http://www.ncomputing.com/tabid/180/default.aspx?ContentID=337 http://www.microsoft.com/windows/multipoint/default.aspx http://www.microsoft.com/windows/multipoint/faq.aspx (see PDF brochure) http://blogs.technet.com/unlimitedpotential/archive/2009/11/12/expanding-education-s-access-to-technology-with-windows-multipoint-server-2010.aspx http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10396488-56.html http://www.displaylink.com/pressreleaseviewer.php?type=2&id=43 http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=multimedia_detail&eid=6102160&newsLang=en
This shouldn't come as a surprise after this: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9114292/NComputing_hits_1M_customer_mark_hires_Microsoft_exec_as_chairman With Microsoft's launch of Multipoint server, I believe they have revealed a changed strategy - to focus education buyers on shared resouce servers, the only serious competition to the netbook threat. They have decided to cede ground in the lower-end educational netbook space because they cannot prevail; their sales failure on the XO-1 was a wake-up call. They know they have to get students hooked on Windows, yet they are neither wiling to sell outmoded Windows XP on netbooks with tiny margins, nor Windows 7 with small margins; upsell, their core strategy for XP or GNU/Linux netbooks, will be difficult on small light machines. Their USB stick based upgrade tool was pulled last week due to GPL violations. At the same time, they have understood that schools need servers for connectivity, backup, and security. GNU/Linux is of course a serious threat in the server space. And they also know Intel's Learning Series classroom management tools for teachers (e.g. thumbnail view showing what's on each student's screen in the class) is a linchpin of the Classmate offer. They missed the blossoming of Moodle in the course management space, and admitted as much by acknowledging Moodle's importance in a recent press release. They know collaborative applications is the right path, stating that they hope to build an applications ecosystem, starting with NComputing. This is very clear from the bottom of their FAQ page. It's risky for them, because their classic ecosystem partners build Windows applications, and shared resource computing means fewer licenses for partners. So in a sense, they are encouraging their partners to follow them into shared-resource, adapting licensing from per-PC to seat count or site licenses. They remain weak in K-6. They don't discuss it. My impression is that they are aiming for an older student age group, identified as "students and teachers who already know the familiar Windows interface". They imply learning a new interface will take away from teaching and learning. Their marketing is directly targeted at teachers (cf. PDF brochure). They are rushing this to market, but not overpromising; availability is cited as "in the first half of 2010". Note that each PC/server can only service up to 10 monitor/mouse/keyboard stations. The PR shot shows a circular library table with 6 stations. Two business models: OEMs (who will be sure to provide the necessary graphics power) and license sales, the former supported by sellers, the latter by partners or Microsoft directly. Launch languages: Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish. Sean. _______________________________________________ Marketing mailing list Marketing@lists.sugarlabs.org http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/marketing