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Windows Vista Feature Focus: Windows Ultimate Extras | |
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| Time: 00:07 EST/05:07 GMT | News Source: Windows SuperSite | Posted By: Kenneth van Surksum | ||
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Paul Thurrott: Never has such a good idea been so badly bungled. Microsoft originally envisioned Windows Ultimate Extras as one of many differentiators for its high-end Windows Vista Ultimate edition. Of course, back in mid-2005, when these plans were unfolding, Microsoft was still struggling to define the various Vista product editions. It planned a Small Business edition, for example, but ultimately decided against it. And for Windows Vista Ultimate, Microsoft originally planned to include a number of features that never came to fruition, including a Game Performance Tweaker, a podcast creation utility, online "Club" services, extended A1 subscriptions, free music downloads, free movie downloads, Online Spotlight and entertainment software, preferred product support, and custom themes. (I first revealed these plans in my September 2005 article, Windows Vista Product Editions Preview.) | ||
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| #1 By 15406 (216.191.227.68) at 10/8/2008 8:36:02 AM |
| What you should focus on is how you just spent $100 for two shareware-quality games and animated wallpaper. |
| #2 By 23275 (71.91.9.16) at 10/8/2008 9:10:32 AM |
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What is so "Ultimate" about Windows Vista Ultimate? - a great deal, http://blog.libertech.net/blogs/lketchum/archive/2007/07/03/what-is-so-quot-ultimate-quot-about-windows-vista-ultimate.aspx
If one purchased Vista Ultimate for "Ultimate Extras" it would have been purchased for the wrong reasons. Windows Vista Ultimate buyers, for the most part, understand that the Ultimate Vista SKU is about much more. Ultimate Extras, language localization packs being the most valuable to me personally, do offer extra value and it extends beyond the extras shipped by Microsoft. Numerous discounts have been and are regularly offered by third parties via the Ultimate PC website, http://www.ultimatepc.com/#home Ultimate owners can save a great deal on the products exclusively offered to Ultimate owners. |
| #3 By 1896 (68.153.171.248) at 10/8/2008 9:23:08 AM |
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When I buy something I consider everything that is supposed to be part of the package.
"Ultimate Extras" were advertised as part of the package and never delivered, simple as that. |
| #4 By 23275 (71.91.9.16) at 10/8/2008 9:43:41 AM |
| @3, are you saying that "no" extras were shipped? |
| #5 By 1896 (68.153.171.248) at 10/8/2008 9:49:45 AM |
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Please do not insult your intelligence with these kind of comments. leave them to Capitol Hill.
Anyway just to play your game: did they deliver what they advertised? |
| #6 By 2201 (82.45.132.196) at 10/8/2008 11:13:46 AM |
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#5 tell us exactly what Microsoft promised buyers of Windows Vista Ultimate Edition (with screenshots, URLs, etc. as sources - from Microsoft themselves preferably, not "Mary Jo" with her "opinions" at her tech blog). As far as I'm aware, Windows Vista Ultimate is the sum of all the other editions, all together in one package (and was always promised as such). Ultimate Extras is just that, extras. And you got them (although not a brilliant selection admittedly).
Looking at Microsoft's site right after they released it to retail - http://web.archive.org/web/20070202072258/www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/ultimate/default.mspx - you can see that it mentions the Ultimate Extras, which I believe they have delivered. Every single one. Now if you have read that they were going to deliver more via some other rumour site, then that's the rumour site's fault, not Microsoft's. This post was edited by testman on Wednesday, October 08, 2008 at 11:20. |
| #7 By 7754 (206.169.247.2) at 10/8/2008 12:08:42 PM |
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We discussed this quite awhile back (well, numerous times, but this one sticks out):
http://www.activewin.com/awin/comments.asp?ThreadIndex=67461 In my opinion, Paul is being charitable about UE, even though critical. The recent UE's are appreciated, but totally a half-hearted effort. I think what I said at that time still holds: I have to disagree with lketchum here, too. Yes, the Ultimate Extras aren't the only defining feature of Ultimate. Here's the problem I have with it (and what I posted on Josh's blog as well)--Microsoft needs a way of boosting revenue, and how can they do it with Windows? It's pretty much saturated already, so they can only increase the cost. If they stick with one or two SKUs, they'll never hear the end of it if they increase the cost (even if it only keeps up with inflation, I think!). So... someone had the bright idea of "premium" SKUs. When Ultimate was announced, not only did it include the features present in other versions, it included Ultimate Extras--something exclusive to Ultimate. Nothing else is exclusive to Ultimate--the rest of the features are found in other versions, just not all of them in the same version. Now, that's all fine, but with Ultimate, those exclusives were future promises, not already shipping product. I think they've essentially collected their money in advance for those promised features, and now they don't care so much about delivering. It's great to say to shareholders "we're having great sales of premium SKUs," but hey, that's only the buyer's part of the bargain. Microsoft has to own up to theirs with Ultimate. |
| #8 By 23275 (71.91.9.16) at 10/8/2008 1:21:15 PM |
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#5, I've asked a fair question when you consider that UE "are" - wherein UE are conduits through which "extra" value is continuosly delivered over time. Microsoft, like the extras or not, has delivered UE's over time and will continue to do so. Similarly, channel partners have delivered significant savings on both systems and products which are very likely of interest to Ultimate owners. Deep discounts on popular Avid products, HD hardware from Pinnacle and unique software like Multiplicity.
Combined and against published and official advertising - not blogged expectations, I assess that MS has delivered extras and I am confident that they will continue to do so. We can argue the merit of the extras thus far delivered, but we cannot argue that they have been and according to the advertised intent. |
| #9 By 15406 (216.191.227.68) at 10/8/2008 2:09:54 PM |
| #8: In your constant defense of MS, you're missing the point. What everyone is complaining about is not that MS hasn't delivered anything; it's that what MS has delivered has been subpar for the money they charged. |
| #10 By 1896 (68.153.171.248) at 10/8/2008 2:42:15 PM |
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#6: it seems that you have not read the article we are commenting about; if you did so you would have find answers to all your questions.
Keep living in your dreamworld Iketchum; I sincerely hope that: "Enjoy, it, then, my darling child, Nor speed the flying hours! I say to thee no more: Alas, in this sad world of ours, How far exceeds the holiday, The day that goes before!" |
| #11 By 23275 (71.91.9.16) at 10/8/2008 3:23:37 PM |
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Fritz, I prefer it to the dream-world that presented Vista Ultimate in the limited context of Ultimate Extras to the exclusion of all else the SKU offers. I think your argument would be stronger if no extras had been delivered; if new extras had not been rolled out since release and if deals were not made with channel partners to deliver additional value and cost savings for Ultimate owners.
Initially, and it seems to persist, that attempts have been made to couch Vista Ultimate's value based upon opinions regarding the merits the extras that have been delivered - since we do not know what extras will be delivered in the future, I don't see any other basis for your argument. This post was edited by lketchum on Wednesday, October 08, 2008 at 15:25. |
| #12 By 23275 (71.91.9.16) at 10/8/2008 3:30:51 PM |
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@10, Oh - Leopardi... I'm glad you chose him...
He was dark and contrasts who I have tried to be well... optimistic, hopeful even. I mean.. have you read what he wrote to himself....? |
| #13 By 1896 (68.153.171.248) at 10/8/2008 3:47:03 PM |
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No matter how much we could disagree it is always a pleasure to cross the sword with you. :-)
Yes I did read and studied him. I am Italian so in school we extensively studied Leopardi's operas; actually "Saturday in the village"), (" Il sabato del villaggio") was one we had to memorize and recite in the classroom. Good old times I miss very much! |
| #14 By 15406 (216.191.227.68) at 10/8/2008 3:58:31 PM |
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#11: I prefer it to the dream-world that presented Vista Ultimate in the limited context of Ultimate Extras to the exclusion of all else the SKU offers.
This thread is specifically about Ultimate Extras and that's what we're talking about. It can't be any more on point than that, and it's puzzling why you're trying to steer the conversation into the sum total of the Ultimate edition. since we do not know what extras will be delivered in the future, I don't see any other basis for your argument. I would think that you'll see the last of the Ultimate Extras roughly around the time that Win7 appears. MS has had almost 2 years since Vista RTM and they haven't exactly broken any records for the volume of UE goodies they've released. No matter how hard you spin, people don't see the value in the Ultimate Extras. MS could have done so much more. |
| #15 By 1896 (68.153.171.248) at 10/8/2008 4:29:07 PM |
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Btw let us "give to Ceasar whay belongs to Ceasar and to God what belongs to God"
I have Vista Ultimate, I bought the first copy in November 06, and kept buying more copies down the road; in other words I am not one of those people that say " If I knew I would have never bought Ultimate". I am indeed disppointed that the "Extras" ended up being just what they are as well as I was when MS announced that "Ultimate" support would last 5 years compared to the 5+5 of "Business" and "Enterprise" but at the end it was all part of "a period of confusion" that brought MS to release so many SKU's. I stated and I still believe that MS would have been much better offering: Basic (Just for some specific hardware/Countries) Home Pro Ultimate Anyway all of this is history; let us see what PDC will show us. I am waiting to buy a new Tabet just because I want to see what "Multitouch" will deliver. |
| #16 By 8556 (12.210.39.82) at 10/8/2008 8:02:30 PM |
| Fritzly: By Basic do you mean what is called Starter Edtion? If so, I agree. Home Basic is a sad dumbed down OS. Fortunately, there are free add-ons that let one extract shadow file copies, which are made in Home versions but with the usefulness turned off by defualt. |
| #17 By 2201 (82.45.132.196) at 10/9/2008 7:35:11 AM |
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#15 to the normal consumer, they DO already offer what you have just described.
Basic = Starter Edition Home = Home Basic Pro = Home Premium Ultimate = Ultimate The Business and Enterprise editions are really aimed at... businesses, funnily enough, hence the name. |
| #18 By 37 (192.251.125.85) at 10/10/2008 7:54:50 AM |
| MS can do no right as usual. MS has delivered the UE as promised. The UE content will never appeal to everyone. Fact remains, they promised extras, they have given extras. Lloyd has posted solid proof of the value of the Ultimate sku and it's extra's being delivered, and yet there are still people plugging their ears saying "blalalalalaa" |
| #19 By 15406 (216.191.227.68) at 10/10/2008 3:57:44 PM |
| Perhaps it's because, despite all of Ketchum's attempts to depict UE as all that plus more, people don't feel they got value for the money. It's not that people don't understand; it's that they don't agree. |
| #20 By 17996 (66.235.18.153) at 10/11/2008 3:42:09 AM |
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I'm defintely of the opinion that people shouldn't feel that Ultimate isn't worth it just because of the lack of extras -- you should have bought it for the combination of business+home premium. That said, despite my usual defending of Microsoft, they really dropped the ball on Ultimate Extras.
"cutting-edge programs, innovative services, and unique publications ... for Windows Vista Ultimate users" -- do sound schemes count as "unique publications"? (No, the content at ultimatepc.com doesn't count because it's available to everyone on the web.) Does a single service, online secure key backup, count as "innovative services"? The failures and deception (I've tried to resist using the word "lies") go back a long ways. On July 2, 2007, the Ultimate Extras team stated "once we ship Windows DreamScene and the remaining Language Packs, we will provide more information about the next Extras." I don't know about you, but I never remember any further information being disclosed after DreamScene and those language packs were released. Then there was Sept 25, 2007: "On a different topic, as the broad beta for Windows Vista SP1 nears, people have noticed that the screen which welcomes customers to Windows Ultimate Extras has changed. Our intent in making this change was simply to broaden the definition in anticipation of a broader range of Ultimate Extras being available in the future—that do not necessarily map to the original, narrow definition." Ha! "While I can understand how community sites and bloggers may have read the new definition and assumed that Microsoft is not shipping any more Extras, in reality the opposite is true. In addition to the remaining Language Packs, we plan to ship a collection of additional Windows Ultimate Extras that we are confident will delight our passionate Windows Vista Ultimate customers. We will shed more light on these plans once the Language Packs are finally dislodged from our delivery pipeline!" Still waiting for that light to be shed... "I look forward to sharing more positive news in the near future. [signed] Barry Goffe" Maybe he should change his name to Barry Gaffe? Note that the original site, windowsultimate.com, is gone, along with their (few) blog entries. Deleted out of shame perhaps? The blog entries containing the above quotes are however available via archive.org; note that due to archive.org presumably not caching certain CSS file(s), the text appears white-on-white so you need to select-all in order to read them: 1. http://web.archive.org/web/20080210161600/windowsultimate.com/blogs/announcements/archive/2007/07/02/update-on-the-windows-ultimate-extras.aspx 2. http://web.archive.org/web/20080124141742/windowsultimate.com/blogs/announcements/archive/2007/09/25/windows-dreamscene-released.aspx This post was edited by PatriotB6007 on Saturday, October 11, 2008 at 03:48. |
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