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Customers with Vista beta and RC: Preview versions expire on May 31, 2007

As Nick posted on the Windows Vista blog last month, the Vista beta and RC preview versions will expire on May 31, 2007.



“On 31 May 2007, all Customer Preview Program (CPP) pre-release versions of Windows Vista will expire.  If you are running a pre-release version of Windows Vista (Beta 2, RC1 or RC2), you will begin to receive warning notifications about the upcoming expiration on 18 May.  To avoid work disruption and loss of data, we strongly recommend that customers running any of these pre-release versions of Windows Vista migrate their PCs to the final version of Windows Vista prior to 31 May.


“For more information on migrating away from CPP versions, please go to http://www.windowsvista.com/preview.mspx.  We’ve included below a listing of frequently asked questions to help those of you still running a pre-release version of Windows Vista on your PCs to get started.”


For more info, please see Nick’s post – there is also a comprehensive FAQ included. 


Added May 13: Also, keep in mind that if you have one of these trial versions of Vista installed, you’ll have until August 28 to back up any important data from your PC.


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A last migration to Vista, starting with Windows Easy Transfer

What a week. There are so many things going on at the office right now, with a number of meetings and reviews, and we’re just about to kick off a set of meetings to discuss (the continuing efforts of) how we can improve upon satisfying our customers and partners. (hello to all who are making the trip… dress for cool but sunny spring weather.) More on that next week.


Tonight after spending a rousing evening with 22 eight and nine year olds at my son’s ninth birthday party (at a local “Inflatable Party Zone“) and finally getting our boys to wind down, I began the migration of one of my last Windows XP machines at home to Windows Vista. As I ran Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor previously, I downlaoded and installed Windows Easy Transfer for Windows XP, a utility that helps move the files and settings on your current Windows XP (or even for PCs running Windows 2000 or Vista) to your new Windows Vista PC.



“Download Windows Easy Transfer for your Windows XP-based PC so you can automatically copy your files, photos, music, e-mail, settings, and more to your new Windows Vista based PC. This software enables you to transfer data with Easy Transfer Cables or across a network, external drive, or CD/DVD.” 


My plan is to use Windows Easy Transfer to copy the data to an external drive and then move it to my new computer.


Interestingly enough, after downloading the app, I noticed the following…



What Others Are Downloading


Others who downloaded Windows Easy Transfer for Windows XP also downloaded:

  1. Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor 1.0
  2. Windows Vista Hardware Assessment
  3. Virtual PC 2007
  4. Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0
  5. Microsoft Network Monitor 3

What I found interesting was that the Windows Easy Transfer Companion (Beta) wasn’t listed as a recommended programme on the Windows Easy Transfer download page. When you download this beta app, you’re pointed to “Windows Easy Transfer for Windows XP” as something that others downloaded. Windows Easy Transfer Companion helps transfer programs from a Windows XP PC to a new PC running Windows Vista. Programs can be transferred with an Easy Transfer Cable or over a network connection (I’ll use the latter, as I have a cross-over Ethernet cable handy).


Now it’s off to run the apps on this machine.

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Customer Satisfaction Breakdown: JetBlue’s David Neeleman is out

I read today on inc.com that jetblue’s founder is stepping down as CEO.



“David Neeleman, founder of embattled low-cost airline JetBlue, is being replaced as CEO, company directors announced Thursday.”


Sad, as Neeleman has been a poster child for great customer servcie and attention: he flew his own airline regularly to get a sense of the service. That was until the massive issues in February, when jetblue took the brunt of a major snowstorm: thousands of jetblue customers suffered while stranded during a major snowstorm that hit the northeastern states. jetblue took out ads in order to apologize to their customers, put out a heart-felt video on YouTube (plus this collection of clips on YouTube) and even penned a customer bill of rights to address the issue. (jetblue’s Bill Of Rights in pdf)


Wired saw this coming when they dropped jetblue off the Wired 40 earlier this year. But I still enjoy the approach with comfortable seats, sat TV and great service… when the weather cooperates.


 

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MTV Networks on the SharePoint Customer Evidence Site

This from Kristian Kimbro Rickard’s blog on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (aka MOSS)…



SharePoint Customer Evidence Site (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepointserver/HA102066081033.aspx)


“Need some customer evidence to share with your customers about what our customers are doing with SharePoint? Here’s a site that consolidates everything. Great ones for Enterprise Search, MOSS 2007 for ECM, MOSS 2007 for automating business processes, etc.”  


On the site you can read about how companies from ACNielsen and AXA, to Johnson & Johnson and Mary Kay are using MOSS. 


In one example, you can read how MTV Networks uses MOSS 2007 to automate “a paper-based process for new employees… a collaboration site for project management… [and] used the business intelligence capabilities of Office SharePoint Server 2007 to create a dashboard that provides enriched analytics on application metrics, saving six hours a week with an automated data submission process.”


(see http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/casestudy.aspx?casestudyid=201102

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Link: stop spam from foreign countries in Outlook (Lifehacker.com)

This from Lifehacker.com on stopping spam from foreign countries using Outlook…



Stop spam from foreign countries


outlook%20blocking.png 


Reader John discovered a way to virtually eliminate spam from his Outlook inbox: top-level domain blocking.


It’s known that most spam (particularly malware such as keyloggers) originates overseas (Estonia, Moldavia, China, Poland, etc.) By blocking email from most of the undeveloped world, I’ve successfully reduced spam by 95 percent in the past year. In Outlook, click Actions > Junk E-Mail > Junk E-Mail Options. Click the International tab, then the Blocked Top-Level Domain List button. Now select the countries you wish to block.

Killer solution! Before I hooked up with SpamArrest, the foreign e-mails used to drive me nuts. This filtering takes about 30 seconds to complete and should keep a ton of unwanted gunk out of your inbox. Care to share your favorite anti-spam solution? You know where: the comments!