Windows Vista Customer Preview Program
We invite you to be among the first to experience the clarity that Windows Vista can bring to your world. The Windows Vista Customer Preview Program makes a pre-release edition of Windows Vista Ultimate broadly available to the public for the first time.
Note: This is beta code and should not be used in a production environment or on a main machine in the home. Beta 2 is intended for developers, IT professionals and technology experts to continue or begin their testing of Windows Vista. Before you decide to use Beta 2, you should feel comfortable with installing operating systems, updating drivers, and general PC troubleshooting. Some risks of using beta operating systems include hardware and software incompatibility and system instability. If you have concerns about installing this beta software on your computer, we encourage you to obtain the final release version of Windows Vista when it is available in 2007.
If you decide to install Windows Vista Beta 2, we would like to thank you for taking the time to test the product. Your feedback is an integral part of our development process. Thank you for being part of the Windows Vista team!
Click Here for more info! http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/preview.mspx
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Prepare your business for the pivotal release of Windows Vista. Start by testing your knowledge by taking the Windows Vista 101 mini-course. You'll get a sneak preview of the Microsoft marketing approach and find details about how to prepare your organization for this exciting launch. |
What Can You do to Get Ready?
Take the course: Windows Vista 101Learn the basics about this pivotal release, and test your knowledge by taking Windows Vista 101. This mini-course requires only about 10 minutes of your time. To take the course, you’ll need a Microsoft Partner Program membership or an access code.
MSDN Subscribers: Download Beta 2Windows Vista Beta 2 is now available through your MSDN subscription. Developers who aren’t subscribers will be able to obtain Windows Vista Beta 2 in the coming weeks.
Build Your Business With The Windows Vista Difference!
Windows Vista is more secure, more reliable, easier to use, and has more potential to fuel your business success than any previous version of the Windows operating system. With new benefits and features that consumers and businesses have been waiting for, Windows Vista provides an excellent opportunity to expand your business and to become a more valuable advisor to your customers.
See the Windows Vista difference in:
New Microsoft investments into support your success.
Microsoft is investing more heavily than ever in demand creation, partner training, and partner sales tools to help you fully capitalize on the Windows Vista market opportunity.
Expected to spark the largest technology buzz in a decade, the Windows Vista launch will include unprecedented Microsoft investment in advertising, direct marketing, and other customer demand-creation activities.
These efforts include a broad selection of marketing and sales resources, tools, and training to help you potentially profit from the Windows Vista platform. Also included are technical tools, resources, and support to give you the product experience and expertise you need to succeed.
Microsoft will offer tools to help foster the partner-to-partner connections you need to fuel significant business opportunities.
Once you complete the Windows Vista 101 course, you can access related partner tools.
New Business Opportunities for You
The release of Windows Vista creates opportunities for new revenue and growth through upgrade, migration, software/hardware sales, and up-selling. The first new Windows operating system release in more than five years, Windows Vista is expected to stimulate overall customer purchases of hardware, software, and services—opening the door for you to deliver your products, services, and expertise to customers.
Market Readiness
Secure. Reliable. Tested. Windows Vista can help you establish a new level of trust with your customers. Thanks to its greater emphasis on security and reliability, you can confidently recommend Windows Vista to your customers straight from launch. In fact, early-adopter customers are already using Windows Vista to help ensure that their products are market-tested and market-ready when the operating system launches. And to help facilitate broad application and hardware compatibility, Microsoft has engaged hardware and software partners for testing and extensive involvement.
Customer Value
Every installation of Windows Vista gives you an opportunity to provide immediate and compelling new value to your customers. That value is increased when Windows Vista is integrated with other existing and upcoming Microsoft products, including the 2007 Microsoft Office system, which will be launched in the same time frame as Windows Vista.
If your Microsoft Solution Provider Agreement (SPA) expires on June 30, 2006, it's time to renew. Improvements to the new SPA make it even easier to activate and maintain. Sign your SPA now to continue to reap the rewards of your relationship with Microsoft.
The Microsoft Solution Provider Agreement (SPA) grants reselling partners the right to place orders with Microsoft Regional Operations Centers (ROCs) for certain Microsoft business management solutions software licenses and related services. Ordering is contingent on having met SPA authorization requirements, which include passing proficiency exams on the software you wish to order from Microsoft.
If you signed a SPA in 2004 or early 2005, you have a contractual end date of June 30, 2006. In order to maintain an active order status, you must re-enroll before July 1, 2006. To learn more, please review the following:
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SPA Presentation : Learn about what’s new in the latest version of the SPA; who needs to sign the new SPA; and SPA requirements.
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SPA Comparison : This document clarifies how the new SPA has changed, relative to previous versions.
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Re-enrollment Checklist : Explore re-enrollment activities you may consider if you are a partner working with Microsoft business management solutions.
To review or sign the SPA you must be a member of the Microsoft Partner Program at the Registered Member level or above. Becoming a Registered Member is free and it takes only 15 minutes to enroll. If you are not already a member of the Microsoft Partner Program, you can enroll today .
If you are already enrolled in the Microsoft Partner Program, download the SPA documents you need from the selection below.
To learn more about the enrollment process for the SPA, we recommend you first download and review the SPA Guide for your region, accessible via the links in the chart.
One of my peers showed me this pretty good stuff!
Go to the site and just sit there watching the main page. Tom gets a little testy if you don’t click any of the links. 