Microsoft Calls on Geek Squad
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Who says Microsoft can't bring people together? Maybe Best Buy and Winternals know different. |
This morning, Microsoft issued a press release about Best Buy using Dynamics CRM 3.0 to keep the Geek Squad on call and on time. The 11,000 technicians also use 3,000 Windows Mobile smart phones (what? Do they share?) Best Buy uses Exchange Server 2003 and Point of Sale 2.0, too.
For Christmas in July, Microsoft announced acquisition of Winternals and got a heck of a lot of talent in Mark Russinovich and Bryce Cogswell. 10 years ago, I used Russinovich's software for cracking open Windows NT 4. Without his software, I would have lost data following several fatal questions (there seemed to be lots of those in 1996).
Eight days before the July 2006 acquisition, Winternals settled a lawsuit with Best Buy over software piracy. I suppose the acquisition and settlement might not be related. Surely, Microsoft wouldn't want to be in position to sue a customer, especially one worthy of a press release? Whatever the backstory, Best Buy, Microsoft and Winternals are a big, happy partnership now.
What Microsoft flaunts as good news, other parties might interpret another way. No doubt the good folks over at BadVista could say the Geek Squad service calls wouldn't be necessary if Microsoft software wasn't so bad. I challenge any normal mortal to quickly and efficiently install wireless drivers on notebooks running Linux. Free software=you get what you pay for. If you pay nothing, well...
The worst security vulnerability is ignorance. I'm stunned every time I find yet another open wireless router--provided by the broadband provider, no less--in somebody's home. The consumer wrongly assumes the Internet service provider secures its own device. They don't know better.
Last week, I cataloged some software security vulnerabilities, which are on the rise across all categories for most developers. Microsoft isn't the problem; on the one hand are the criminals and the other hand user ignorance, whether in the home or office.
Comments (17)
Why is it that every single article must poke fun at Microsofts detractors? What does Geek Squad using MS products have to do with BadVISTA? Why is Linux even mentioned? This MS pro-Bias is disgusting and unethical for a journalist.
Posted by Matt | December 18, 2006 10:37 AM
I thing Best Buy's Geek squad and MS go together real well. The level of service is very comparable!
Posted by Emho | December 18, 2006 2:56 PM
I agree with Matt: why are you pulling in a nasty dig at Linux over this? Why bother mentioning BadVista.
and this line is just BS:
Free software=you get what you pay for. If you pay nothing, well...
NOT TRUE at all. You are so out of touch. Some of my BEST software IS freeware. Isn't GoogleEarth free! Isn't Firefox free? There are many wonderful, kind hearted people who contribute to the web, to the world, with free services and free software. Without Firefox, I wouldn't be happy with my Microsoft OS, at all. I stopped using IE many years ago.... so there... IE is free but that doesn't mean it's good, and you have to pay for it, in a way, because it's preinstalled on every MS windows system. yuck.
The other day I posted a comment about 'Vista? Yes, Bother' and you deleted it. I felt that was definitely unethical. You ask for comments but you delete those which don't say 'Vista, yes'
My comment was cogent and very to the point. I was concerned about the impact on the environment by the necessary trashing of good working PCs to satisfy the requirements of Vista's operating system. You simply hit the 'delete' key. I think we should think about non-renewable resources and how 'pre-planned obsolescence' in operating systems is contributing to the problem.
I don't want to trash my computers. I can make them last for many years, but to update to Vista, I'll have to do just that. I'm not looking forward to it.
Posted by Mary | December 18, 2006 3:40 PM
[quote]
I challenge any normal mortal to quickly and efficiently install wireless drivers on notebooks running Linux.
[/quote]
I've never had to much of a problem. Besides, even if the laptop required a wrapper to run a proprietary wireless driver, I wouldn't mind buying a $15 linux compatible add-on stick or card after paying >$400 on the lappy.
Personally, I fix software issues on least seven windows machines a day. Do you have any estimates on how many linux machines I have to fix per year?
Posted by pgray1@sc.rr.com | December 18, 2006 3:49 PM
[quote]
I challenge any normal mortal to quickly and efficiently install wireless drivers on notebooks running Linux.
[/quote]
I've never had to much of a problem. Besides, even if the laptop required a wrapper to run a proprietary wireless driver, I wouldn't mind buying a $15 linux compatible add-on stick or card after paying >$400 on the lappy.
Personally, I fix software issues on least seven windows machines a day. Do you have any estimates on how many linux machines I have to fix per year?
Posted by gotrootdude | December 18, 2006 3:49 PM
When did Microsoft start paying your salary? Every article you've recently submitted is extolling the virtues of MS. Your opinion seems to be that MS can do no wrong, although they have done very little right lately. While MS isn't evil incarnate, you can spare the world your platitudes to them. Save them for fan mail. For the love of all that's holy, write about something else. Else people like me are going to take your off our bookmarks list.
Posted by Ghandi_Khan | December 18, 2006 4:22 PM
that should have read, "your site off our bookmark's list."
Posted by Ghandi_Khan | December 18, 2006 4:43 PM
@ Ghandi_Khan : I fully agree with you. I am disappointed to put Jupiter alongside Gartner, IDC, Yakee Group, and NPD now...
This blog used to be less biased.
Also see:
NY Times bans Microsoft analysts from Microsoft stories
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/12/15/nytimes_ms_ban/
Posted by Roy Schestowitz | December 19, 2006 12:54 AM
Yeah, I'm guessing they got a new kool-aid supplier at MS Watch.
Posted by KC | December 19, 2006 12:59 PM
"I challenge any normal mortal to quickly and efficiently install wireless drivers on notebooks running Linux. Free software=you get what you pay for. If you pay nothing, well..."
Totally off-base, Joe, and you're showing some pretty incredible ignorance here. An Ubuntu CD is all I've needed to get a couple of ThinkPads up and running. If "there ain't no such thing as a free lunch," then maybe the internet ought to stop running BIND and 60% of the internet stop running Apache. Free software is based on a gifting economy. It might be better to ask what you are giving up by paying for software you don't get read the code for, and need to agree to an onerous EULA.
It's true that there are some proprietary hardware vendors that are unwilling to share the details of how to drive their devices with open source software. That's the vendors fault, not Open Source's.
You're better than this, Joe.
Posted by Ted Roche | December 19, 2006 9:01 PM
"wireless drivers on notebooks running Linux. Free software=you get what you pay for. If you pay nothing, well..."
but you do pay for the hardware, you pay for the wireless hardware and the device driver which is necessary ..
then why do some still not standard provide linux drivers, preferable open source. And yes they can implement their shockingly innovative softcontrol stuff 'inside' the device..
there is no discussion ms is the ruling OS planetwise, however you bet linux is second and steadily growing.. no hurry, however device makers, give us drivers or work with linux developers or we won't buy your stuff any more ..
(think about it, linux is growing steadily ..)
Posted by madman66 | December 26, 2006 12:16 AM
The wireless drivers problems are most likely not due to Open Source programmers not trying hard enough. Jem has more.
Posted by Juha | December 30, 2006 3:29 AM
The wireless drivers problems are most likely not due to Open Source programmers not trying hard enough. Jem has more.
Posted by Juha | December 30, 2006 3:34 AM
"I challenge any normal mortal to quickly and efficiently install wireless drivers on notebooks running Linux. Free software=you get what you pay for. If you pay nothing, well..."
All statements like this do is cost you your credibility, and show your own ignorance and lack of professionalism.
Anyone who has worked with any version of Windows can attest to just as many driver issues.
If you want to be an MS fanboy, that's fine. But I will say this...I remember when wireless drivers were a nightmare for Windows users as well. They even drove the wireless mfr's crazy. I know; I worked for one of them.
And if wireless driver trouble is your sole reason for bad mouthing free software, then you aren't as professional or as good at your job as you would have us all believe.
Posted by John Clark | December 30, 2006 10:47 PM
I find your outlook on free software to be very ignorant. Some of the biggest innovations in the computer software industry are being driven by open source code. And answering your question, installing suse 10.1 RM i had wireless functionality after the install, video drivers simply required downloading a 12mb source file and compileing it. Installing Windows XP i have no internet access without using a drivers cd provided by my manufacturer. vista has it all out of the box too, yes, but windows will still run on its ancient ntfs file system, meaning to me that for functionality its no more than a gui update.
Posted by Alan Gaudet | January 2, 2007 5:08 AM
The way I think of MS Windows and Linux is MS Windows is a screw driver with too many attachments whereas Linux is the toolbox.
They both do the job, but one is extendable, free and is supported by people I would like to meet whereas the other is foisted on every new pc and does things I have no control over and I don't know who it is supported by as I've never ever managed to actually talk to anyone about the issues I've had.
In terms of value for money, Linux wins and NOT because I didn't have to buy the operating system. But because for each question I have had I've learnt something new about how Linux works. For each Microsoft question I've had the result has been pretty much "that's the way it is and if you don't like it just pray they fix it in the next service pack".
As an MS user I'm so far away from those that can actually fix things it REALLY is just like buying a screw driver.
As a Linux user I can look at the source, talk to the author, and even make recommendations that actually come about in subsequent releases.
I feel better.
Posted by Richard Quadling | January 5, 2007 8:16 AM
It amazes me to see large companies ignore the more innovative software-as-a-service CRM products such as Salesforce.com, Salesboom.com or Netsuite!
Posted by CRM Software | August 10, 2007 4:21 PM