Wake up to the 'daylight-saving' bug

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Yes it's 'something'

I'll agree that sometimes the talkbacks here are nothing but Microsoft bashers. But in the case mentioned in the first post, I absolutely have to agree.

Most vendors implement an R-x standard for support. That is (Release minus version). Most vendors recognize that customers may not necessarily run out to get the latest and greatest every time it is released. They know that whatever customers they missed out on in this release cycle will probably be in the next release cycle. Therefore, to keep them happy as a potential returning customer next time around, they implement R-x.

Customers often look at the R-x factor when I am selling products to them. "Are we going to have to change things around here every time the vendor releases a new version? Or do we get to change things around here on our own terms?"

Most vendors use R-2 as the formula. In the case of Microsoft, XP SP1 would fall under R-1. But clearly, Microsoft isn't even supporting R-1.

So the issue of good will is important here. It is that good will that builds constomer confidence.

I have a customer who has 150 Macintosh users. Half use MS Office 2004, the other half use Office X. They simply haven't justified why they should outlay $60K to bring the rest of the office up to 2004. They simply don't see the need for all features for all users. They've decided to wait until 2007 comes out and then make a strategic investment then. But Entourage X (the Outlook equivalent for Macintosh) won't get a patch from Microsoft. Is that goodwill in ensuring the customer considers purchasing 2007 wholesale?

The customer, by the way, is now considering Open Office because they can't justify $60K for just a DST patch.

Vendors of every other purchased product they use supports R-x standards.

Posted by: yyuko@...   Posted on: 02/16/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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