TechNet Plus Blog

The biggest feature missing now:

Whats new on Downloads. Personalisation based.

This was a great feature with the old app

My two biggest things I would like to see back are:

1) A place that tells the new releases that have been added to the site

2) For MAK product keys (win vista enterprise for example) next to the product key it would say how many keys were used, like 3/15 or whatever, windows server 2008 had that too.

Small things I just like to have back

3) Product Descriptions: Like for Windows server 2008 they told you how to add the MAK product key into it after the install are finished.

4) I noticed that not all of our product keys we had are showing up. Two to point out are Vista Home Basic and Vista Home Premium. It was just nice to have them to see the limitations vs. other versions once in a while, I know I have use it for that fact. (Not sure of any others yet)

5) Also earlier this week Desktop Optimization Pack for software assurance x86 and x64 was posted for download. I did not get it at the time and went to download it today and it was nowhere to be found, just a 2007 version that was grayed out. Will that be posted again?

It would also be nice to know why some things are grayed out; will we ever have access to them?

I know I posted some of these to another one but just decided to add a little since you asked.

Thank you,

NateG

The new site is nice and it is a very good work, but I have to agree with Robert. The "What's new" start page is missing.

It is very frustrating to have to go through the whole of the UI, including things that either do not exist anymore or that I cannot download, just to be able to find out what is new to the downloads.

I had it set before so that when I logged in I would see the additions by date. It was simple and quick. The new UI is anything but simple and quick.

And I cannot for the life of me see why we have to have old products that are no longer available for download cluttering up the UI and making navigation more time consuming and frustrating.

Also when you click on a product you lose the tree to the left and there is no back button.

The new side is nice.

But i'm missing the "what is new" -side too

Another request for bringing back the what's new (and customization) pages.

It became a cool design. It is good to have come to be able to confirm the product key to the lapsing subscription.

Sleeping,It is a deterioration that a newly arrived list disappeared. Are not you it is necessary to open all categories to know whether a new file is open to the public and to confirm it individually?

Being not able to scroll the category with the mouse wheel, and looking for because it is a constant size regardless of the size of the screen are troublesome.

I miss the same as NateG the new items and the number of instals on MAK I would love to see those back, as it's is now I can't see them.

More change for change sake. Nothing wrong with the old system. Do you guys just dream this crap up to keep your self employed. If it aint broke dont fix it

I have to agree with TrevorS, the old interface was much better.  Using the old interface, one could quickly and easily find what they needed.  The new one is anything but efficient.  

Someone "missed the boat" on the site redesign. Old "view" was more user friendly and could be navigated through with less "clicks".

Every post prior to ine had the sasme major gripe "the missing new release and associuated dates".  My past routne was to access the site daily and simply check for new additions of interest - you are making it more time consuming with the current design.

New design "misses the boat" - requires more "clicks" to navigate - I daily checked the site for new releases - put the feature of new/dated releases back.

I really miss being able to quickly to sort everything by date and see what has been lately added.

Since every post since before April 11 says to have a “What’s New” page could a quick temp one be created for now that would just show what’s new so we could go search for it, then a more useful one be created later…

Desktop Optimization Pack for software assurance x86 and x64 is now posted again, but it is grayed out, could this be made available to all TechNet subscribers? (I was able to download it before, but did not get it in time)

The UI is an excellent start, but I feel alot more could be enhanced in the coming months and such.

Also, is there any chance of Technet Plus (Direct) users getting a Windows XP Professional x64 Edition with Service Pack 2 Pre-Slipstreamed image up anytime soon? There's one for those with VL access...

I liked the table format for programs and keys etc because it was simple.  This new layout is frustrating for an old fart like me.  Include a link to the old format and I will be happy.

Agree with NateG - I found some things greyed out with no real explanation as to why, which was a little confusing.  Other than that, I haven't been a Technet subscriber long enough to have gotten used to the old interface, but it definitely looks like an improvement.

The new site looks good. The main new feature I like is that there are no extra download view. The download portal is completely integrated into Technet.

Disadvantageous is the missing "What's new" feature. Maybe it come back (for example as RSS Feed :-) )?

Also I don't like the new menu. It is small and so I need to scroll a lot. Additional the mouse sensitive for the whole menu is not a good think. Previously I was able to move deeper into the menu and move the mouse anywhere on the screen. Now if I move the mouse, I change also the menu view.

regards,

Andreas

Sorry, but have to echo what others mentioned, and the upsides (of which I'm sure there are many) are far outweighed by the basic useability issue:

Yet another web app that requires careful and precise positioning of the tiny tip of my mouse pointer doesn't please me very much. The slightest jiggle, and everything collapses...?

I will avoid this site as much as I can, frankly...

It would be great if the site worked:

An Error Has Occurred

We were unable to locate the benefit that you were trying to claim in your benefit list.

You can try to:

Read the Subscriptions FAQ

Contact Support

Read the On-Line Self Help

Reference Id: 26DFB078

This error has been logged with the reference number noted above. Please use this reference number if you contact support.

Please bring "Whats new on Downloads" back!

a.) Yes definitely, the "what's new" is missing.

b.) The UI is too small, it takes too long to

   drill down the tree to find an app or OS.

c.) For MAK registrered products, the used keys like 3/15 are no longer visible.

Conclusion. We got a nicer look of the UI, but it's slower with less information -> you failed.

Give us the old UI back. It suits more for techies.

PeterM

It would be nice if the downloads could be accessible again...

I have same problem as Thomas Knudson.

Looks great but doesn't seem to work.  I keep getting the message that I need to sign in with a Live ID, even for products that I have already downloaded and have the keys for.  

I don't care what the UI looks like...I just want it to work.  It could be a command prompt for all i care...

The multi selectable product language filter, previously implemented was useful.

I guess most non-English users wish to see product abailability of English and their local language (or 1st and 2nd language).

I have to switch to see it by selecting pulldown list now, and I am forced to wait refleshing the screen.

I dont see Windows 2000 Product anywhere???? I could not see how many key have used for each product??? any ideas??????

What have you done! Why change nothing that worked really well with something that doesn't!!!!!!! I can't find any of the normal downloads any more, on MSDN and here on Tech Plus. Like when I look for the iso image for Windows server R2 SP2 X64 all I get in IA version! PLEASE FIX ASAP!!!!! :-(

In general the new layout is ok, but:

1) Please bring back the What's New list.  It is very time consuming to search through ALL of the files to see if something has been added.

2) It would be nice to see the number of MAK activations used.  It was nice to see in the old version.

3) I'm not sure if the subscription changed, but some items and keys that used to be available on the old site no longer show up on the new one.

4) The scrolling list for available product categories is very finicky. It scrolls slowly and with a slight move of the mouse it loses focus and you have to start all over.