Microsoft's NT Terminal Server Edition (TSE) is under fire yet again after the company admitted the product is still not Year 2000 compliant, despite having already issued a Y2K patch.......

Microsoft TSE Link

-- Oops (look@that.com), March 11, 1999

Answers

http://webserv.vnunet.com/www_user/plsql/pkg_ynu_news .right_frame?p_story=78168

-- Oops (look@that.com), March 11, 1999.

Try

y2knewswire

-- Oops (look@that.com), March 11, 1999.

http://webserv.vnunet.com/www_user/plsql/pkg_vnu_news.right_frame?p_st ory=78168

Microsoft in trouble over Year 2000 again

by Jo Pettitt

Microsoft's NT Terminal Server Edition (TSE) is under fire yet again after the company admitted the product is still not Year 2000 compliant, despite having already issued a Y2K patch. TSE, which has faced a barrage of criticism from both analysts and users for its high licensing costs, was released non compliant in mid 1998. Microsoft promised Year 2000 fixes first in September and then December, neither of which were delivered.

According to industry analysts Gartner Group, Microsoft "quietly" posted a set of Year 2000 hot fixes for TSE in January this year, but has now admitted these are inadequate.

Neil MacDonald, NT analyst at Gartner Group, commented: "Microsoft has now just as quietly acknowledged that those hot fixes were incomplete, that further Year 2000 related problems have been discovered and that reapplication of a complete set of fixes will be required."

He said that as a result, many companies mistakenly believe that their deployments of TSE are compliant.

MacDonald also added that since Microsoft has given no estimate on when these complete fixes will be available, it may not be until the second quarter, leaving limited time for users to complete their Y2K projects and testing.

Jim Huntington, IT infrastructure manager at Muller Dairy, said TSE's non compliant status was causing headaches for his department as it means he cannot check off his systems as totally compliant.

"It does concern us as we've got a status box to fill in on each of our systems and Terminal Server does not have a tick in the box," he said. "We have no idea when SP4 will actually arrive and we have our own internal deadlines."

"If Microsoft doesn't bring out the pack in time for our deadlines we can't use it," he added.

Microsoft is saying TSE's Y2K compliance problems will be fixed with NT Service Pack(SP) 4, that they claim will be delivered this month. But MacDonald said SP4 for NT4 cannot be applied to TSE because it is based on a different kernel and users may be left waiting for the separate fix.

Simon Moores, chairman of the NT user group said: "It's either fixed or it's not. I believe that Gartner has caught Microsoft out on this occasion and it doesn't do wonders for customer confidence."

A spokesperson for Microsoft admitted that SP4 is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of this year but that even this "could slip".

Moores said: "With only nine months to go before the world collapses around our ears, Microsoft, more than anyone, has to be able to deliver Year 2000 fixes to a 99.99 per cent level of confidence. If it can't, then mitigation ceases to be relevant and its time to start stocking up on canned food."

) 1999 VNU Business Publications Ltd

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), March 11, 1999.

In May of 1997, Bill Gates hosted a conference with the CEOs from many major corporations. During a Q & A session, one of the CEOs asked him about Y2K. The Great Nerd said that all anyone had to do is move off of mainframes and onto PC systems.

Windows was not Y2K compliant then, and it isn't now. Microsoft can't even get their flagship product right!

-- Incredulous (ytt000@aol.com), March 11, 1999.

What's up here? SP4 has been out for a while. In fact SP4 has been released a second time, refered to as the "service pack for service pack 4" - how old is this article? <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), March 12, 1999.

Sysman,

Last paragraph seems to indicate that it is recent. "With only nine months to go before the world collases around our ears, Microsoft, more than anyone, has to be able to deliver Year 2000 fixes to a 99.99 per cent level of confidence. If it's can't, then mitigation ceases to be relevant and its time to start stockpiling up on canned food."

With what you said it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense.

-- Observer (observing@all.com), March 12, 1999.

Microsoft has a history of promoting "vaporware" well in advance of any possible realistic release date in an effort to chill competition (getting users to forgo purchasing a competitor's actual, waiting instead for the latest "new and improved version" from Redmond).

Since software delevelopment always takes more actual time than marketing thinks it should, the product is nowhere near ready when the "announced" date arrives. ("I love deadlines. I especially love the swooshing sound they make as they go flying by... [Dilbert?])

Months later, the product is not ready, but under marketing pressure, it is released anyway. The haplesss purchasers are then put into the position of being unwitting beta testers.

There is no easy way for the average user to report glitches. And no easy way to get the patches and service releases. Then, once one gets a patch or service release, using it is just as much hassle and buggy as what it supposedly fixes.

Do an internet search for "Woody's Office Watch" (WOW) and "Woody's Windows Watch" for on-line newsletters about Microsucks products -- bugs, patches and service releases, difficulties in obtaining and installing same, "workarounds", etc.

Bottom line is that Microsucks corporate policy is to get and maintain market share at any cost, even to the extent of putting out faulty products. They have been (should have been) aware of Y2K for years and are still putting out non-compliant software TODAY

All you people whose crotches get damp in anticipation of Microsucks' latest release have only yourselves to blame, pumping cash into Redmond, for faulty and non-compliant products.

-- vbProg (vbProg@MicrosoftAndIntelSucks.com), March 12, 1999.

VB - Yup that was Dilbert. Here's another of my favorite Y2K Dilbertisms...

Of course I don't look busy... I did it right the first time.

<:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), March 12, 1999.

Story is dated March 11 , 1999. This story is from a UK site. Remember that all versions must be localized which adds time, time, time, Tick...tick...tick...

Remember this is TSE Edition. Maybe Redmond is keeping this story quiet and ANOTHER SP will be handed down from heaven.

-- PNG (png@gol.com), March 13, 1999.