I just read the announcement that MED-V 1.0 (the renamed Kidaro product for desktop virtualisation) has been released as a public beta. Don’t get all jumping for joy!
The final release will be a part of Microsoft Desktop Opimization Pack (MDOP) – where all good products go to die. You see, the problem is that MDOP is only available to buy for Software Assurance (of the desktop) customers. I told one of the MS guys not to do with Kidaro at a meeting at TechEd EMEA 2008. It’s certain death for what could have been an excellent solution.
Software Assurance is one of those nice to have things. Look at Vista. How many companies rushed out and bought Vista just because there was a new version of Windows for the desktop? Not that many considering the concern about the importance of Windows 7 market acceptance. Times are tough now and businesses aren’t going to upgrade desktops that work fine for a couple of new features, hence they won’t buy Software Assurance. The OEM license is fine for them – and I hate saying that because it limits my deployment options to nothing.
Restricting new software to just the SA customers seems plain stupid to me. Well, I guess that simplifies my schedule setting for conferences and reduces the numbers of local events I need to go to.