Wed 27 Feb 2008
So so, Windows Server 2008 is being launched today. I wonder, what exactly could be meant by this? I mean, I have been working with Server 2008 RTM already for some days now and I downloaded it from an official Microsoft website. Note that I don’t belong to those privileged Microsoft customers who have access to their products before the common people. So again, what is Microsoft launching today?
Perhaps, it is Service Pack 1 for Windows Server 2008? Not really. Microsoft was quite fast this time and delivered SP1 only a millisecond or so after the RTM. So, if it is neither Server 2008 nor its first service pack what else could they launch today?
My suspicion is that they mean these little cardboard boxes wrapped in plastic. I am not sure when the last time I saw such a nice box was. I think it was when we first signed our campus agreement. Part of this agreement is that we must buy at least once, one license for every PC running Windows. After that we pay a yearly fee which is dependent on the number of employees.
I think, we were running Windows NT at that time, but we bought Windows 95 licenses because they were cheaper. The funny thing was that Microsoft sent us one of those neat Windows 95 cardboard boxes for every license we purchased. So we got hundreds of Windows 95 diskettes and manuals. We put them all in a big shelf. I must admit it looked quite cool.
It seems not much has changed in the last 10 years at Microsoft. They still seems to think that people like to buy a real thing, that is a physical object, something you can touch, or maybe even smash against a wall when you’re frustrated with it. Ah yes, there is another thing you can do with it. You can launch it! 
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The launch is good to have lots of launch event parties for the next 6 months. Thank God for the death of the OS on floppy. You’re right though, even if an admin buys the media they probably aren’t going to get it from the store. Besides, IT guys are allowed to use the tools required to break through all that damn plastic.
Yeah I know these launch parties are mostly about marketing. Good to know that I am not the only who has problems opening these neat boxes.
Michael,
This might be construed as self-advertising, but I think it isn’t since the offering is FREE: Ericom, the company I work for, is offering a totally free add-on to Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services called PowerTerm WebConnect for Windows Server 2008.
As you have blogged several times in the past, Terminal Services are one area of functionality especially enhanced by Microsoft in Windows Server 2008. And yet, it still lacks many important features such as centralized management and proper AD integration.
PowerTerm WebConnect for Windows Server 2008 adds many of the missing capabilities. And again - it is absolutely free. For more information see: http://www.ericom.com/ws08.asp or my blog: http://ericomguy.blogspot.com/2008/02/powerterm-webconnect-for-windows-server.html
Dan
Dan, feel free to add PowerTerm WebConnect to the list of free admin tools and do some more self-advertising
It’s a marketing thing. I’ve had the RTM media since 4 February but 27 Feb was always set as the WS08 launch date. It was actually the launch for all of the 2008 products - including Visual Studio (which shipped last year) and SQL Server (which won’t ship until the back end of this year).
If you want all the details of the marketing hype, check out my post on the 2008 launch events.
Cheers, Mark
Michael, thank you - I will add it to the list.
Also, we will be conducting a Microsoft TechNet Webcast about this free add-on. You can register to the Webcast at: http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032370845&Culture=en-US