Microsoft injects Windows 7 mojo into server biz Microsoft's $14bn server and tools division is undergoing a massive reorganisation so that it's run more like Microsoft's Windows operation. Sources tell The Reg S&T has shaken up line reporting by implementing the Windows group's triad system, which was considered crucial in bringing Windows 7 to market. From now on, S&T …
Is how to market and profile products on a market which you cannot dominate by merely throwing an seemingly endless amount of buckets with money at it.
Second, but that's strictly personal, I think they need to come up with better marketing scheme entirely which does more than kicking in open doors as they do now. Whats with the whole "emo approach" on their ads these days? I've seen the ultra cheesey ads for Windows 7 and the Windows phone and quite frankly think its a good attempt but poorly placed. Families don't go sit around the PC to "happily work with Windows 7". Usually its the total opposite; they leave their PC's (maybe running win7, who knows) to (hopefully) happily sit around the table to have dinner together or do other activities.
However... What I can see families do is go sit around their Xbox and have a good time together with it. That thing was made for family entertainment. And although I prefer the competition myself one cannot deny that game consoles, no matter what the brand or label, can provide some high quality time to enjoy together.
MS really needs a new approach on their marketing IMO. And with that I don't mean present new filesystems (which by itself is IMO a good and impressive feat) only to start going waay above your head by introducing it as THE next hit to come and make it look as if its "simply" going to roll over everything already out there.
That is not good marketing. That is showing a dose of arrogance which will automatically make lots of people feel good if something eventually goes horribly wrong with the product.
The marketing at Microsoft needs a shakeup because they're incompetent. Here's an example:
In NZ around xmas a TV channel was showing ads for the animated movie 'Coraline' that they were about to broadcast. Anyway, the ad shows a shortened trailer which starts off sweet, a cute little girl enters a dreamland, it all looks nice but slowly starts looking a bit suspect... all of a sudden, out of nowhere, a grown-up character whips out a needle to *SEW BUTTONS ON THE LITTLE GIRLS EYES*. At that moment the TV voice-over breaks in with: "brought to you by Microsoft".
Unbelievable, I don't know if it was passive-aggressive or intentional, but if I was at Microsoft I would have ripped the TV agent's balls off. They paid to have people associate them (on some level) with sewing buttons on little girls eyes, when we all know they don't do anything worse than stomp on puppies ;) So, if a few of these incompetents get the sack, it won't be overdue. Pour encourager les autres.
It's far from perfect and yes, Windows Server also suffers from their signature uber-lame, totally illogical-inconsistent, borderline amateur GUI/menu design but actually for many things Windows Server WORKS as advertised.
Not everything does and even working parts sometimes absolute crap - look at their downright awful file sharing performance (CIFS) - but so far so good and there aren't many alternatives.
And yes, I run linux servers for 10+ years too and while they are very good for certain things they are not better/not a replacement at all.
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