John Weston Stories, Information, and random thoughts.

BI? Take this survey and you might win!

jweston — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:48:17 GMT

Take the “Thinking Bigger About Business Intelligence” Survey and Enter to Win a Zune

Take a few minutes to tell us about how your company is thinking bigger about business intelligence and enter the drawing so you could win one of twenty Microsoft Zunes. (U.S. residents only)

Are you concerned about Application Compatibility in Windows 7?

jweston — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:30:28 GMT

Springboard Series Virtual Roundtable

Windows 7 Application Compatibility: Your Questions Answered (Part 1)

Date: Thursday, June 18

Time: 11:00am Pacific Time

https://ms.istreamplanet.com/springboard

Windows 7, is approaching fast and from the application standpoint is very similar to Windows Vista. We’re going to examine Windows 7 application compatibility not only from the perspective of moving from Windows Vista, but also for those coming from Windows XP. Join us to discuss the most common challenges around application compatibility when coming from a legacy operating system, why changes were made along the way, compatibility technologies inside the OS and methods for getting incompatible applications to run on Windows 7. Along the way we share tips and tricks, demonstrate free tools to analyze and fix applications and answer your specific questions about application compatibility live.

In Part 2 of this Virtual Round Table discussion (planned for later this Summer/Fall), we’ll discuss the options and approaches for using virtualization tools In depth to address application incompatibilities – including presentation virtualization, desktop virtualization and application virtualization. We’ll be sending out more details and posting information to www.microsoft.com/springboard for part 2 as the dates are finalized.

As part of the “virtual” experience, you may submit your questions about Windows 7 Application Compatibility to the panel live during the event—or submit questions in advance to vrtable@microsoft.com.

Springboard Series: The resource for Windows desktop IT professionals

BING? #2 search engine leap frogs Yahoo!

jweston — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:54:03 GMT

Check out this article I just read.

Did Bing Just Leapfrog Yahoo Search-

Bing Commercials start tonight

jweston — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:32:24 GMT

Here is a preview from youtube. Check out the bing channel on youtube. bing

what do you think?

Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 GA and RTM Dates!

jweston — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:23:23 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan — June 3, 2009 — Today during a keynote address at Computex 2009 in Taipei, Microsoft’s OEM Division Corporate Vice President Steve Guggenheimer revealed that the company is confident with the progress made with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, and that as a result, Microsoft will deliver Release to Manufacturing (RTM) code to partners in the second half of July. Windows 7 will become generally available on Oct. 22, 2009, and Windows Server 2008 R2 will be broadly available at the same time.

“As we’ve said many times, quality is our primary goal,” Guggenheimer said. “We announce each milestone once we’re confident of where we are in the development cycle and that it is ready to be shared with customers and partners. We’ve received great feedback from our partners who are looking forward to offering Windows 7 to their customers in time for the holidays.”

In addition to this, Guggenheimer announced that Microsoft will make available an upgrade option, so partners can offer customers the ability to purchase a Windows Vista-based PC and install Windows 7 when it’s ready.

“Microsoft has been working closely with partners to help our mutual customers be able to enjoy the many benefits of Windows 7,” he said. “With that in mind, we’re excited to say that there will be a Windows upgrade program available. Consumers can buy that new PC, whether for a student heading off to college or just because they need a new one, and know they’ll get Windows 7 as part of the deal.”

This article can be found:http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2009/Jun09/06-02SteveGuggenheimer.mspx

Bing is live

jweston — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:19:32 GMT

It’s not just a search engine. More like a Decision engine. It went live yesterday at bing.com

I like reading what people think about it.

check this article out: http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=136847

Or what we are doing tonight in Seattle:http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=136847

if you get a picture of the Seattle Space needle tonight, send it to me!

What are your thoughts on the name? Bing? At first I was a little hesitant, now it’s starting to grow on me. The more I use it, the more i like it.

BING!

jweston — Thu, 28 May 2009 20:47:18 GMT

So watch this video, it’s great at explaining what the new “decision engine” not search engine is all about. more at www.discoverbing.com

Association of Information Technology Professionals

jweston — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:51:11 GMT

In this video Deborah Lovell, President of AITP (Association of Information Technology Professionals) explains what AITP is all about! You can download this video here:Windows Media Video (WMV)

BizSpark comes to Dallas June 12th

jweston — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:02:18 GMT

SparkStart - June 12^th – MTC Dallas

SparkStart is a full day of business and technology discussion (open format) and learning event for startups (“startup bootcamp”). This event will also be a networking opportunity for those startups who are new to the BizSpark program and not yet enrolled in the program and would like to mingle and learn from key business and technology influencers. It will also be an event for those startups who are recently enrolled and need to keep the momentum going by learning key strategies for success, both in business, and in technology.

We will have 6 tracks (3 business, 2 technology, and one demo) on key business topics such as “Funding”, “Marketing”, and “Production”. Each business track will feature a panel of business experts. Panel members from the business community and moderators are experts in their field, both from the Dallas/Fort Worth area and from all over Texas that include bootstrappers, venture capitalists, angels, incubators, and consulting.

We will feature technology topics such as “RIA Development”, “Cloud Development”, and provide an opportunity to visit our “Envisioning Center” where we will be demonstrating our web technologies and the Microsoft Surface (http://www.microsoft.com/surface/) throughout the day. Attendees will literally get to see what our large customer executives see at the Microsoft Technology Center in Dallas in our envisioning room in order to inspire, ideate, and get answers to vital questions.

We will also have a “sign-up” station for startups who want to sign up for BizSpark and begin immediately receiving the benefits e.g. software, support, and visibility. (http://www.microsoft.com/bizspark)

Are you going to TechEd

jweston — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:14:14 GMT

I will be there, come find me at the Are you Certifiable booth.

Visit The TechNet

Lounge At TechEd North America.

The TechNet Edge Lounge is back. Like the year before, Microsoft worldwide ITEs host friends, guests and celebrities at the lounge for IT Professionals, Developers, Architects, basically everyone at TechEd US.

You find the lounge in TechEd’s center of gravity. In the main exhibition hall, embedded within the MSDN/TechNet Zone.

Call To Action

1. Join the Microsoft evangelists meet-up at the lounge on Monday 12pm to 1pm

2. Invite your customers and partners to the lounge

3. Plan any interviews with customers and partners, feel free to use the lounge

4. Meet and hang out with fellow evangelists, coworkers and the Edge team

5. Show your support and wear a TechNet Edge shirt (get in the lounge)

The lounge will be a place for attendees and yourself to hang out and relax from a busy event. It will allow you to meet with customers and partners and enjoy our cozy bean bags. We invited Microsoft executives to come visit and chat with attendees in the lounge. During the week we will also be recording a few video interviews with attendees and Evangelists from Microsoft.

IT Job market place today

jweston — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:50:34 GMT

As you probably heard, MS made some layoffs this week. I was not affected, but many of my friends were. We are reaching out for them to help them find jobs. I know it’s tough out there. One of the resources i have sent to all of them is AITP Association of IT Professionals. www.aitp.org I am a member of the Dallas Chapter. http://aitpdallas.ning.com/ Check out the schedule on May 27th the Dallas chapter will be doing Careers in IT, Panel Forum. There will be 4-5 recruiters there talking about resumes, interview skills, certifications, how to find that next IT job. let me know if you want to attend and you can be my guest, or hey, join the Professional Association. It is a great place to network, not just to find that next job, but great people to know.

Are you a SQL rock star in Dallas?

jweston — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:45:52 GMT

We only have very limited openings right now at MS, but i heard about one great opportunity with our company.

The sales team is looking for a SQL Technology Specialist. Contact me if you are interested and I will put you in contact with the hiring manager. Below is the Job description. If that describes you, let me know.

Data Platform Technology Specialist

The South Central Sales District has an immediate opening for a Data Platform Technology Specialist located out of Dallas. The successful candidate will provide strategic technical leadership supporting Microsoft customers and partners to adopt, deploy, and support solutions based on SQL Server and related Data Management technologies. This person will be critical in assisting the South Central District achieve its SQL Server revenue goals by providing deep technical expertise, effective sales support, and superior customer focus.

Responsibilities:

- Provide strategic technical advice to customers, communicating value-added contributions of MS products and services, including both long term messages about products, technologies, and services, as well as short term positioning for competitive situations or dynamic market conditions

- Provide technical expertise in helping customers evaluate solutions based on your product, while influencing the business decision making process. Must help enterprise customers understand how your products can be applied to drive business value

- Understand and be able to effectively communicate the key strengths and functional breadth of Microsoft SQL Server and integration of our product line for development and deployment.

- Drive the business value message of SQL Server through effective business oriented product presentations

- Increase and accelerate SQL Server deployments.

- Identify opportunities to position Microsoft’s data management platform through long-term relationships with customers’ technical decision makers

- Create replicable assets (demos, solutions) that help scale sales efforts and collapse sales cycles

- Create a technical sales plan to advance Microsoft’s data management platform across designated customer base

- Drive customer and partner satisfaction for your products and solutions.

- Connect enterprise customers and partners back to the product groups

- Assist with partner and internal sales readiness

- Team with Sales Representatives, Partners, Microsoft Consulting Services and Marketing to meet customer needs.

- Support proof of concepts projects proving Microsoft’s capabilities meeting customer’s requirements.

Requirements/Qualifications:

- Technical pre-sales experience:7+ years with proven skills and experience.

- SQL Engine and Tuning Skills, SQL Upgrades and Competitive Migrations. Practical knowledge and experience. Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse experience.

- Communication excellence: Strong presentation skills, delivering persuasive presentations to both technical and business decision makers.

- Enterprise-Scale: database application development and architecture experience.

- Consultative Selling Experience: Proven success with enterprise customers, working knowledge of solution-selling strategies and tactics and business value selling including but not limited to, strategic planning, risk analysis and business justification.

- Sales Teamwork: High degree of collaboration with multiple Microsoft sales personnel, as well as Microsoft Partners will be required for success.

- Technical Skills: Deep (level 300/400) working knowledge/experience using SQL Server and its’ major competitors. Microsoft DB certifications preferred.

- Successful candidates will also understand and are able to articulate the Microsoft Application Platform and BI strategy and our integrated innovation story.

- Successful candidates will have a BS/BA degree or equivalent work experience combined with a Microsoft product certification or MCSE.

- Travel: Candidates must be able to travel (across TX, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma) as opportunities warrant.

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate today!

jweston — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:42:10 GMT

Windows® 7 Release Candidate is Here!

I thought this might be of interest to you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Also, if you prefer I not forward you these types of communications, just let me know.

We’re excited to announce the availability of the Windows 7 Release Candidate! The RC milestone is an important step on our path to final delivery of Windows 7. RC signifies that engineering and testing have made significant progress, and that the code is entering the final phases of testing.

Feedback from our customers and partners was instrumental in shaping Windows 7 RC. We made a number of enhancements between Beta and RC, including the following:

· Easier, more intuitive navigation through JumpLists, desktop enhancements and improved search relevance

· Improved Windows taskbar scaling

· Improved driver support and management, as well as Device Stage to help manage devices

· Windows Touch updates and Touch Zoom

· More Aero^® themes

· Improved security and enhancements to User Access Control (UAC)

· Reducing the Windows 7 partition drive size (required for BitLocker^TM and Windows Recovery Environment) from 200 megabytes to 100 megabytes

Get started with Windows 7 RC today:

· Find where to download Windows 7 RC.
»Click here.

· Migrate from Windows 7 Beta to Windows 7 RC today to avoid the timebomb that is built into Windows 7 Beta.
»Click here.

In moving from Windows 7 Beta to Windows 7 RC, we listened to feedback from you – our customers and partners -- and focused on the improvements you asked for the most. We hope that you will find Windows 7 RC to be a high quality release that makes everyday tasks easier and faster, while making new things possible.

Sincerely,
<sender’s name>
<sender’s title>
<company name>

Get started with Windows 7 RC today!

» Windows 7 RC Availability

» Migrate from Windows 7 Beta
» Talking About Windows

What People Are Saying

“Microsoft has put together a well thought-through ecosystem, which eases enterprise deployment and administration and yet also gives end-users a desktop OS they can love.”

Alexander Wolfe

Information Week

Windows 7 RC Availability

MSDN^® and TechNet subscribers can download Windows 7 RC as of April 30^th. On May 5^th, Windows 7 RC will be available to the general public through the Customer Preview Program. Anyone can download the RC build through this program. There will be no limits on the number of keys provided or the number of Windows 7 downloads supported. RC downloads will be available at least through June 2009.

We recommend that you download Windows 7 from the site that best describes you in the table below. Each of these sites contains customized content to support the needs of a particular audience.

*If you are a …*	*Download Windows 7 RC at …*
· IT Professional	Tech Net
· Enterprise or Business User	Windows.com
· Consumer or Home User	Windows.com
· Microsoft Partner	MSPP
· Developer	MSDN

Migrate From Windows 7 Beta

For all our Customers and Partners using a Beta version of Windows 7, it is important to migrate to Windows 7 RC to avoid the timebomb that is built into Windows 7 Beta. That timebomb will activate on 7/1/2009. When the timebomb activates, users will experience frequent notifications and forced reboots. (Windows 7 RC also has a built-in timebomb, but this will not activate until 3/1/2010.)

Talking About Windows

Who’s talking about Windows? IT professionals and the Windows 7 engineering team. Join the conversation about the next-generation operating system and connect with the people behind the code, and other IT professionals. Ask the important questions, and make the decisions yourself.

» CLICK HERE

Notes from the Field IE8 Testing how it’s going

jweston — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:31:34 GMT

I was talking to a customer the other day about what technology he is piloting and testing to deploy in his organization. The discussion centered around IE8. Here is what he said.

“

IE8 was one that was at the core of my testing .

we have been using firefox since the release of IE7 but are now thinking that maybe we need to come back to IE8 .

IE8 seem to have gotten rid of some of its Boat that it has accumulated over the years. seems much more responsive and quicker to load pages .

the New web slices feature was a sure hit among us all .

IE8 still has some issues with how it displays some pages but with the compatibility button it clears things up without a hitch ... we also liked the ability to restore IE8 as well as all of it plugins to its default states ..

very good at eliminating some of the spyware that get to so many . “

This customer is part of the IT Pro Momentum program where he is getting resources to help with his pilot. If you are interested in getting signed up for www.itpromomentum.com please drop me an email at jweston@microsoft.com and we can get your pilot into the system so you too can get these same resources.

IE8 video

jweston — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:22:42 GMT

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/nethistory/#fbid:uP1C71wPjmE

Interesting video, do you like this?

LA times commented on it:http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/04/microsoftads.html