They Took ‘R Action Pack Rights

Quick everyone, back to the ***pile!!!

I’ll make it quick, short and painless: You have no downgrade rights with MAPS (Action Pack) and MPAN (Accountant Network): Once you renew your subscription you must upgrade all the software licensed under MAPS to the current version. Suppose your MAPS renewal comes in March and you’re currently running SBS 2003 SP1 and Windows XP. You must upgrade all XP desktops to Vista and you must upgrade your server to R2. So once you receive media for Vista in the Action Pack and renew your subscription you will be obligated to remove XP from all your systems and deploy Vista.

I expect a very large pile as a result of this since it impacts virtually every Action Pack subscriber. All I ask (pile or no pile) is that you be very civil in your feedback to Microsoft and that you offer suggestions, recommendations and an estimation of your impact (on your business, on your hours, on your sales, on your very future with Microsoft as a partner) and not reduce yourself to threats that will be ignored. Susan and I have already contacted our friends at Microsoft to see what may be done on this front so stay tuned but please take a moment to write to Microsoft and voice your concern, assuming you have one.

P.S. You know who I feel for the most in this situation? Peter Gallagher. Poor guy just joined TS2 and he gets to deal with this his second day on the job. Ooof. I already wrote in to JJ and told him it was very nice knowing him.