a free retake (should you need it), and take the exam with less anxiety and fear of not passing the exam. Second Shot is available for IT Pros, Developers and students, and you can use this special offer to pass exams that are directly related to the top IT jobs available in the industry today. 

Job roles, learning paths and clear guidance on getting skilled for these jobs can be found on the Microsoft Student Career Portal and for professionals, the Microsoft Professional Career Portal.

Students, register here: 

Second Shot is available worldwide except India and China Prometric Testing Centers only.

  Professionals, register here:

 Second Shot is available Worldwide at Prometric Testing Centers only.

SharePoint 2010 Training Opportunities

We’re trying to get the word out on several SharePoint 2010 training opportunities for IT Pro’s and Developers.   Here’s what’s coming out in the next few weeks.

Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Ignite – IT Pro  This 300 level, 3 day training targeted towards experienced SharePoint 2007 professionals, covering IT Pro topics for SharePoint Server 2010 including deployment and upgrade topics, such as Topology Planning, Capacity Planning, Security, Governance, Operations, etc. Next course: January 20

Implementing Forefront Protection 2010 for SharePoint and Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange  This two day course will focus on deploying and configuring Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange Server and Forefront Protection 2010 for SharePoint in existing Exchange Server and SharePoint Server environments. Takes place January 21-22 in Redmond and February 18-19 in Chicago.

Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Ignite – Developer  This 300 level, 3 day training targeted towards experienced SharePoint 2007 developers, covering developer topics for SharePoint Server 2010 including SharePoint 2010 Services Architecture, SharePoint Development with VS10, changes to Workflows, External Data in SharePoint, Extending the SharePoint 2010 Search Infrastructure, etc. Next course: February 1.

Join us today at 11 am for a Windows 7 discussion on Geek Free Radio

I’ve been invited as a guest on Geek Free Radio to discuss Windows 7 and to answer questions from the listening audience that are considering migrations to Windows 7.

• We’ll discuss the differences between a clean installation vs. an in place upgrade.
• Upgrading from Vista.
• Migrating from Windows XP.
• Application Compatibility
• Understanding XP Mode in Windows 7

Big Easy Offer 4.0

There’s a new BIG EASY offer coming in January, here’s the highlights of it as well as a link to the upcoming Webcast on January 8th that will provide all the details for you.

Dear Microsoft Partner,

We’re excited to announce our latest promotion, The Big Easy Offer 4.0 launching on January 3, 2010. As part of the new release, we’re making some changes to familiar elements of the promotion: more focus on and richer benefits for Open Value, a new payout level for purchase from three or more product groups, and simpler product grouping.

Customers can earn partner subsidy funds when they make a qualifying purchase. There are three factors that determine the size of your customer’s subsidy:

1. First, the number of product groups purchased. There are 11 groups that customers can purchase. Solutions typically include two or more product groups. Customers can earn a larger subsidy when purchasing from two product groups and even more when purchasing from three or more product groups.

2. Second, the way customers buy. Buying licenses from the Open Value program that includes Software Assurance with new version rights, helps customers get the most from their software investment and increases your customers’ subsidy per license.

3. Third, the specific editions of the products your customers select. Buying advanced, premium or Enterprise editions increases your customers’ subsidy per license.

Please review the Big Easy Offer 4.0 Terms and Conditions on January 3, 2010 at http://www.MicrosoftIncentives.com/bigeasy.

Learn About the Promotion – January 8 Webcast!

The easiest way to learn about the new promotion details is to attend our monthly sales offers webcast on January 8, 2010 at 11 am pacific. Register for the webcast now!

Offer Basics

· Target Customer: Small and Midsize Businesses and Local Government agencies

· Purchase Dates: Between January 3, 2010 and March 31, 2010

· Redeem by Date: April 30, 2010

o Multiple purchases/redemptions allowed

o The more products purchased, the more subsidy dollars rewarded

· Partner Subsidy Promotion: After a qualifying purchase and valid redemption, a check is sent to the customer made payable to the partner of their choice to use toward the purchase of additional services or products (software and/or hardware) provided by the partner.

· Qualifying Organizations: Commercial and Local Government

· Licensing Type: Open License (License-only), Open Value and Open Value Subscription

· Quick List of Product Groups Included:

o Microsoft Dynamics CRM

o Microsoft Exchange Server

o Microsoft Forefront TMG

o Microsoft Office

o Microsoft Office Communications Server

o Microsoft Office SharePoint Server

o Microsoft Office Visio and Microsoft Office Project

o Microsoft SQL Server

o Microsoft Systems Center

o Microsoft Windows Server

o Microsoft Windows Small Business Server and Microsoft Windows Essential Business Server

For more information on The Big Easy Offer 4.0, please visit http://www.MicrosoftIncentives.com/bigeasy on or after January 4, 2010 or e-mail your questions to bigeasy@microsoft.com.

Windows SBS 2008 Hands-On-Labs available for download from MS Connect

My friend and colleague, David Fabritius who works hand in hand with the SBS and EBS product teams shared some exciting news with me today and I wanted to pass it on to you.   There are now Hands on Labs available for SBS2008!  It’s a great way for you to ramp up new employees or for those of you who are just venturing into the server market, its a safe way to get your feet wet without damage a production environment. 

Here’s the information from David…

Have you been wanting to get some hands-on experience with Windows Small Business Server 2008 but weren’t sure how to get started?  We have just the thing!  Four hands-on-labs for SBS 2008 are available for download from Microsoft Connect:  Administration, Managing Clients, Installation, and Migration from SBS 2003.  To take advantage of these labs, you will need a test server with at least 4GB of RAM running Microsoft Hyper-V Server or Windows Server 2008 with the Hyper-V role installed.

To download the labs, use your Live ID to login to Microsoft Connect, select Connection Directory, and enter the invitation code SBSP-62B6-K3TH, which will give you access via the SBS 2008 Downloads page.  In addition to gaining access to these labs, joining the MS Connect community is a great way to stay informed and up-to-date about the latest developments with SBS 2008 and interact with some our most active and knowledgeable partners.

Windows 7 Location Aware Printing

Are you tired of trying to remember to change your default printer every time you go from work to home with your laptop?  That’s where Windows 7 can come to the rescue with Location Aware Printing.  This is a new feature that is enabled in the Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise versions. 

Here’s the low down straight from the Windows Feature Guide:

Location-Aware Printing

Do you routinely print to multiple printers from your laptop? Now you don't have to manually switch printers when you go from, say, home to work. Windows 7 does it automatically.

The new feature, included in the Professional and Ultimate editions of Windows 7, works like this: Whenever you print, Windows 7 remembers which network and printer you're using. Next time you return to that spot, Windows automatically switches the default printer to match the one you last used. You can also manually pair printers and networks.

With Location-Aware Printing, all you need to do is click Print.

Windows 7 SKU Lineup – Understanding your options

In the graphic below, you’ll find a total of 6 different SKU’s listed for the new Windows 7 family.  If you are wondering what makes sense for you, let me help you understand your choices.  Let's start at the bottom and work our way up.  The Windows 7 Starter SKU is designed for an entry level solutions for systems like the ever popular Netbooks.  However, its low price comes with several limitations.  If you want a full functioning, feature rich version of Windows 7 for use at home, you need to start with Home Premium. 

For those of you coming from the Vista line up, you may remember a Home Basic Product.  This product has changed and is now only available in emerging markets outside the US.  This is basically a name change between Starter and Home Basic to help the US Consumer better understand the differences between the entry level option.  The name Home Basic lead to confusion for the non-techy consumers, so we made the names more distinct so it would reflect the differences in functionality.

Moving up the stack to WIndows 7 Professional, this is where you find the first “Business Class” offering of the product line up.  If your computer will need to “join a domain” ie. connect to a Windows Server, Small Business Server etc, this is where you should begin.  Home Premium will NOT connect to a server. 

At the top of the list you find the Ultimate and Enterprise editions.  These products include all the functionality of the previous versions, plus additionally functionality including “Bit Locker” and “Bit Locker To Go”.  Microsoft’s system encryption solution to protect the mobile worker now extends beyond the laptop to offer protection to USB thumb drives and external USB Hard drives.

To learn more about the differences between each version go to http://www.microsoft.com/windows7

Windows 7 is Here!!! Where do you begin??

If you’ve turned on the TV, opened a newspaper or magazine, you’ve likely heard about the new operating system, WIndows 7 that just released today.  I woke up this morning to find Steve Ballmer on TV delivering live demonstrations of Windows 7 for Matt Lauer on the Today Show.  As I made my way to the airport, there were radio ads playing and email ads started pouring in my Inbox from TigerDirect, CDW, and BestBuy touting the new systems and specials they are offering with the new operating system.

When I got to Boston this afternoon, I made my way to a local Best Buy to see if there was any excitement about Windows 7 inside.  I was surprised to find 20+ customers swarming around the vast array of laptops and desktop systems with less than an hour til the store closed.  The Best Buy staff were doing a great job fielding questions, but I couldn’t help myself from jumping in the conversations to see what kind of questions people were asking.  Most of them didn’t know what version they needed, how much RAM was enough or what the differences were from one model of laptop to another.  Everyone I spoke with really liked the new interface and couldn’t wait to make their first purchase of Windows 7.

For the people that were walking away with more questions than answers, I pointed them to our website on Windows 7 http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/default.aspx

in order to help them better understand the different options between the models as well as to see more online demonstrations so they could see what they felt they really needed.

If day 1 of the new OS is any sign of what’s to come, Windows 7 is going to have a great year!