Two Problems with new MAPS

Yesterday was the quarterly Microsoft Small Business Specialist webcast, packed with an updates on the program, new promotions and ideas. They really have made this thing phenomenally successful, far beyond anyones expectations. Susan talked about it here, if you missed it I know the recording will be posted here.

If there is one thing.. one thing.. I despise about Microsoft’s webcasts its the inability to hold back on adding meaningless numbers to show “the opportunity” – Wow, I can miss out on that many billions worth of sales! So I use my opportunity to do something worth-while with my time, like check who is on the attendee list and catch up with them over MSN Messenger. I know they are just as bored as I am, “So how big of a piece of the $5.5 billion dollar market are you going to get?” is a great ice breaker and we move on. Yesterday we had a few people in a chat room going back and forth over what was being discussed, sharing opinions, ideas, etc. It was a truely international crowd and the conversation eventually went to the recent changes in the MAPS. We don’t (and can’t) subscibe to MAPS so I’m happy to see Microsoft restricting this easy gateway to piracy. However, registered partners who rely on MAPS to have legitimate licensing and ability to test and deploy Microsoft software feel quite differently. So here are the two problems with restricting MAPS:

Most registered partners are System Builders

Most registered partners are system builders and not in the traditional Microsoft way. They build their own systems for their use and don’t rely on Dell or other OEMs for anything but laptops. So when they build a PC with a TB of storage for their media center they don’t get an OEM license because they expect it from MAPS. With the XP Pro in MAPS becoming upgrade-only most will have to purchase Windows XP in addition to MAPS.

Most are going virtual

Most partners are taking their testing and design systems virtual. In a virtual machine there is no such thing as an OEM preinstall. This limits the partners ability to install XP in a testing environment and restricts them to either prebuilt Microsoft TDTK or eval versions which need to be refreshed every six months.

Is Microsoft shooting itself in the foot?

Apparently. Registered member community is individually small but quite large in the evangelical sense – they support Microsoft, buy Microsoft products and services, beta test and really participate in the SMB sector. Is it wise to piss them off?

I am having a hard time with this question. On one hand, I’ve seen MAPS go to so many places that shouldn’t have it – no XP goes a long way to crushing that, in my humble opinion they should pull back Office and SBS/Standard Server as well but they will never do that because there are alternatives to Office and SBS out there. To XP? Not so much – what are they gonna do, get a Mac?

On the other hand, limiting MAPS in this way is a bad PR move, will likely get at least one TS2 presenter killed by a tomato and will lead to less loyalty for Microsoft on the desktop. You never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever take a loyal partner and send them to find alternatives. Microsoft is not Ferrari, there are substitutes.

What Would Vlad Do?

Restrict MAPS to Small Business Specialist Program.

Let’s face it, if you want to be taken seriously you need to act it. Barrier to entry? Ok, sign up for the partner program and we’ll ship you a few DVD’s loaded with trialware. Pass a certification exam and Microsoft hooks you up with the full deck of their software to run your business off of.

Do you really think a small business will go through the process of training, exams and certification just to get MAPS? Of course not. This benefits Microsoft a lot too because it documents, tracks and validates the partner as someone that is a little more than an email address and a PO Box.

Will this happen? As long as someone at Microsoft is goaled on the number of partners in the channel this idea will only be a fantasy you read on Vladville.