Official Release Date

[Geoff]

Just spotted this in APC Mag:

Microsoft has set November 30 as the release date for Vista (and Office 2007) to business customers and January 30, 2007 as the date for the official launch to consumers and The World At Large.

So I guess that means anyone on a schools/select agreement will get it in November. Everyone else will start seeing it turn up on newly bought machines in Feburary.

[mrforgetful]

What if we're not on a Select Agreement, do you think it will be possible to order them from Ramesys in November?

Might give them an email and ask.

[Geoff]

Probably, because all the stuff I get from Ramesys seem to be done via Select.

[mrforgetful]

Not sure how they do it, just know we ask for another so-many licenses for whatever and we pay and get some paper with the licenses using the same serial.

I always wonder why none of the kids ever cotton to the fact that every machine in school has a nice unused Windows XP Pro key on the top they could use without trouble?

[Geoff]

Well on the invoices and cover notes I have it always says they are select versions.

[Norphy]

All of our software bought from Ramesys is on a Select licence. I'm given to understand the Select agreement we use belongs to the Specialist Schools Trust.

[tarquel]

...and if you have SA on your XP Vol licenses, you should probably get it around then too

Nath.

[mrforgetful]

Ah found my paperwork, yes Select Agreement.

[Norphy]

I've just received a reply to an email I sent to Ramesys regarding price and availability of Vista:

We believe Vista is going to be released into education in December but have yet to receive official confirmation from Microsoft on release date or price I am afraid. Microsoft historically do tend to release to the corporate world just prior to an educational release.

As soon as we have pricing we will be sending out a mailer as we did with the latest version of Office 2007, hope this helps.

[mrforgetful]

I never received a mailer for Office 2007.

[Norphy]

Neither did I but that was the reply he sent.

[e_g_r]

Don't forget that SIMS does not work/has not been tested with Vista and Office 2007 so don't buy any admin machines

[Geoff]

Fortuantly Admin machines are "not my problem(tm)"

[mrforgetful]

Nice to see Capita are on the ball as usual. SIMS will probably be all ready for Vista just in time for the next OS release ~2012.

Aren't Capita part owned my Microsoft these days too?

[Geoff]

Yes, MS has a stake in Captia. Not sure of the percentage though.