How do you explain the benefits of Windows Home Server to the "end user" (not the administrator of Windows Home Server, but the person who you may need to convince or explain why this software is important, cool, or some other adjective du jour) in a home?  How do you get them to be excited about a new piece of technology - how do they see the benefits?

Here are some of the things I have heard from real people with the software:

• "Fixing up the Kid's PC after they have made a mess of it, is so easy with the computer restore functiionality" 
• "I gave my roommate R/W privileges to the Photos folder and he accidentally deleted a handful of pictures.  I used previous versions to recover it - he was happy, I was ecstatic!"
• "My wife loves that all of our music is available through the old stereo with the Roku M1000 hooked up to it."

In a sense the home server is invisible until something goes wrong (e.g. restoring a PC or set of files) or it is providing a service (e.g. media streaming) that people aren't quite sure how it all works. 

I would love to hear other people's experiences in explaining the benefits of Windows Home Server to the "end users" in the home or even better true stories with real quotes .... Feel free to e-mail them or reply as comments to this post.

Thanks for the replies, although some of you are still answering it from your "I installed this product and here is what I like" perspective.  Try the other hat on .... here is what my household members think of it ... (Note:  only works if you live with other people).  

"Bucko" provided a good synopsis of selling points trying to convince a prospective customer, but "j and v" really hit the nail on the head.  How do I convince my wife that I can spend $xxx to buy this, or better yet how do I convince her to buy it for "us" for my birthday?

"dubbug" provided an interesting challenge and asked for a synopsis of quotes from "confused end users".  Sounds like a great topic for a future blog post.  I have read some interesting things in the home server forums, which has led me to firmly believe that 2 things are needed:

• A collection of Technical Briefs that explain the inner workings of Windows Home Server, including how Automated Backup, Drive Extender, and Remote Access work, in detail.  I have added that to my long list of things to get done...and the list has more than 3 things on it.
• A high-level overview of the benefits of a home server and why a household would need one ... that is also on my list.

Hopefully, you have all had time to read the Getting Started Guide and the Reviewers Guide for Windows Home Server posted on http://connect.microsoft.com/WindowsHomeServer (click on "Downloads" on the left).  So today's question is:

What additional documentation / knowledge can we share with you?  If I could produce a 5-6 page document, what would be the title of it?

t.

Good news!  Windows Home Server has reached the Beta 2 milestone!  While previous releases have been tested by 1000+ Microsoft employees and some of our hardware and software partners, we are now starting to invite a broader group of external testers to participate in Beta 2.

People that are interested in participating in Beta 2 can register here so we have their names as we steadily expand the program.  We can't guarantee you'll be invited to participate right away (or at all), but if you're interested get yourself registered.  Keep in mind that Beta 2 does not really represent the "consumer experience."  Most consumers will ultimately buy Home Server as an integrated hardware/software solution that's very plug and play, e.g. the HP MediaSmart Server.  Beta 2 is software only, of course, meaning evaluators will need to know how to install and configure a server operating system.  Beta 2 participants will also need a dedicated machine for Home Server - Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM and two or more internal hard drives with at least 300 GB primary system hard drive is recommended - and at least 2 client PCs and a broadband connection.

Beta 2 - When, How, Where, Who, etc. 

After 24 hours of announcing the survey for nominating yourself to participate in the Windows Home Server Beta 2 program, we had responses from over 10,000 people in 107 different countries.  We get a new person filling out the survey every 7 seconds.  Today, the number has passed 20,000 people from 111 different countries. 

We are putting the finishing touches on the Connect Site for Windows Home Server Beta 2 and trying to figure out who will be the lucky ones and who will be sorely dissapointed ... needless to say - we don't really want to dissappoint anybody.  Thanks in advance for your patience !

You will initially need to be able to burn your own DVD and CDs so that you can install the Windows Home Server software from the DVD and the Windows Home Server Connector software onto 1 or more of your PCs in your home.   There is a 2nd CD, called the Home Computer Restore CD, that you can use to do a complete restore of a PC from a backup stored on your home server. 

We are trying to provide an option for people in certain geographies with the ability to order Disk Kits and charge simply on a 'cost recovery' basis for those who do not have the means for burning their own DVDs and CDs.  The Disk Kit option will not be available for all geographies - and information about this option will be posted on our Connect site, if and when you get accepted into the program.

Lots of other Questions - a few answers

• Will you be providing hardware? 
• No, you will need to provide your own hardware for testing Windows Home Server.  That is why we asked that question in the survey.
• Do I really need a broadband connection?
• Yes, as we want people that will be able to test the Remote Access options in Beta 2.
• Will the Windows Home Server Beta 2 software and documentation be available in multiple languages?
• No, Beta 2 will only be available in English. 
• Does Beta 2 come with any documentation or manuals?
• Yes, there are 3 separate documents that come with the Beta 2 software
• Gettting Started Guide - explains the hardware requirements and steps for installing the Windows Home Server software
• Reviewers Guide - detailed overview of the product and a step-by-step guide of the Beta 2 features and functionality
• Release Documentation - also known as a "Read Me" - known issues that you should be aware of before using the software
• How come you didn't offer "Maybe" as an option for some of the Yes/No questions?
• I was always told that "maybe" meant "NO"

t.

My name is Todd Headrick and I am the product planner for the Microsoft Windows Home Server.  I have been working on this product for a few years now, and I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge about Home Server here on this blog.

The Windows Home Server team is eager to share news, insights and information about our product.  And we're equally eager to hear your thoughts and feedback.  This blog will include contributions from the product management team, development team, support team and the marketing team.  

Bill Gates recently announced and showcased the Windows Home Server software at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show.  We were thrilled by how many people were excited and interested in this product.  I encourage you to take a look at some of the news coverage and information available via the links to the left.  Stay tuned for more postings coming soon!

t.