VirtualPC7 and Microsoft Marketing Genius
MacMinute reports VirtualPC7 has been delayed because of Windows XP SP2. What’s more, Virtual PC standalone, upgrade, and Windows 2000 are apparently ready now but wil not be released until some months after VirtualPC7 with Windows XP SP2 is available.
How dumb is that? Microsoft, who haven’t released a product on schedule in 37 years, was supposed to release VPC7 in the first part of 2004. They missed that deadline (no surprise) apparently because of technical issues.
Now it is seemingly ready to go (the implication is that they are just waiting on SP2 for Windows XP) and they are delaying it.
Huh?
So let me get this straight: I have my own copy of Windows and I already own Virtual PC, but you won’t let me buy this product until you ship another product (SP2 for XP). Furthermore, you will ship versions of VPC7 to new customers before existing customers.
Right, sure, that makes a lot of sense.
See, this is why I’m not in business, because my brain obviously doesn’t work right. If I had a product to sell today, I’d sell it… well, today. If I had existing customers who were willing to pay for an upgrade today and I had the upgrade today, I’d sell it… well, today.
If I had a product that could ship with a stable version of an OS (i.e. VPC7 for Windows2000), I’d ship it today.
What I wouldn’t do… what wouldn’t even occur to me…. is to hold onto these products as long as possible so that I can wait for another repeatedly-delayed product (SP2) and then release that first, and then wait to release the other, older, stable versions.
I could clearly never make it as a Microsoft Marketing Genius.
One Response to “VirtualPC7 and Microsoft Marketing Genius”
on 24 Sep 2004 at 9:49 am # Ian Carter
Came across your 30 Day trip through Oper 7 oday and became fascinated. I have had Opera since version 5 and have upgraded as years went by. This year I registered, partly because I wanted rid of adverts but partly because I felt it was the Right Thing to Do - and having acquired a Powerbook Mac wanted to use it on that too (I don’t get on with safari at all)Si I have it on both Platforms. Your comments about VPC7 apply equally to MS Office Pro for Mac. I am awaiting my “free” upgrade to Office for Mac Pro 2004 but it has been held up. I presume you know the reason? Because they say that they haven’t finished checking the stability of VPC7 with it. Your observations here throw even more light on the matter. By the way, I like your writing style - its very clear and easy to follow on a screen. Is there a download of the whole 30 Day package in any form such as pdf? Best wishes Ian