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Schoolhouse Rock Meets WGA

supergeekChris doesn’t call me Doctor Codec for nothing – I LOVE playing with video and audio, especially when it’s of the Geek flavor. 

Today I found this video (run time 5:00) on the Microsoft Software Piracy Protection website, and it just smacked of Schoolhouse Rock, sans music, so I had to share it with everyone. 

It’s quirky and a little bit ‘Hey Arnold’ but it’s also very memorable and does an excellent job of reinforcing that Microsoft Volume Licensing is for UPGRADES ONLY – not naked PCs or home-built systems.  I don’t know why people don’t understand that licensing limitation this day and age, but hopefully this will help spread the word.

 

There is also a new series of videos called “Genuine Fact Files“.  They’re well done in a comic book / Dick Tracy / Geek Noir format:

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January 2007 Action Pack Update

Update kits for the January 2007 Microsoft Action Pack Subscription (MAPS) are scheduled to start shipping today (01/19/2007).  You should see yours before Jan 30.

Here’s what’s NEW in the Action Pack* this month:

(10 Licenses of each above, except for Sharepoint Server Enterprise)

And of course, we all know what’s MISSING IN ACTION:

  • Microsoft Office 2003 (all flavors) – shot down
  • Microsoft Windows XP Pro (full & upgrade) – shot down
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 – MIA

I’ll spare everyone a rehash of the Windows XP & Office 2003 Action Pack removal flame war – Eric Ligman’s blog has the official word on that.  But, this interesting little tidbit may have slipped under your radar:

“The Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Version Software Software Offer in the Action Pack has Expired. The Microsoft OEM version software for internal use offer in the Microsoft Action Pack Subscription expired on December 31, 2006. Software for internal use is still available via the volume licensing offering included with your Action Pack Subscription. “

(Insert blank stare here…)

Source:   Microsoft Partner Website

*North American version of the Microsoft Action Pack Subscription

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Office 2007 Beta Death Rattle

Can you hear it?  It’s getting close.  As stated in a previous post the life cycle of the Microsoft Office 2007 Beta is coming to an end.  Soon.  About 2 weeks away for those not on B2TR.

If you personally registered for the beta you should have gotten an email from Microsoft yesterday explaining the expiration dates.  But for the benefit of those who installed the beta beta bits from the DVD of a friend or co-worker, here are the details:

“Depending on whether or not you implemented the beta 2 technical refresh, you will not be able to use the 2007 Office beta 2 release after one of the following dates:

  • For the 2007 Office beta 2 release with no update: 02/01/2007
  • For the 2007 Office beta 2 release updated with the beta 2 technical refresh: 03/31/2007
  • For the 2007 Office beta 2 release server products updated with the beta 2 technical refresh: 05/15/2007

If you would like to continue using the 2007 Office release to create, open, or modify files, you may:

1. Receive a FREE copy of Microsoft Office Professional 2007 when you attend a launch event for the new versions of Microsoft’s most popular software. Register for an event near you.

2. Sign up for a FREE 60-day trial of the new 2007 Office release by visiting Microsoft Office Online.

3. Sign up to be notified when the new 2007 Office suites will be available by clicking here.

If you would like to use Microsoft Office 2000, Office XP, or Office 2003 to open and modify Microsoft Office Word, Excel®, and PowerPoint® files that have been saved using the 2007 Office release file formats, please download the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack.”

I have to wonder if the inclusion of Office 2007 in the Microsoft Action Pack this quarter will bring the same shocked response as the inclusion of Vista?

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70-282 Exam Prep Webcast PDFs

Quite a few people have asked where they can get a PDF copy of the slide decks for all 5 days of the 70-282 Exam Prep Series with Ron Grattopp and Bea Mulzer (Jan 8 – Jan 12, 2007). 

Here you go! 🙂

Thanks so much to Bea, Ron, Kevin Clarke & the Microsoft TS2 Team for providing this webcast series for the SMB community!

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Windows Vista Hands-On Lab for Partners

The SMS&P Heartland District Partner team at Microsoft announced Windows Vista Hands on Labs taking place in February & March 2007.

Windows Vista Agenda

Objectives:

This course will provide participants with an experience of Windows Vista from a deployment and implementation perspective along with some of the service opportunities around Windows Vista.

  • Windows Vista new features & functionality
  • Business Desktop Deployment (BDD)
  • Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT 5.0)
  • Built-in Diagnostics
  • Group Policy
  • Windows Vista Hardware Accelerator

Training Location, Date & Time:

  • Southfield – Feb. 7th Microsoft Southfield Office – 19th Floor MPR  Click HERE for directions.
  • Columbus – Feb. 19th Microsoft Columbus Office MPR Click HERE for directions.
  • Nashville – March 14th Microsoft Mason Office MPR Click HERE for directions.
  • Louisville – March 16th University Of Louisville, Shelby Campus iTRC Click HERE for directions

Course commences at 9:00 am sharp and closes at 5:00. Continental Breakfast and Box Lunch will be included.

Cost: FREE

Requirements to attend:

  • Must be a Microsoft Registered Partner or above
  • Must Provide Hardware capable of running Windows Vista & Virtual Server
  • Must print Hands on Lab materials used in course work
  • Must provide external USB drive for Virtual Server Images
  • Must provide for own travel and lodging if necessary
  • Must provide long Ethernet cable for connectivity

Registration Details:

Seats are limited and will be secured on a first come; first served basis.

Southfield – Click Here to Register!

Columbus – Click Here to Register!

Nashville – Click Here to Register!

Louisville – Click Here to Register!

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MSNBC Web Parts Discontinued

I’ve been ‘rolling my own’ web parts for a while now like the Daily Dilbert, Local Radar, Bert&Ernie Terror Alert, Traffic Cam web parts, etc.  So it’s sad for me to see the default MSNBC Web Parts that are baked in to http://companyweb get the pink slip.  It’s kind of like watching Clippit die, but at least these web parts were useful.

On January 25, 2007, the following MSNBC Web Parts will no longer be offered through the online Web Part gallery for Windows SharePoint Services:

  • MSNBC Business News
  • MSNBC Entertainment News
  • MSNBC News
  • MSNBC Sports News
  • MSNBC Stock News
  • MSNBC Stock Quotes
  • MSNBC Technology News
  • MSNBC Weather

Personally, I think it’s bad form for Microsoft to nuke those and not replace them with something else that is just as easy to deploy.  MS suggests using RSS feeds instead.  But displaying RSS inside SharePoint 2.0 isn’t a cake walk for your average SBSer.  I’ve seen more than a few installs of Smiling Goat tank.   

Obviously the MSNBC parts aren’t ‘specific’ to SBS, but they are in the Online Gallery of every SBS 2003 install.  That’s a LOT of broken links.  Millions.

There’s currently an open thread on SharePoint University asking for alternative web parts.  So, you might want to check that thread periodically or just go ahead and delete web parts from your SBS installs before they timebomb.

Source:  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929197

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Your 2 Cents About Microsoft Community Support

The Windows Server Product Team would like to hear from you about User Group Community support.

This is a direct anonymous survey, with the goal to improve services targeted towards User Groups. Microsoft wants to know what your experiences are with the community resources and information that is available to you today as a member of the User Group Community. They also want to know what you think could be done to improve your Community Experience.

This is your chance to make your voice heard, so please take a couple of minutes to provide your candid feedback via the survey so they can provide the most effective experience possible.

Link to the survey: User Group Community Survey.

Thanking you in advance,

The Windows Server Community Team

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Whitepaper – Wireless Networking in Windows Vista

Whitepaper Title: Wireless Networking in Windows Vista – Security, usability, and manageability improvements for wireless clients
File Name: Wireless Networking In Windows Vista.doc
Version: 1.0
Date Published: 12/14/2006
Language: English
Download Size: 1.0 MB
Pages:  24
Download URL: Click here

Description:
This whitepaper discusses the key wireless networking improvemsnts in Windows Vista.  Impovements have been made in five key areas (see below).

Whitepaper Contents:

  • Introduction
  • Core Wireless Improvements
  • Security Improvements
  • Improvements to the End-User Experience
  • Troubleshooting Improvements
  • Manageability Improvements
  • Summary
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Office 2007 Expiration Date Clarification

There has been a fair amount of confusion about the expiration of the Office 2007 Beta2 Technical Refresh (B2TR).  Even the Q&A session in the SBSC webcast yesterday didn’t yield an immediate answer.

Understandably Partners are concerned that the Microsoft Action Pack Subscription (MAPS) version of the final Office 2007 bits may not arrive before the Beta bits time-bomb and drop into hockeypuck mode. 

Like many folks, the copy of Office 2007 B2TR on my demo machine states an expiration date of Feb 1, 2007.  This date is incorrect!   

The correct expiration date for Office 2007 B2TR is March 31, 2007.

Proof (and I quote):

“The correct expiration date for Beta2 Technical Refresh is displayed during setup. If the user checks the License Agreement from the client once Beta2 Technical Refresh is installed, it will display the incorrect date. The correct expiration date for Beta2 Technical Refresh is: March 31, 2007.”

URL:  http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/FX101517941033.aspx 

So now you can breathe a little easier and not have to worry about downgrading to 2003 if your Action Pack gets held up by DHL.

Props:  Hats-off to Paige Boesen, Chris Van Wesep & Stacy Miros for tracking down the official date and for the excellent followup.  You guys rock!

BTW: To save a follow-up blog post, Vista Beta RC1 expires on June 1, 2007.

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Vista Firewall Client for ISA

Title: Firewall Client for ISA Server
File Name: ISACLIENT-KB929556-ENU.EXE
Version: 3442.654
Date Published: 12/12/2006
Language: English
Download Size: 618 KB
Download URL: Click here

Description:
Firewall Client for ISA Server installs the Firewall Client software on 32-bit and 64-bit computers running supported Windows operating systems (see below).  It provides enhanced security, application support, and access control for client computers. It provides authentication for Winsock applications that use TCP and UDP, supports complex secondary protocols, and supplies user and application information to the ISA Server logs. 

Supported Operating Systems:

  • Windows 2000
  • Windows NT
  • Windows Server 2003
  • Windows Vista
  • Windows XP

Supported ISA Server Versions:

  • ISA Server 2000
  • ISA Server 2004 Standard Edition
  • ISA Server 2004 Enterprise Edition
  • ISA Server 2006 Standard Edition
  • ISA Server 2006 Enterprise Edition 

KB Article: 

Source: Sean Daniel

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